Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3083 | Sponsor: Rep. Bass, Karen (D-CA)
Policy area: Families

Summary:
Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants for programs that provide mentoring for children in foster care and children with experience in foster care.

To support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs 
  using a network of public and private community entities to provide 
    mentoring for children and youth with experience in foster care.

    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 ``Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Positive relationships are important for children and 
        youth. An estimated 20 percent of youth do not have caring 
        adults in their lives--representing 8,500,000 youth. Children 
        who have a positive caring relationship with an adult can also 
        benefit from additional positive relationships.
            (2) Research shows that mentors make a difference in young 
        people's lives. At-risk youth who have mentors are 55 percent 
        more likely to enroll in college. Students who meet regularly 
        with their mentors are 52 percent less likely than their peers 
        to skip a day of school. Youth who have mentors are also 130 
        percent more likely to hold a leadership position.
            (3) Young people that have mentors have improved 
        relationships with adults, fewer disciplinary referrals, and 
        more confidence to achieve their goals.
            (4) In 2017, 442,995 youth were in foster care. Of those 
        youth 70,858 were between the ages of 10 and 13, and 101,983 
        were between the ages of 14 and 20.
            (5) Mentoring programs that serve foster youth are unique 
        and require additional considerations, including specialized 
        training and support necessary to provide for consistent, long-
        term relationships for children in foster care.
            (6) Mentoring programs can be used as an effective 
        preventative or intervention strategy to support positive 
        outcomes for foster youth.
            (7) Mentoring programs targeting at-risk youth, community-
        based programs, and programs lasting 1 year or more are more 
        frequently found to be effective.
            (8) Increasing evidence is showing that peer mentoring and 
        support can be very effective in engaging young people. Alumni 
        of and youth in foster care have noted the importance of the 
        support and service delivery by individuals with lived 
        experience, including peers.

SEC. 3. PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.

