Protecting Sibling Relationships in Foster Care Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.6657 | Sponsor: Rep. Bacon, Don (R-NE)
Policy area: Families

Summary:
Protecting Sibling Relationships in Foster Care Act of 2022
This bill requires the Administration for Children and Families to establish a competitive pilot grant program for foster care agencies to increase the placement of siblings together in foster care. The bill provides funding for the grants through FY2026.

To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to encourage the 
 development of specialized foster care programs designed specifically 
  for large sibling groups, sibling groups with a wide age range, and 
                   sibling groups with complex needs.

    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 ``Protecting Sibling Relationships in 
Foster Care Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANT PILOT PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
              SPECIALIZED FOSTER CARE PROGRAMS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY 
              FOR LARGE SIBLING GROUPS, SIBLING GROUPS WITH A WIDE AGE 
              RANGE, AND SIBLING GROUPS WITH COMPLEX NEEDS.

    Section 435 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629e) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Competitive Grant Pilot Program To Encourage the Development 
of Specialized Foster Care Programs Designed Specifically for Large 
Sibling Groups, Sibling Groups With a Wide Age Range, and Sibling 
Groups With Complex Needs.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        competitive grant pilot program under which, during the 5-year 
        period that begins with the date of the enactment of this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall make not more than 5 grants to 
        eligible entities who have applied therefor to encourage the 
        development of specialized foster care programs designed 
        specifically for groups of 3 or more siblings, sibling groups 
        with a wide age range, and sibling groups with, or that include 
        a youth with, complex needs. For purposes of the preceding 
        sentence, a youth has complex needs if the youth exhibits 
        challenging or risky behaviors that could cause themself or 
        others serious harm, has mental health needs of such severity 
        that the participation of the youth in daily life may be 
        impaired either with or without services being rendered to 
        help, has a disability (as defined under the Americans with 
        Disabilities Act), or has an illness that requires continuous 
        monitoring or is life-threatening, and complex needs include 
        issues that may arise from siblings in foster care with a 
        different parent, which could impact the ability of the 
        siblings to be placed together, or from a youth with a history 
        of trauma.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--In this subsection, the term 
        `eligible entity' means a State child welfare agency, a State, 
        tribal, or local agency, a faith- or community-based 
        organization, or a nonprofit organization that has expertise 
        and demonstrated experience, as well as State supervision, in 
        administering a foster care program.
            ``(3) Applications.--An eligible entity that desires to 
        receive a grant under this subsection shall submit to the 
        Secretary an application that includes--
                    ``(A) a description of how funds received under the 
                grant will be used to place together sibling groups 
                described in paragraph (1);
                    ``(B) a description of the specialized foster care 
                program involved, and how the program is designed for 
                the placement of sibling groups described in paragraph 
                (1);
                    ``(C) data describing the challenges of placing, 
                and number of, sibling groups described in paragraph 
                (1) that are awaiting placements; and
                    ``(D) such other information as the Secretary may 
                reasonably require.
            ``(4) Use of funds.--A recipient of a grant under this 
        subsection may use the grant funds only to develop specialized 
        foster care programs which are--
                    ``(A) designed to identify available placements 
                for, and place together, sibling groups described in 
                paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) evidence-based, and proven to substantially 
                increase joint sibling placements.
            ``(5) Reporting requirement.--As a condition of receiving a 
        grant under this subsection, the grant recipient shall submit 
        to the Secretary a written report on the number of children in 
        the specialized foster care program involved, the size of the 
        sibling groups served by the program, the methods used to place 
        children with their siblings under the program, and the 
        outcomes of the placements.
            ``(6) Regulations.--The Secretary may prescribe such 
        regulations as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.
            ``(7) Appropriation.--In addition to any amounts otherwise 
        made available to carry out this subpart, out of any money in 
        the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, 
        there are appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 to 
        carry out the pilot program under this subsection, which shall 
        remain available through fiscal year 2026.''.
                                 <all>