Supporting America’s Children and Families Act

Supporting America’s Children and Families Act

TITLE I--CHILD WELFARE REAUTHORIZATION AND MODERNIZATION

Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act

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

The title reauthorizes through FY2029 and revises regional partnership grants for services to families affected by substance use disorders.

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

The title 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 title also authorizes family preservation and family support services for youth under the age of 26. It also includes within the definition of family preservation services nonrecurring, short-term benefits that address immediate needs related to a specific crisis, such as supports for housing or food assistance.

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

Finally, the title 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 title takes effect on October 1, 2025.

TITLE II--STRENGTHENING STATE AND TRIBAL CHILD SUPPORT

Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act

This title permits tribal child support enforcement agencies to access the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program to collect past-due child support payments from the federal tax refunds of noncustodial parents.

Additionally, the title authorizes the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration to disclose certain tax return information to tribal child support enforcement agencies. Such information may be disclosed to establish and collect child support obligations from, and to locate, those individuals owing such obligations. The title also explicitly authorizes state and tribal child support enforcement agencies to disclose necessary information to contractors for these purposes.

The title also permits the ACF to reimburse tribal agencies for certain reporting costs related to the Federal Parent Locator Service.