Child Welfare Workforce Support Act
Bill: S.1496 | Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim (D-VA)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Child Welfare Workforce Support Act
This bill establishes a demonstration grant program for state or local agencies, tribes, tribal organizations, and other entities that administer certain child welfare programs to support workforce recruitment, retention, and advancement. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services must award up to ten grants to states and counties, and up to three to Indian tribes, giving priority to entities with high rates of turnover in the child welfare workforce.
Grant recipients must, among other activities, increase interest in careers in the child welfare workforce and provide mentoring, professional development, and other support services to new hires and other employees. In addition, they may use funds to update certain technology infrastructure.

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to fund 
 demonstration projects to improve recruitment and retention of child 
                            welfare workers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Child Welfare Workforce Support 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to demonstrate the impact of recruitment 
and retention strategies in the child welfare workforce and identify 
effective evidence-based strategies for improved worker recruitment, 
retention, and advancement.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``caseworker'' means an individual employed or 
        contracted by a State who works in the field of prevention, 
        identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect;
            (2) the term ``child welfare workforce'' means professional 
        and paraprofessional personnel employed by, or affiliated with, 
        a State in the fields of health care, medicine, law 
        enforcement, judiciary, social work and child protection, 
        education, child care, and other relevant fields, or 
        individuals such as court appointed special advocates or 
        guardian ad litem, who are engaged in, or intend to work in, 
        the field of prevention, identification, and treatment of child 
        abuse and neglect;
            (3) the term ``Indian Tribe'' has the meaning given the 
        term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b);
            (4) the term ``secondary trauma'' means the secondary 
        traumatic stress or vicarious trauma that can occur when a 
        professional experiences stress or symptoms of trauma when 
        working with children and families who are experiencing abuse, 
        neglect, or family violence;
            (5) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services; and
            (6) the term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 3 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5101 note).

SEC. 4. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a 5-year demonstration 
program under which the Secretary awards, on a competitive basis, 
grants to eligible entities to plan and implement activities to achieve 
the strategic objectives described in subsection (d) with respect to 
the child welfare workforce.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, an entity shall be a State or local governmental agency, 
Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, a nonprofit entity, or the lead 
entity administering a grant to the applicable State or Indian Tribe 
under title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
U.S.C. 5116 et seq.).
    (c) Applications.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under this 
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require, including--
            (1) a description of the strategic objectives described in 
        subsection (d) that the eligible entity intends to strengthen 
        the child welfare workforce;
            (2) a description of the eligible entity and evidence of 
        the eligible entity's capacity to carry out activities to 
        achieve the strategic objectives as described under paragraph 
        (1);
            (3) an analysis of child welfare workforce needs of the 
        State, and barriers to recruitment and retention of such 
        workforce, including the impact of caseloads, salaries, and 
        workplace violence prevention plans on retention, and which may 
        include consideration of any employee surveys on the 
        organizational structure of relevant entities;
            (4) a description of the current or prospective employees 
        that will be targeted or recruited by the strategic objectives 
        selected from subsection (d), including an analysis of the 
        demographic characteristics of the child welfare workforce;
            (5) a description of the activities the eligible entity 
        intends to undertake to sustainable progress towards achieving 
        such strategic objectives;
            (6) a description of the performance measures the eligible 
        entity intends to use to measure progress towards achieving 
        such strategic objectives;
            (7) a description of the eligible entity's pre-service 
        training and continuum of support that such entity intends to 
        use for the child welfare workforce, including 
        professionalization of the supervisory workforce;
            (8) a description of the Federal and non-Federal resources, 
        available under provisions of law other than this section and 
        the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 et 
        seq.), that will be leveraged in support of the activities 
        under the grant;
            (9) a timeline for implementing and making progress towards 
        achieving such strategic objectives, and assurances that the 
        eligible entity will provide periodic reports to the Secretary 
        on such progress, as the Secretary may require; and
            (10) an identification of technology infrastructure updates 
        the eligible entity intends to employ in order to improve case 
        worker support.
