(a) Short title.—This Act may be cited as the “Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act”.

(b) References.—Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to that section or other provision of the Social Security Act.

The table of contents of this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; references.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Reauthorization of child welfare programs.
Sec. 4. Enhancements to the court improvement program.
Sec. 5. Expanding regional partnership grants to address parental substance use disorder as cause of child removal.
Sec. 6. Modernization; reducing administrative burden.
Sec. 7. Streamlining funding for Indian tribes.
Sec. 8. Accelerating access to Family First prevention services.
Sec. 9. Strengthening support for youth aging out of foster care.
Sec. 10. Recognizing the importance of relative and kinship caregivers.
Sec. 11. Avoiding neglect by addressing poverty.
Sec. 12. Strengthening support for caseworkers.
Sec. 13. Demonstration projects for improving relationships between incarcerated parents and children in foster care.
Sec. 14. Guidance to States on improving data collection and reporting for youth in residential treatment programs.
Sec. 15. Streamlining research, training, and technical assistance funding.
Sec. 16. Report on post adoption and subsidized guardianship services.
Sec. 17. Effective date.

(a) Reauthorization of subpart 1; discretionary funding.—Section 425 (42 U.S.C. 625) is amended by striking “2017 through 2023” and inserting “2025 through 2029”.

(b) Reauthorization of subpart 2; enhanced support.—Section 436(a) (42 U.S.C. 629f(a)) is amended by striking “each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023” and inserting “fiscal year 2025 and $420,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029”.

(c) Reauthorization of subpart 2; discretionary funding.—Section 437(a) (42 U.S.C. 629g(a)) is amended by striking “2017 through 2023” and inserting “2025 through 2029”.

(d) Funding limitation.—Section 423(a)(2)(A) (42 U.S.C. 623(a)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting “, not to exceed $10,000,000” before the semicolon.

(a) Increase in reservation of funds.—Section 436(b)(2) (42 U.S.C. 629f(b)(2)) is amended by inserting “for fiscal year 2025 and $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year” before “for grants”.

(b) Extension of State match requirement.—Section 438(d) (42 U.S.C. 629h(d)) is amended by striking “2017 through 2023” and inserting “2025 through 2029”.

(c) Program improvements.—Section 438(a) (42 U.S.C. 629h(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following:

“(F) that determine the appropriateness and best practices for use of technology to conduct remote hearings, subject to participant consent, including to ensure maximum participation of individuals involved in proceedings and to enable courts to maintain operations in times of public health or other emergencies;”;

(2) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking “personnel.” and inserting “personnel and supporting optimal use of remote hearing technology; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(3) to ensure continuity of needed court services, prevent disruption of the services, and enable their recovery from threats such as public health crises, natural disasters or cyberattacks, including through—

“(A) support for technology that allows court proceedings to occur remotely, including hearings and legal representation;

“(B) the development of guidance and protocols for responding to the occurrences and coordinating with other agencies; and

“(C) other activities carried out to ensure backup systems are in place.”.

(d) Implementation guidance on sharing best practices for technological changes needed for remote court proceedings for foster care or adoption.—Section 438 (42 U.S.C. 629h) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(e) Guidance.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—Every 5 years, the Secretary shall issue implementation guidance for sharing information on best practices for—

“(A) technological changes needed for court proceedings for foster care, guardianship, or adoption to be conducted remotely in a way that maximizes engagement and protects the privacy of participants; and

“(B) the manner in which the proceedings should be conducted.

“(2) INITIAL ISSUANCE.—The Secretary shall issue initial guidance required by paragraph (1) with preliminary information on best practices not later than October 1, 2025.

“(3) ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult with Indian tribes on the development of appropriate guidelines for State court proceedings involving Indian children to maximize engagement of Indian tribes and provide appropriate guidelines on conducting State court proceedings subject to the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.).”.

(a) Increase in reservation of funds.—Section 436(b)(5) (42 U.S.C. 629f(b)(5)) is amended by striking “each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023” and inserting “fiscal year 2025 and $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year”.

(b) Reauthorization.—Section 437(f) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (3)(A)—

(A) by striking “In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, the” and inserting “The”; and

(B) by striking “2017 through 2023” and inserting “2025 through 2029”; and

(2) in paragraph (10), by striking “for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023”.

