October 9, 2008

Child Welfare: The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008

This report ,by Emilie Stoltzfus, provides a section-by-section explanation of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, an omnibus child welfare bill designed to ensure greater permanence and improve the well-being of children served by public child welfare agencies. As enacted, the law revises the Adoption Incentives program and extends its funding authorization for five years (FY2009-FY2013). It makes significant changes to federal funding for child welfare programs, which include authorizing new federal support for states that provide kinship guardianship assistance to eligible children leaving foster care; expanding eligibility for federal adoption assistance; extending eligibility for federal foster care assistance to youth who remain in care beyond their 18th birthday, up to age 21; and phasing in additional support to states for child welfare related training. Additionally, the bill authorizes tribal child welfare agencies to directly access federal funds for foster care, adoption, and guardianship assistance under the Title IV-E program. The bill also appropriates $15 million in annual funding for Family Connection Grants. The financial impact of the legislation is described and it is concluded that many of the changes will increase federal spending for child welfare. The increases, however, are projected to be fully offset by savings or increased revenues to the federal treasury produced by other changes in the bill.