No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a competitive grant pilot program, to be administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services over a five-year period beginning on the date of enactment, under which the Secretary may award not more than five grants to eligible entities to develop specialized foster care programs for sibling groups of three or more, those with a wide age range, or those with (or including a youth with) complex needs (i.e., challenging/risky behaviors, severe mental health needs, disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act, life-threatening illnesses, parental differences, or trauma histories). Eligible entities include state child welfare agencies, state/tribal/local agencies, faith- or community-based organizations, and nonprofits with demonstrated foster care expertise under state supervision; applications must describe fund uses, program design, placement challenges and numbers, and other required information. Grant recipients must use funds for evidence-based programs proven to substantially increase joint sibling placements and submit reports to the Secretary on children served, sibling group sizes, placement methods, and outcomes; up to $10 million is authorized to remain available for the five-year period.