(c) Authority To waive planning phase.—Section 437(f)(3)(B)(iii) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(3)(B)(iii)) is amended—

(1) by striking all that precedes “grant awarded” and inserting the following:

“(iii) SUFFICIENT PLANNING.—

“(I) IN GENERAL.—A”; and

(2) by striking “may not exceed $250,000, and”; and

(3) by adding after and below the end the following:

“(II) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary, on a case-by-case basis, may waive the planning phase for a partnership that demonstrates that the partnership has engaged in sufficient planning before submitting an application for a grant under this subsection.”.

(d) Expanding availability of evidence-Based services.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 437(f)(1) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(1)) is amended by inserting “, and expand the scope of the evidence-based services that may be approved by the clearinghouse established under section 476(d)” before the period.

(2) CONSIDERATIONS FOR AWARDING GRANTS.—Section 437(f)(7) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(7)) is amended—

(A) by striking “and” at the end of subparagraph (D);

(B) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (E) and inserting “; and”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

“(F) have submitted information pursuant to paragraph (4)(F) that demonstrates the capability to participate in rigorous evaluation of program effectiveness.”.

(e) Technical assistance on using regional partnership grant funds in coordination with other Federal funds To better serve families affected by a substance use disorder.—Section 435(d) (42 U.S.C. 629e(d)) is amended—

(1) by striking “and” at the end of paragraph (4);

(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5); and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(6) use grants under section 437(f) in coordination with other Federal funds to better serve families in the child welfare system that are affected by a substance use disorder.”.

(f) Performance indicators.—Section 437(f)(8)(A) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(8)(A)) is amended in the 1st sentence—

(1) by striking “this subsection” and inserting “the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act”;

(2) by inserting “child permanency, reunification, re-entry into care,” before “parental recovery”; and

(3) by inserting “, and access to services for families with substance use disorder, including those with children who are overrepresented in foster care, difficult to place, or have disproportionately low permanency rates” before the period.

(g) Performance indicator consultation required.—Section 437(f)(8)(B) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(8)(B)) is amended by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv) and inserting after clause (ii) the following:

“(iii) The Administrator of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.”.

(h) Reports to Congress.—Section 437(f)(9)(B) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(9)(B)) is amended—

(1) by striking “and” at the end of clause (ii);

(2) by striking the period at the end of clause (iii) and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(iv) whether any programs funded by the grants were submitted to the clearinghouse established under section 476(d) for review and the results of any such review.”.

(i) Priority for statewide service growth.—Section 437(f)(7) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(7)), as amended by subsection (d)(2) of this section, is amended—

(1) by striking “and” at the end of subparagraph (E);

(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(G) are a State or public agency, or outline a plan to increase the availability of services funded under the grant statewide.”.

(j) Addition of juvenile court as required partner.—Section 437(f)(2)(A) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(2)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(iii) The most appropriate administrative office of the juvenile court or State court overseeing court proceedings involving families who come to the attention of the court due to child abuse or neglect.”.

(k) Additional optional partner.—Section 437(f)(2)(C) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(2)(C)) is amended by redesignating clause (ix) as clause (x) and inserting after clause (viii) the following:

“(ix) State or local agencies that administer Federal health care, housing, family support, or other related programs.”.

(l) Conforming amendments.—

(1) Section 437(f)(2)(D) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(2)(D)) is amended—

(A) by adding “and” at the end of clause (i);

(B) by striking “; and” at the end of clause (ii) and inserting a period; and

(C) by striking clause (iii).

(2) Section 437(f)(2) (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively.

(a) In general.—Section 431 (42 U.S.C. 629a) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(c) Use of technology.—

“(1) USE OF PORTAL.—The services referred to in subsection (a) may include the means of access to and use of an electronic or digital portal to facilitate the provision of community support to care for and meet specific needs of families and children.

“(2) LIMITATION.—Such a portal shall not retain or share personally identifiable information about a beneficiary without consent or for any purpose other than referral.”.

