Supporting America’s Children and Families Act

Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act

This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 certain child and family services and modifies programs related to prevention services, youth in foster care, parental substance use disorder, and kinship caregiving, which are generally administered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

First, the bill reauthorizes funding through FY2029 for the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services and the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families programs. It also requires 3% of allocated funding to be paid directly to Indian tribes. 

The bill also reauthorizes through FY2029 the Court Improvement Program and requires the ACF to issue guidance for technological changes necessary to conduct proceedings remotely.

The ACF also must review administrative requirements for state child welfare agencies and explore ways to reduce the compliance time.

The bill also authorizes grants to states and other specified organizations to evaluate child and family services and kinship navigator programs.

Further, state plans for child welfare services must describe how states may offer virtual caseworker visits to youth in care who are over 18 and have consented to such visits.

The bill also reauthorizes grants to states for caseworker support and authorizes demonstration grants to support relationships between foster children and their incarcerated parents.

Finally, the bill modifies certain requirements regarding data collection and technical assistance for programs relating to behavioral health services, and it requires the ACF to report on post-adoption and guardianship services.

The bill takes effect on October 1, 2025.