incentives

The House passed by voice vote last night a bill that could usher in significant reform of the federal role in the adoption of youths in foster care. The bill, House Resolution 4980, is “expected to be taken up by the Senate sometime next week before Congress leaves for the rest of the summer,” according to the National Foster Care Coalition.

Key House and Senate Committees have agreed on legislation that would renew federal adoption incentives, require states to count failed adoptions, and prohibit states from using long-term foster care as a viable form of permanency for most teens.

The House Ways and Means Committee leadership has introduced a bill that could open the way for another effort to reauthorize the adoption incentives and alter federal support for youth in foster care.