(b) Allowing support for family resource centers.—Section 431(a) (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting “, including services provided by family resource centers,” before “designed”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(10) FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘family resource center’ means a community or school-based hub of support services for families that—

“(i) utilizes an approach that is multi-generational, strengths-based, and family-centered;

“(ii) reflects, and is responsive to, community needs and interests;

“(iii) provides support at no or low cost for participants; and

“(iv) builds communities of peer support for families, including kinship families, to develop social connections that reduce isolation and stress.

“(B) SPECIAL RULE.—For purposes of this subpart, an expenditure for a service provided by a family resource center may be treated as an expenditure for any 1 or more of family support services, family preservation services, family reunification services, or adoption promotion and support services as long as the expenditure is related to serving the children and families in the specified category and consistent with the overall purpose of the category.”.

(c) Updating State plan requirement.—Section 422(b)(1) (42 U.S.C. 622(b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:

“(1) provide that a State agency will administer or supervise the administration of the plan under this subpart;”.

(d) Access to legal representation.—Section 422(b)(4) (42 U.S.C. 622(b)(4)) is amended—

(1) by striking “and” at the end of subparagraph (A);

(2) by adding “and” at the end of subparagraph (B); and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(C) the steps that the State will take to ensure that, with respect to any judicial proceeding involving a child and in which there is an allegation of child abuse or neglect, including a proceeding on dependency, adoption, guardianship, or termination of parental rights, information about available independent legal representation is provided to—

“(i) the child, as appropriate; and

“(ii) any individual who is a parent or guardian, or has legal custody, of the child.”.

(e) Supporting mental health and well-Being of children in foster care.—Section 422(b)(15)(A) (42 U.S.C. 622(b)(15) is amended—

(1) in the matter preceding clause (i)—

(A) by inserting “and, if applicable, the State agency responsible for mental health services,” before “and in consultation”; and

(B) by inserting “mental health providers,” before “other experts”;

(2) in clause (ii), by inserting “a list of services provided to support the physical and” before “emotional”;

(3) in clause (iv), by inserting “and mental health” before “services”;

(4) in clause (v), by inserting “, informed consent of youth, and compliance with professional practice guidelines” before the semicolon; and

(5) in clause (vi), by inserting “, licensed mental health providers,” before “or other”.

(f) Reduction of administrative burden.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Subpart 3 of part B of title IV (42 U.S.C. 629m) is amended by redesignating section 440 as section 443 and inserting before such section the following:

(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall—

(A) comply with section 441 of the Social Security Act, as added by the amendment made by paragraph (1); and

(B) notify each recipient of funds under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act of any change made by the Secretary pursuant to such section affecting the recipient.

(3) REPORT.—Within 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report describing the efforts of the Secretary to comply with section 441 of the Social Security Act, as added by the amendment made by paragraph (1), including the specific actions to comply with each paragraph of such section.

(g) Primary prevention partners.—Section 435(a)(2)(B) (42 U.S.C. 429e(a)(2)(B)) is amended by inserting “including community-based partners with expertise in preventing unnecessary child welfare system involvement” before the semicolon.

(a) Subpart 1.—

(1) TRIBAL SET-ASIDE; DIRECT PAYMENTS TO TRIBES; EXEMPTIVE AUTHORITY.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 428 (42 U.S.C. 628) is amended by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following:

“(a) Reservation of funds; direct payments.—Out of any amount appropriated pursuant to section 425 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 3 percent for grants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations, which shall be paid directly to Indian tribes and tribal organizations with a plan approved under this subpart, in accordance with section 433(a).”.

(B) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 423(a) (42 U.S.C. 623(a)) is amended by striking “the sum appropriated pursuant to section 425 for each fiscal year” and inserting “for each fiscal year, the sum appropriated pursuant to section 425 remaining after applying section 428(a)”.

(C) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 428(c) (42 U.S.C. 628(c)) is amended by striking “450b” and inserting “5304”.

(2) IMPROVING COMPLIANCE WITH THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT.—

(A) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENT.—Section 422(b)(9) (42 U.S.C. 622(b)(9)) is amended by striking “Act;” and inserting “Act of 1978, including how the State will ensure timely notice to tribal organizations of State custody proceedings involving Indian children, foster care or adoptive placements of Indian children, and case recordkeeping as such matters relate to transfers of jurisdiction, termination of parental rights, and active efforts;”.