    (d) Strategic Objectives.--The activities to be carried out under 
each grant awarded under this section shall be designed to achieve 
strategic objectives that--
            (1) include--
                    (A) analysis of the child welfare workforce needs 
                in the applicable State, in order to reduce barriers to 
                recruitment, development, and retention of such 
                workforce, which may include conducting a time study to 
                determine how the child welfare workforce allocated 
                working hours toward required work activities;
                    (B) planning for the recruitment, hiring, and pre-
                service training of prospective caseworkers and other 
                members of the child welfare workforce, utilizing 
                evidence-based, evidence-informed, or other promising 
                practices;
                    (C) planning for ongoing professional development 
                opportunities and continuum of support to improve 
                retention of child welfare workforce; and
                    (D) consideration of best practices to meet the 
                unique needs and development of infants, children, and 
                youth, including such individuals with disabilities and 
                children under age of 3; and
            (2) may include updating technology infrastructure in child 
        welfare work systems and data sharing across child-serving 
        systems.
    (e) Award Requirements.--
            (1) Duration.--Each grant awarded under this section shall 
        be for a period not to exceed 5 years, subject to the 
        availability of funds.
            (2) Amount.--Each grant awarded under this section shall be 
        in amount that is not more than $100,000 per year for the 
        duration of the grant period. An eligible entity receiving a 
        grant under this section may allocate not more than 5 percent 
        of the funds awarded through a grant under this section to 
        administrative expenses.
            (3) Allocation of awards.--The Secretary shall award up to 
        10 grants to States or counties and up to 3 grants to Indian 
        Tribes, and shall ensure that grantees are regionally diverse 
        and serve both rural and urban populations.
            (4) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that have 
        high rates of child welfare workforce turnover.
    (f) Demonstration Project Activities.--
            (1) Required activities.--To achieve the strategic 
        objectives identified in an eligible entity's application under 
        subsection (c)(3), each eligible entity receiving a grant under 
        this section shall carry out the following activities, in a 
        manner that integrates services and funding sources to ensure 
        effectiveness of the activities and that uses the grant funds 
        efficiently:
                    (A) Recruitment and hiring efforts.--The eligible 
                entity shall provide services to expand awareness of, 
                interest in, and preparation for, careers in the child 
                welfare workforce, which--
                            (i) shall include prioritizing recruitment 
                        of nontraditional candidates (such as older 
                        workers transitioning from other fields or 
                        reentering the workforce after raising 
                        families; candidates whose race, ethnicity, and 
                        language capacity are reflective of communities 
                        they will be serving; or students); and
                            (ii) may include--
                                    (I) updating child welfare 
                                workforce marketing and recruitment 
                                materials;
                                    (II) developing partnerships 
                                between the State and institutions of 
                                higher education to implement training 
                                programs specific to the needs of the 
                                child welfare workforce of the State;
                                    (III) providing internship and job 
                                shadowing opportunities for individuals 
                                considering careers in the child 
                                welfare workforce;
                                    (IV) developing a competency-based 
                                recruitment, screening, and selection 
                                process that may include completion of 
                                realistic caseworker exercises;
                                    (V) developing and using simulation 
                                activities to share with potential new 
                                caseworkers during the application 
                                process;
                                    (VI) creating materials depicting 
                                real job experiences and interactions 
                                with clients, emphasizing the direct 
                                impact that caseworker turnover has on 
                                children; and
                                    (VII) developing publicly available 
                                career opportunity hub and offer 
                                position matching services.
                    (B) Support services.--The eligible entity shall 
                provide services to support the success of individuals 
                employed by a child welfare agency, which shall include 
                the following:
                            (i) Early employment services.--Services 
                        provided to such individuals who are in their 
                        first 6 months of employment in the child 
                        welfare workforcem, to ensure that such 
                        individuals succeed in such careers, 
                        including--
                                    (I) mentoring from colleague with 2 
                                or more years of child welfare work 
                                experience and may include compensation 
                                for mentors;
                                    (II) phased training and 
                                orientation over initial 6 months of 
                                employment, including explicit training 
                                related to identifying traumatic stress 
                                and secondary traumatic stress and 
                                support resources available to 
                                employees;
                                    (III) joint field visits with 
                                experienced child welfare worker; and
                                    (IV) low-risk initial caseload 
                                assignment with gradual increase in 
                                caseload size and difficulty.
