Topic: Law and Crime — Family Issues
Subject: Families
Date: 2008-06-19 00:00:00

Fostering Connections to Success Act - (Sec. 2) Amends Part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to give state plans the option of providing for the state to enter into agreements to provide kinship guardianship assistance payments to grandparents and other relatives who have assumed legal guardianship of children for whom they have cared as foster parents and for whom they have committed to care on a permanent basis. (Sec. 3) Amends SSA title IV part B (Child and Family Services) to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants to state, local, or tribal child welfare agencies, and experienced private nonprofit organizations to help children in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family members. (Sec. 4) Requires the applicable state agency, within 30 days after placing a child in foster care, to attempt to: (1) locate and notify any of the child's adult family members of the child's removal from parental custody; and (2) explain the options for participating in the child's care and placement. (Sec. 5) Gives states the option of covering under part E certain children in foster care, and certain children in an adoptive or guardianship placement, after attaining age 18.(Sec. 6) Provides for short-term training for child welfare agencies and prospective relative guardians.Phases in increased expenditures for such training. (Sec. 7) Allows an Indian tribe to receive direct federal SSA title IV part E funds if specified requirements are met. Authorizes an Indian tribe to receive a portion of a state plan allotment as part of an agreement to operate the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. (Sec. 8) Requires each state child welfare services plan to provide that the state will develop a plan for the ongoing oversight and coordination of health care services for any child in a foster care placement. (Sec. 9) Requires case plans under SSA title B or E to include a plan for ensuring the educational stability of the child while in foster care. Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide assurances that each child who has attained the minimum age for compulsory school attendance under state law, and with respect to whom there is eligibility for a payment under the state plan, is a full-time elementary or secondary school student or has completed secondary school. (Sec. 10) Provides for joint placement of siblings in the same foster care, kinship guardianship, or adoptive placement unless it would be contrary to the safety or well being of any of the siblings. (Sec. 11) Revises the adoption incentives payment program, extending it for five years through FY2013, and providing for an increase in incentive payments for special needs adoptions and older child adoptions among other changes. (Sec. 12) Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that the state will inform any individual who is adopting, or considering adopting, a child in foster care of the individual's potential eligibility for a federal tax credit. (Sec. 13) Revises the formula for federal payments to the District of Columbia for foster care and adoption assistance to make the principal factor in the formula a payment of 70% of the total amount expended during a quarter as foster care maintenance and adoption assistance payments (thus modifying the District of Columbia foster care matching rate to conform with the Medicaid matching rate). (Sec. 14) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the collection of unemployment compensation debts resulting from fraud. (Sec. 15) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to invest U.S. operating cash in repurchase agreements with acceptable parties.