(B) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Subpart 1 of part B of title IV (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(3) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 428 (42 U.S.C. 628) is amended by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d) and inserting before such subsection the following:

“(b) Authority To streamline reporting requirements.—The Secretary shall, in consultation with the affected Indian tribes, modify any reporting requirement imposed by or under this part on an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium if the total of the amounts allotted to the Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium under this part for the fiscal year is not more than $50,000, and in a manner that limits the administrative burden on any tribe to which less than $50,000 is allotted under this subpart for the fiscal year.

“(c) Tribal authority To substitute the Federal negotiated indirect cost rate for administrative costs cap.—For purposes of sections 422(b)(14) and 424(e), an Indian tribal organization may elect to have the weighted average of the indirect cost rates in effect under part 220 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations with respect to the administrative costs of the Indian tribal organization apply in lieu of the percentage specified in each such section.”.

(B) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 431(a) (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)) is amended in each of paragraphs (5) and (6) by striking “428(c)” and inserting “428(d)”.

(b) Subpart 2.—

(1) TRIBAL PLAN EXEMPTION.—Section 432(b)(2)(B) (42 U.S.C. 629b(b)(2)(B)) is amended—

(A) by striking “section 433(a)” the 1st place it appears and inserting “sections 433(a) and 437(c)(1) combined”; and

(B) by striking “section 433(a)” the 2nd place it appears and inserting “such sections”.

(2) APPLICATION OF TRIBAL SET-ASIDE BEFORE OTHER SET-ASIDES.—Section 436(b)(3) (42 U.S.C. 429f(b)(3)) is amended by striking “After applying paragraphs (4) and (5) (but before applying paragraphs (1) or (2)), the” and inserting “The”.

(3) INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR TRIBAL COURT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.—Section 438(c)(3) (42 U.S.C. 629h(c)(3)) is amended by inserting “for fiscal year 2025, and $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029,” before “for grants”.

(a) In general.—Section 435 (42 U.S.C. 629e) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(f) Prevention services evaluation partnerships.—

“(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this subsection is to authorize the Secretary to make competitive grants to support the timely evaluation of—

“(A) services and programs described in section 471(e); or

“(B) kinship navigator programs described in section 474(a)(7).

“(2) GRANTS.—In accordance with applications approved under this subsection, the Secretary may make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out projects designed to evaluate a service or program provided by the eligible entity, or an entity in partnership with the eligible entity, with respect to the requirements for a promising practice, supported practice, or well-supported practice described in section 471(e)(4)(C).

“(3) APPLICATIONS.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity may apply to the Secretary for a grant under this subsection to carry out a project that meets the following requirements:

“(i) The project is designed in accordance with paragraph (2).

“(ii) The project is to be carried out by the applicant in partnership with—

“(I) a State agency that administers, or supervises the administration of, the State plan approved under part E, or an agency administering the plan under the supervision of the State agency; and

“(II) if the applicant is unable or unwilling to do so, at least 1 external evaluator to carry out the evaluation of the service or program provided by the applicant.

“(B) CONTENTS.—The application shall contain the following:

“(i) A description of the project, including—

“(I) a statement explaining why a grant is necessary to carry out the project; and

“(II) the amount of grant funds that would be disbursed to each entity described in subparagraph (A)(ii) in partnership with the applicant.

“(ii) A certification from each entity described in subparagraph (A)(ii) that provides assurances that the individual or entity is in partnership with the applicant and will fulfill the responsibilities of the entity specified in the description provided pursuant to clause (i) of this subparagraph.

“(iii) A certification from the applicant that provides assurances that the applicant intends to comply with subparagraph (A)(ii)(II), if applicable.

“(iv) At the option of the eligible entity, a certification from the applicant that the applicant requires an external evaluator secured by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (5), if applicable.

“(4) PRIORITIES.—In approving applications under this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize the following:

“(A) Addressing, with respect to the clearinghouse of practices described in section 476(d)(2), deficiencies or gaps identified by the Secretary in consultation with—

“(i) States, political subdivisions of a State, and tribal communities carrying out, or receiving the benefits of, a service or program; and

“(ii) child welfare experts, including experts with lived experience.

