Title: A resolution designating September 2020 as "National Kinship Care Month".
Policy area: Families

Summary:
This resolution designates September 2020 as National Kinship Care Month and encourages community stakeholders to work together to improve well-being for vulnerable children and families.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 736 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 736

     Designating September 2020 as ``National Kinship Care Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 30 (legislative day, September 29), 2020

 Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Hassan, Mr. 
 Lankford, Mr. Casey, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Ms. 
 Cortez Masto, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Young, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. 
 Baldwin, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Brown, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Braun) submitted 
      the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Designating September 2020 as ``National Kinship Care Month''.

Whereas, in September 2020, ``National Kinship Care Month'' is observed;
Whereas, nationally, 2,700,000 children are living in kinship care with 
        grandparents, other relatives, and family friends (``fictive kin'');
Whereas, nationally, nearly \1/3\ of all foster care placements are in kinship 
        foster care, with more than 133,000 children placed in kinship foster 
        care;
Whereas more than 2,600,000 kinship children live in informal kinship care 
        outside of the foster care system;
Whereas, while kinship care is the most common term for relative caregivers of 
        children, they are sometimes also referred to as kincaregivers or 
        grandfamilies;
Whereas the number of children placed in foster care continues to increase due 
        in part to the opioid crisis, and child welfare agencies are 
        increasingly reliant on grandparents and other kinship caregivers;
Whereas, during the COVID-19 pandemic, kinship caregivers who are often 
        grandparents with health vulnerabilities are parenting children in their 
        homes, often with limited support;
Whereas kinship caregivers residing in urban, rural, and suburban households in 
        every State and territory of the United States have stepped forward out 
        of love and loyalty to care for children during times in which parents 
        are unable to do so;
Whereas kinship caregivers provide safety, promote well-being, and establish 
        stable households for vulnerable children;
Whereas kinship care homes offer a refuge for traumatized children;
Whereas kinship care enables a child--

    (1) to maintain family relationships and cultural heritage; and

    (2) to remain in the community of the child;

Whereas the wisdom and compassion of kinship caregivers is a source of self-
        reliance and strength for countless children and for the entire United 
        States;
Whereas children in kinship care experience improved placement stability, higher 
        levels of permanency, and decreased behavioral problems;
Whereas kinship caregivers face daunting challenges to keep children from 
        entering foster care;
Whereas, because of parental substance use disorders and other adverse childhood 
        experiences, children in kinship care frequently have trauma-related 
        conditions;
Whereas many kinship caregivers give up their retirement years to assume 
        parenting duties for children;
Whereas the Senate wishes to honor the many kinship caregivers, who throughout 
        the history of the United States have provided loving homes for 
        children;
Whereas the first president of the United States, George Washington, and his 
        wife Martha were themselves kinship caregivers, as were many other great 
        people of the United States;
Whereas the Senate is proud to recognize the many kinship care families in which 
        a child is raised by grandparents, other relatives, and fictive kin;
Whereas National Kinship Care Month provides an opportunity to urge people in 
        every State to join in recognizing and celebrating kinship caregiving 
        families and the tradition of families in the United States to help kin;
Whereas, in 2018, Congress provided for kinship navigator programs and services 
        in the Family First Prevention Services Act enacted under title VII of 
        division E of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123; 132 
        Stat. 64) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-
        141; 132 Stat. 348);
Whereas, in 2018, Congress provided for the formation of the Advisory Council to 
        Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren to examine supports for 
        grandparents and other kinship caregivers in the Supporting Grandparents 
        Raising Grandchildren Act (Public Law 115-196; 132 Stat. 1511); and
Whereas more remains to be done to support kinship caregiving and to ensure that 
        all children have a safe, loving, nurturing, and permanent family, 
        regardless of age or special needs: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates September 2020 as ``National Kinship Care 
        Month'';
            (2) encourages Congress, States, local governments, and 
        community organizations to continue to work to improve the 
        lives of vulnerable children and families and to support the 
        communities working together to lift them up; and
            (3) honors the commitment and dedication of kinship 
        caregivers and the advocates and allies who work tirelessly to 
        provide assistance and services to kinship caregiving families.
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