Protecting Adopted Children Act

Bill: 115-hr-3491
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2]
Introduced: 2017-07-27
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Adoption and foster care

Child health

Child safety and welfare

Family services

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2017-07-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-07-27
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Protecting Adopted Children Act</b></p> <p>This bill expands the requirements that states must meet in order to receive adoption and legal guardianship incentive payments. Specifically, states must establish minimum training requirements for prospective adoptive parents and guardians. In addition, states must provide pre- and post-adoption services to families adopting, or obtaining legal guardianship of, children in foster care. Those services must address the specific mental health needs of adopted children, children to be adopted, and their families.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3491 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 27, 2017 Mr. Langevin (for himself, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois , Ms. Bass , Mrs. Lawrence , Mr. Franks of Arizona , and Mr. Marino ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide incentives for improving support services for adopted children and families.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Adopted Children Act . 2. Pre- and post-adoption requirements for States as condition of receiving adoption and legal guardianship incentive payments Section 473A(b) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 673b(b) ) is amended— (1) by striking and at the end of paragraph (3); (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (4) and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (5) (A) the State requires at least 20 hours of pre-placement training for all prospective adoptive parents and legal guardians in the State (except that, in the case of adult relatives of the child involved, the State shall provide training options, such as completing training after the adoption placement or reduced hours of training, as appropriate), and the State has satisfied that requirement in each fiscal year beginning on or after the effective date of this paragraph for which an award has been made to the State under this section; and (B) the State provides pre- and post-adoption services, through a variety of delivery methods (such as at-home training), to families adopting or obtaining legal guardianship out of foster care which appropriately address the specific mental health needs of adopted children, children to be adopted, and the families of all such children, that are related to the emotional, behavioral, and developmental issues associated with adoption, including, if relevant, trauma, identity, loss, abuse, neglect, and substance exposure. . 3. Effective date The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the 1st day of the 2nd fiscal year beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.