“(B) Maximizing the number of evidence-based services or programs to be included in the clearinghouse of practices described in section 476(d)(2).

“(C) Timely completion of evaluations and the production of evidence.

“(D) Supporting services or programs that are based on, or are adaptations to new population settings of, a service or program with reliable evidence about the benefits and risks of the service or program.

“(5) AVAILABILITY OF EXTERNAL EVALUATORS.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—Before accepting applications under this subsection, the Secretary shall make reasonable efforts to identify at least 1 entity to serve as an external evaluator for any eligible entity that includes a certification under paragraph (3)(B)(iv) with an application under this subsection.

“(B) NO EFFECT ON CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATION.—The Secretary may not consider whether an eligible entity is in partnership with an external evaluator described in paragraph (A) in approving an application under this subsection submitted by the eligible entity.

“(6) REPORTS.—

“(A) BY GRANT RECIPIENTS.—Within 1 year after receiving a grant under this subsection, and every year thereafter for the next 5 years, the grant recipient shall submit to the Secretary a written report on—

“(i) the use of grant funds;

“(ii) whether the program or service evaluated by the project meets a requirement specified in section 471(e)(4)(C), including information about—

“(I) how the program or service is being carried out in accordance with standards specified in the requirement;

“(II) any outcomes of the program or service; and

“(III) any outcome with respect to which the service or program compares favorably to a comparison practice; and

“(iii) whether the Secretary has included the program or service in an update to the clearinghouse of practices described in section 476(d)(2).

“(B) BY THE SECRETARY.—The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Finance of the Senate an annual written report on—

“(i) the grants awarded under this subsection;

“(ii) the programs funded by the grants;

“(iii) any technical assistance provided by the Secretary in carrying out this subsection, including with respect to the efforts to secure external evaluators pursuant to paragraph (5); and

“(iv) any efforts by the Secretary to support program evaluation and review pursuant to section 471(e) and inclusion of programs in the pre-approved list of services and programs described in section 471(e)(4)(D) or the clearinghouse of practices described in section 476(d)(2).

“(7) FUNDING.—

“(A) LIMITATIONS.—Of the amounts available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary may use not more than 5 percent to provide technical assistance.

“(B) CARRYOVER.—Amounts made available to carry out this subsection shall remain available until expended.

“(8) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:

“(A) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible entity’ means any of the following providing a service or program or, in the sole determination of the Secretary, able to provide a service or program if awarded a grant under this subsection:

“(i) A State, a political subdivision of a State, or an agency or department of a State or political subdivision of a State.

“(ii) An entity described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 426(a)(1).

“(iii) An Indian tribe or tribal organization.

“(B) EXTERNAL EVALUATOR.—The term ‘external evaluator’ means an entity with the ability and willingness to evaluate a service or program pursuant to paragraph (2) that is not provided by the entity.

“(C) SERVICE OR PROGRAM.—The term ‘service or program’—

“(i) means a service or program described in section 471(e); and

“(ii) includes a kinship navigator program described in section 474(a)(7).”.

(b) Funding.—Section 437(b) (42 U.S.C. 629g(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(5) PREVENTIVE SERVICES EVALUATION PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary shall reserve $5,000,000 for grants under section 435(f) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029.”.

(a) Caseworker visits.—Section 422(b)(17) (42 U.S.C. 622(b)(17)) is amended by inserting “, and include a description of how the State may offer virtual caseworker visits to youth in care who have attained the age of 18 years and provided informed consent for virtual visits” before the semicolon.

(b) Youth and family engagement in child welfare program planning.—Section 432(b)(1) (42 U.S.C. 629b(b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:

“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall approve a plan that meets the requirements of subsection (a) only if—

“(A) the plan was developed jointly by the Secretary and the State, and the State, in developing the plan, consulted with—

“(i) appropriate public and nonprofit private agencies;

“(ii) community-based organizations involved in providing services for children and families in the areas of family preservation, family support, family reunification, foster care, kinship, and adoption promotion and support;

“(iii) parents with child welfare experience, foster parents, adoptive parents, and kinship caregivers; and

“(iv) children, youth, and young adults with experience in the child welfare system, including State boards and councils comprised of youth with the experience who represent the diversity of children in the State to whom the plan would apply; and

“(B) the State has made publicly accessible on a website of the State agency a report that outlines how the State has implemented the suggestions of the children and youth referred to in subparagraph (A)(iv);”.

