To renew the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to approve demonstration projects designed to test innovative strategies in State child welfare programs.

Bill: 111-hr-6156
Sponsor: Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7]
Introduced: 2010-09-16 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Child safety and welfare
Domestic violence and child abuse
Family relationships
Indian social and development programs
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: 
Amends title XI of the Social Security Act to renew through FY2016 the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to authorize states to conduct child welfare program demonstration projects likely to promote the objectives of part B (Child and Family Services) or E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA). 
 
Includes among the demonstration projects that may be approved any designed to: (1) identify and address barriers that result in delays to kinship guardianship for children in foster care; (2) provide early intervention and crisis intervention services that safely reduce out-of-home placements and improve child outcomes; or (3) identify and address domestic violence that endangers children and results in the placement of children in foster care. 
 
 Prohibits the Secretary from authorizing a demonstration project if the state fails to provide health insurance coverage to any child with special needs for whom there is in effect a kinship guardianship agreement between the state and the adoptive parent or parents.
 
Requires the Secretary, in assessing a demonstration project application submitted by a state in which a court order is in effect which has determined that the state's child welfare program has failed to comply with part B or E of SSA title IV, or with the U.S. Constitution, to take into consideration the state's ability to implement an approved corrective action.
 
Requires any demonstration project application to include: (1) an accounting of any additional federal, state, local, and private investments made during the two fiscal years preceding the application to provide project services; and (2) an assurance that the state will provide an accounting of the same spending for each year of an approved project. 
 
Requires the mandatory project evaluation by an independent contractor to use an approved evaluation design which provides for a comparison of the amounts of federal, state, local and private investments in the project services, by service type, with the amount of the investments during the period of the project. Requires the evaluation design also to compare the outcomes for all children and families under the project who come to the attention of the state's child welfare program, either through a report of abuse or neglect or through the provision of project services.

action_date: 2010-09-23
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) 

 
Amends title XI of the Social Security Act to renew through FY2016 the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to authorize states to conduct child welfare program demonstration projects likely to promote the objectives of part B (Child and Family Services) or E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA). 
 
Includes among the demonstration projects that may be approved any designed to: (1) identify and address barriers that result in delays to kinship guardianship for children in foster care; (2) provide early intervention and crisis intervention services that safely reduce out-of-home placements and improve child outcomes; or (3) identify and address domestic violence that endangers children and results in the placement of children in foster care. 
 
 Prohibits the Secretary from authorizing a demonstration project if the state fails to provide health insurance coverage to any child with special needs for whom there is in effect a kinship guardianship agreement between the state and the adoptive parent or parents.
 
Requires the Secretary, in assessing a demonstration project application submitted by a state in which a court order is in effect which has determined that the state's child welfare program has failed to comply with part B or E of SSA title IV, or with the U.S. Constitution, to take into consideration the state's ability to implement an approved corrective action.
 
Requires any demonstration project application to include: (1) an accounting of any additional federal, state, local, and private investments made during the two fiscal years preceding the application to provide project services; and (2) an assurance that the state will provide an accounting of the same spending for each year of an approved project. 
 
Requires the mandatory project evaluation by an independent contractor to use an approved evaluation design which provides for a comparison of the amounts of federal, state, local and private investments in the project services, by service type, with the amount of the investments during the period of the project. Requires the evaluation design also to compare the outcomes for all children and families under the project who come to the attention of the state's child welfare program, either through a report of abuse or neglect or through the provision of project services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-09-24
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2010-09-23
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6896)
action_date: 2010-09-23
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2010-09-23
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6896)
action_date: 2010-09-23
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6156.
action_date: 2010-09-23
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6896-6898)
action_date: 2010-09-23
text: Mr. McDermott moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1676)
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Introduced in House