                            (ii) Employment services.--Services to 
                        ensure that such individuals employed by the 
                        State for more than 6 months have access to 
                        ongoing professional development and support to 
                        increase job sustainability and long-term 
                        retention, which--
                                    (I) shall include--
                                            (aa) providing peer 
                                        mentoring, a crisis helpline, 
                                        and onsite crisis response to 
                                        address traumatic stress and 
                                        secondary traumatic stress for 
                                        caseworkers;
                                            (bb) providing support for 
                                        supervisory personnel, 
                                        including by conducting 
                                        interviews, to assist employees 
                                        in long-term career planning 
                                        and discuss opportunities for 
                                        advancement within the child 
                                        welfare workforce;
                                            (cc) developing best 
                                        practices to address caseworker 
                                        burnout and other areas known 
                                        to increase turnover; and
                                            (dd) providing a system of 
                                        career advancement with wage 
                                        progression and opportunities 
                                        to attain further education and 
                                        professional development; and
                                    (II) may include--
                                            (aa) creating additional 
                                        positions to achieve manageable 
                                        caseloads that reflect industry 
                                        standards such as coaches, 
                                        mental health specialists, 
                                        substance abuse specialists, 
                                        homelessness specialist, 
                                        developmental disability 
                                        specialists, and child 
                                        psychiatrists;
                                            (bb) safety awareness 
                                        training and supports in the 
                                        field;
                                            (cc) providing multi-modal 
                                        training opportunities (such as 
                                        eLearning, blended classroom, 
                                        video, webinar, and tools and 
                                        job aids); and
                                            (dd) providing employee 
                                        wellness programs and 
                                        educational leave.
            (2) Technology infrastructure.--In addition to the 
        activities under paragraph (1), an eligible entity receiving a 
        grant under this section may use such grant funds to identify 
        and act upon opportunities for technology infrastructure 
        updates to State systems to support the child welfare 
        workforce, which may include--
                    (A) ensuring technological accessibility for child 
                welfare workers and other systems serving children and 
                families;
                    (B) equipping caseworkers with smart phones, 
                tablets, or laptop computers;
                    (C) providing technology professional development;
                    (D) improving mobile and remote access capabilities 
                for use of telehealth or similar services; and
                    (E) addressing other needs within States.
    (g) Evaluation and Progress Reports.--Not later than 2 years after 
receiving a grant under this section, and annually thereafter until the 
grant period ends, each eligible entity shall submit a report to the 
Secretary and to the governor of the State in which the eligible entity 
serves, that describes--
            (1) the activities funded by the grant; and
            (2) the progress the eligible entity has made towards 
        achieving the strategic objectives identified under subsection 
        (d)(3).
    (h) Administration by the Secretary.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may use not more than 10 
        percent of the amount appropriated under subsection (i) for 
        each fiscal year for administrative expenses to carry out this 
        section, including the expenses of providing the technical 
        assistance and oversight activities under paragraph (2).
            (2) Technical assistance; oversight.--The Secretary shall 
        provide technical assistance and oversight to assist eligible 
        entities in applying for grants under this section and carrying 
        out programs using grants awarded under this section.
            (3) Evaluation and report.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an 
                evaluation of each grant awarded under this section and 
                submit to Congress a report on such evaluation to 
                Congress. Such report shall--
                            (i) examine the results of the recruitment 
                        and retention initiatives supported by the 
                        States on the outcomes of the activities under 
                        subsection (f); and
                            (ii) be completed not later than 180 days 
                        after the date on which the Secretary receives 
                        the report under subsection (g) from an 
                        eligible entity.
                    (B) Data.--Recipients of grants under this section 
                shall submit to the Secretary any data the Secretary 
                may require for the evaluation and report under this 
                paragraph.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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