(a) In general.—Section 431(a) (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)), as amended by section 6(b)(2) of this Act, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)—

(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—

(i) by striking “children” and inserting “children, youth,”; and

(ii) by striking “adoptive and extended” and inserting “kinship and adoptive”;

(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking “parents and other caregivers (including foster parents)” and inserting “parents, kinship caregivers, and foster parents”;

(C) by striking “and” at the end of subparagraph (E);

(D) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) and inserting “ ; and”; and

(E) by adding at the end the following:

“(G) (i) peer-to-peer mentoring and support programs with demonstrated experience fostering constructive relationships between children and families and mentors with relevant lived experience or interactions with the child welfare system; and

“(ii) for purposes of this subpart, an expenditure for a service described in clause (i) may be treated as an expenditure for any 1 or more of family support services, family preservation services, family reunification services, or adoption promotion and support services, as long as the expenditure is related to serving the children and families in the specified category and consistent with the overall purpose of the category.”;

(2) in paragraph (2)(B)—

(A) in clause (i), by striking “children” and inserting “children, youth,”; and

(B) in clause (ii), by striking “extended” and inserting “kinship”;

(3) in paragraph (7)(A), by inserting “with kinship caregivers or” before “in a foster family home”; and

(4) by adding at the end the following:

“(11) YOUTH.—The term ‘youth’ means an individual who has not attained 26 years of age.”.

(b) Kinship navigators.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 427 (42 U.S.C. 627) is amended—

(A) in the section heading, by striking “Family connection grants” and inserting “Kinship navigators”;

(B) in subsection (a)—

(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “helping” and inserting “administering programs to help”;

(ii) by striking “of—” and all that follows through “a kinship” and inserting “of a kinship”;

(iii) in paragraph (1)(C)—

(I) by striking “and” at the end of clause (iii);

(II) by adding “and” at the end of clause (iv); and

(III) by adding at the end the following:

“(v) that include connections to individualized assistance, as needed;”;

(iv) by striking paragraphs (2) through (4);

(v) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (1) as paragraphs (1) through (7), respectively;

(vi) by redesignating clauses (i) through (iv) and clause (v) (as added by clause (iii)(III) of this subparagraph) as subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively;

(vii) by moving each provision so redesignated 2 ems to the left; and

(viii) by striking “caregiving;” and inserting “caregiving.”;

(C) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (1), by striking “1 or more of”;

(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively, and inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

“(3) a description of how the entity will directly fund, or provide data to the Secretary for, an evaluation which will publish and submit information to the clearinghouse described in section 476(d)(2) and which is designed to meet the requirements of section 471(e)(4)(C), or a description of how the funds will be used to help the State transition to a program for which the State will seek reimbursement under section 474(a)(7);”;

(iii) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated), by striking “and” at the end;

(iv) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and

(v) by adding at the end the following:

“(6) if the entity is a State, local or tribal child welfare agency—

“(A) documentation of support from a relevant community-based organization with experience serving kinship families when applicable; or

“(B) a description of how the organization plans to coordinate its services and activities with those offered by the relevant community-based organizations.”;

(D) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:

“(d) Federal share.—An entity to which a grant is made under this section may use the grant to pay not more than 75 percent of the cost of the activities to be carried out by the entity pursuant to this section.”;

(E) in subsection (g)—

(i) by striking all that precedes “2 percent” and inserting the following:

“(g) Reservation of funds for technical assistance.—The Secretary may reserve”; and

(ii) by striking “subsection (h)” the 2nd place it appears and inserting “section 437(b)(6)”; and

(F) by striking subsection (h).

(2) RESERVATION OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.—Section 437(b) (42 U.S.C. 629g(b)), as amended by section 8(b) of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(6) KINSHIP NAVIGATORS.—The Secretary shall reserve $10,000,000 for grants under section 427 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029.”.

(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 474(a)(7) (42 U.S.C. 674(a)(7)) is amended by striking “427(a)(1)” and inserting “427(a)”.