    Subpart 2 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 629 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 439A. PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE AND YOUTH 
              WITH EXPERIENCE IN FOSTER CARE.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to authorize the 
Secretary to make grants to eligible applicants to support the 
establishment or expansion and operation of programs using a network of 
public and private community entities to provide mentoring for children 
in foster care and children with experience in foster care.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Children in foster care.--The term `children in 
        foster care' means children who have been removed from the 
        custody of their biological or adoptive parents by a State or 
        tribal child welfare agency.
            ``(2) Children with experience in foster care.--The term 
        `children with experience in foster care' means children, 
        youth, and adults who have not attained 26 years of age and 
        who, at any time, were removed from the custody of their 
        biological or adoptive parents by a State or tribal child 
        welfare agency.
            ``(3) Mentoring.--The term `mentoring' means a structured, 
        managed program--
                    ``(A) in which children and youth are appropriately 
                matched with screened and trained adult or peer 
                volunteers for consistent relationships;
                    ``(B) that can include direct one-on-one, group, or 
                peer mentoring services that focus on 1 or more of--
                            ``(i) academic support;
                            ``(ii) enrichment;
                            ``(iii) educational success;
                            ``(iv) minimizing risk behaviors; or
                            ``(v) promoting social skills and healthy 
                        relationships;
                    ``(C) that involves meetings, events, and 
                activities on a regular basis designed to last at least 
                1 year; and
                    ``(D) that is intended to meet, in part, the social 
                and emotional development of the child or youth, the 
                need of the child or youth for involvement with a 
                caring and supportive adult, and the need of the child 
                or youth for positive role models, connections, and 
                normalcy.
            ``(4) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a nonprofit organization;
                    ``(B) a State child welfare agency;
                    ``(C) a local educational agency;
                    ``(D) an Indian tribe or a tribal organization; or
                    ``(E) a faith-based organization.
    ``(c) Grant Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
        to award grants to eligible entities to support the 
        establishment or expansion and operation of programs using 
        networks of public and private community entities to provide 
        mentoring for children in foster care and children with 
        experience in foster care.
            ``(2) Application requirements.--To be eligible for a grant 
        under paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall submit to the 
        Secretary an application containing the following:
                    ``(A) Program design.--A description of the 
                proposed program to be carried out using amounts 
                provided under this grant, including--
                            ``(i) targeted outcomes, mentee age and 
                        eligibility, mentor type, setting, duration, 
                        and meeting frequency;
                            ``(ii) the number of mentor-child matches 
                        proposed to be established and maintained 
                        annually under the program;
                            ``(iii) the capacity and expertise of the 
                        program to serve children and youth in a way 
                        that is responsive to children and youth of 
                        color, expectant and parenting youth, 
                        indigenous youth, youth who are lesbian, gay, 
                        bisexual, transgendered, or queer, and youth 
                        with disabilities;
                            ``(iv) actions taken to ensure that the 
                        design of the program reflects input from young 
                        people, including children with experience in 
                        foster care; and
                            ``(v) such other information as the 
                        Secretary may require.
                    ``(B) Recruitment.--An assurance that the program 
                will engage in recruitment strategies for mentors 
                that--
                            ``(i) realistically portray the benefits, 
                        practices, supports, and challenges of 
                        participating in the program; and
                            ``(ii) seek to recruit mentors who reflect 
                        the race, ethnicity, and various identities of 
                        children in foster care and children with 
                        experience in foster care.
                    ``(C) Training.--An assurance that all mentors 
                covered under the program will receive intensive and 
                ongoing training in the following areas:
                            ``(i) Child and adolescent development, 
                        including the importance of bonding.
                            ``(ii) Family dynamics, including the 
                        effects of domestic violence and trauma.
                            ``(iii) Understanding the education rights 
                        of foster children and youth, including those 
                        related to post-secondary education.
                            ``(iv) The challenges of and approaches to 
                        support the transition to adulthood.
                            ``(v) Cultural competence practices and 
                        relationship-building strategies.
                            ``(vi) Positive youth development and 
                        authentic engagement practices.
                            ``(vii) Recognizing and reporting child 
                        abuse and neglect.
                            ``(viii) Confidentiality requirements for 
                        working with children in foster care.
                            ``(ix) Working in coordination with the 
                        child welfare system.
                            ``(x) Understanding foster the educational 
                        rights of children and youth, including those 
                        related to post-secondary education.
                            ``(xi) Other matters related to working 
                        with children in foster care and children with 
                        experience in foster care.
                    ``(D) Screening.--An assurance that all mentors 
                covered under the program are appropriately screened 
                and have demonstrated a willingness to comply with all 
                aspects of the mentoring program, including--
                            ``(i) a written screening plan that 
                        includes all of the policies and procedures 
                        used to screen and select mentors, including 
                        eligibility requirements and preferences for 
                        such applicants;
                            ``(ii) a description of the methods to be 
                        used to conduct criminal background checks on 
                        all prospective mentors, and the methods in 
                        place to exclude mentors with convictions for 
                        crimes against children and mentors with 
                        convictions occurring within the past 10 years 
                        that are directly related to child safety; and
                            ``(iii) a description of the methods to be 
                        used to ensure that the mentors are willing and 
                        able to serve as a mentor on a long-term, 
                        consistent basis as defined in the application.
                    ``(E) Community consultation and engagement; 
                coordination with other programs.--A demonstration 
                that, in developing and implementing the program, the 
                eligible entity will--
                            ``(i) consult with and actively engage--
                                    ``(I) children in foster care and 
                                children with experience in foster 
                                care;
                                    ``(II) public and private community 
                                entities, including religious 
                                organizations and Indian tribal 
                                organizations and urban Indian 
                                organizations; and
                                    ``(III) family members of children 
                                and youth who may be potential clients 
                                of the program;
                            ``(ii) coordinate the mentoring program and 
                        the activities of the eligible entity with 
                        other Federal, State, and local programs 
                        serving children and youth; and
                            ``(iii) consult and coordinate with 
                        appropriate Federal, State, and local 
                        corrections, workforce development, education, 
                        and substance abuse and mental health agencies.
                    ``(F) Equal access for local service providers.--An 
                assurance that public and private entities and 
                nonprofit community organizations, including religious 
                organizations and Indian organizations, will be 
                eligible to participate on an equal basis.
                    ``(G) Records, reports, and audits.--An agreement 
                that the eligible entity will maintain such records, 
                make such reports, and cooperate with such reviews or 
                audits as the Secretary may find necessary for purposes 
                of oversight of project activities and expenditures.
                    ``(H) Evaluation.--An agreement that the eligible 
                entity will cooperate fully with the ongoing and final 
                evaluation of the program under the plan by the 
                Secretary, by means including providing the Secretary 
                access to the program, the staff of the program, 
                program-related records and documents, and each public 
                or private community entity receiving funding under the 
                plan.
            ``(3) Considerations in awarding grants.--In awarding 
        grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall take into 
        consideration--
                    ``(A) how, and the degree to which, children in 
                foster care and children with experience in foster care 
                are consulted and engaged in the development, design, 
                and implementation of the program;
                    ``(B) the feasibility and strength of a plan to 
                recruit and support transition-aged foster youth;
                    ``(C) the overall qualifications and capacity of 
                the eligible entity and its partners to effectively 
                carry out a mentoring program under this subsection;
                    ``(D) the level and quality of training provided to 
                mentors under the program;
                    ``(E) evidence of coordination of the program with 
                the social services and education programs of the State 
                or political subdivision;
                    ``(F) the ability of the eligible entity to provide 
                supervision and support for mentors under the program 
                and the youth served by such mentors;
                    ``(G) the number of children and youth in foster 
                care served by the State or political subdivision; and
                    ``(H) any other factors that the Secretary 
                determines to be significant with respect to the need 
                for, or the potential success of, carrying out a 
                mentoring program under this section.
            ``(4) Use of funds.--An eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this subsection may use such funds to--
                    ``(A) develop and carry out a training program and 
                ongoing support for mentors;
                    ``(B) recruit mentors for children and youth in 
                foster care;
                    ``(C) compensate mentors including peer mentors;
                    ``(D) pay for costs related to mentee participation 
                in the program; and
                    ``(E) provide activities that will help the 
                development of a child in foster care who is 
                participating in the program.
            ``(5) Grant amount.--In awarding grants under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall scale grants to account for the 
        annual budget and capacity of the eligible entity.
            ``(6) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the 
        Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that 
        includes the following with respect to the year involved:
                    ``(A) A description of the number of programs 
                receiving grant awards under this subsection.
                    ``(B) A description of mentors who participate in 
                programs described in subparagraph (A), including the 
                overall number, average length of participation, and 
                demographics.
                    ``(C) A description of--
                            ``(i) the number of children in foster care 
                        who participated in mentoring programs funded 
                        by the grant funds under this subsection;
                            ``(ii) data on the academic achievement of 
                        the children in mentoring programs funded by 
                        the grant funds under this subsection; and
                            ``(iii) the number of children in foster 
                        care on waiting lists for such mentoring 
                        programs, including successful transition into 
                        post-secondary education where applicable.
                    ``(D) Any other information that the Secretary 
                determines to be relevant to the evaluation of the 
                program under this section.
            ``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section--
                    ``(A) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 and 
                2023; and
                    ``(B) such sums as may be necessary for each 
                succeeding fiscal year.''.
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