(a) Family preservation services.—Section 431(a)(1) (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)(1)), as amended by section 10(a)(1) of this Act, is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (F), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(2) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(H) (i) services providing nonrecurring short term benefits (including supports related to housing instability, utilities, transportation, and food assistance, among other basic needs) that address immediate needs related to a specific crisis, situation, or event affecting the ability of a child to remain in a home established for the child that is not intended to meet an ongoing need; and

“(ii) for purposes of this subpart, an expenditure for a service described in clause (i) may be treated as an expenditure for any 1 or more of family support services, family preservation services, family reunification services, or adoption promotion and support services as long as the expenditure is related to serving the children and families in the specified category and consistent with the overall purpose of the category.”.

(b) State plan requirements.—Section 432(a) (42 U.S.C. 629b(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (9), by striking “and” after the semicolon;

(2) in paragraph (10), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(11) provides a description of policies in place, including training for employees, to address child welfare reports and investigations of neglect concerning the living arrangements or subsistence needs of a child with the goal to prevent the separation of a child from a parent of the child solely due to poverty, to ensure access to services described in section 431(a)(1)(H).”.

(a) Reauthorization of, and increase in funding for, caseworker visits.—Section 436(b)(4)(A) (42 U.S.C. 629f(b)(4)(A)) is amended by striking “each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023” and inserting “fiscal year 2025 and $26,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year”.

(b) Minimum grant amount.—Section 433(e) (42 U.S.C. 629c(e)) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting the following:

“(1) BASE ALLOTMENT.—From the amount reserved pursuant to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall first allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) that has provided to the Secretary such documentation as may be necessary to verify that the jurisdiction has complied with section 436(b)(4)(B)(ii) during the fiscal year, a base allotment of $100,000, and shall then allot to each of those States an amount determined in paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection, as applicable.

“(2) TERRITORIES.—From the amount reserved pursuant to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year that remains after applying paragraph (1) of this subsection for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each jurisdiction specified in subsection (b) of this section to which a base allotment is made under such paragraph (1) an amount determined in the same manner as the allotment to each of such jurisdictions is determined under section 423 (without regard to the initial allotment of $70,000 to each State).

“(3) OTHER STATES.—From the amount reserved pursuant to section 436(b)(4)(A) for any fiscal year that remains after applying paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection for the fiscal year, the Secretary shall allot to each State (other than an Indian tribe) not specified in subsection (b) of this section to which a base allotment was made under paragraph (1) of this subsection an amount equal to such remaining amount multiplied by the supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits percentage of the State (as defined in subsection (c)(2) of this section) for the fiscal year, except that in applying subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section, ‘subsection (e)(3)’ shall be substituted for ‘such paragraph (1)’.”.

(c) Requirement To use funds To improve quality of caseworker visits with foster children.—Section 436(b)(4)(B)(i) (42 U.S.C. 629f(b)(4)(B)(i)) is amended to read as follows:

“(i) IN GENERAL.—A State to which an amount is paid from amounts reserved under subparagraph (A) shall use the amount to improve the quality of monthly caseworker visits with children who are in foster care under the responsibility of the State, with an emphasis on—

“(I) reducing caseload ratios and the administrative burden on caseworkers, to improve caseworker decision making on the safety, permanency, and well-being of foster children and on activities designed to increase retention, recruitment, and training of caseworkers;

“(II) implementing technology solutions to streamline caseworker duties and modernize systems, ensuring improved efficiency and effectiveness in child welfare services;

“(III) improving caseworker safety;

“(IV) mental health resources to support caseworker well-being, including peer-to-peer support programs; and

“(V) recruitment campaigns aimed at attracting qualified caseworker candidates.”.

(d) Elimination of cost-Share penalty tied to monthly caseworker visit standard.—Section 424(f) (42 U.S.C. 624(f)) is amended—

(1) by striking “(1)(A)”; and

(2) by striking paragraphs (1)(B) and (2).

Section 439 (42 U.S.C. 629i) is amended to read as follows:

Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration for Community Living, the Department of Justice, and other relevant policy experts, as determined by the Secretary, shall issue and disseminate, or update and revise, as applicable, guidance to State agencies in administering State plans approved under parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act on the following: