All Roll Calls
Yes: 405 • No: 10
118-hr-9076118th CongressWALLET
Supporting America’s Children and Families Act
Sponsored By: Representative LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]
Became Law
Summary
Modernizes and funds federal child welfare programs and strengthens tribal child support enforcement. It updates Title IV‑B and related parts to boost prevention, kinship supports, parental substance use disorder responses, evaluation grants, remote court guidance, and tribal parity.
Show full summary
- Families and children: Expands prevention services and adds poverty‑sensitive short‑term supports such as housing, utilities, and transportation. Sets aside $10 million a year for kinship navigator grants and $30 million a year for parental substance use disorder partnership grants.
- Youth and caseworkers: Allows virtual caseworker visits for youth 18 and older with consent and creates a new base allotment of $100,000 per non‑tribal State to improve visit quality, staffing, technology, and retention.
- Tribes, child support, and courts: Gives tribal child support agencies parity in tax‑information use and data sharing, and requires guidance on remote court proceedings and continuity with initial guidance due by October 1, 2025.
*Authorizes multi‑year federal funding across 2025–2029, including a $420 million annual baseline for enhanced support plus additional reserved grants, and increases federal outlays over that period.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More funding for child welfare and courts
The law authorizes $420 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2029 to support child welfare services. It reserves $40 million a year for court improvement grants starting in fiscal year 2026 and $2 million a year for tribal court improvement grants for fiscal years 2026–2029. It sets aside $26 million a year starting in fiscal year 2026 to improve monthly caseworker visits, including a $100,000 base amount per qualifying state, and removes a prior cost-share penalty. It also keeps discretionary grant authority in place for fiscal years 2025–2029.
Keep foster kids connected to jailed parents
The law authorizes up to $35 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2029 for state partnerships to help foster children stay connected with an incarcerated parent. Grants pay in five annual installments, with an optional planning grant one year early. Programs must support weekly contact and at least nine in-person visits each year when in the child’s best interest. Funds can cover travel, lodging, technology, safer visitation spaces, training, case management, and access to legal services. The federal share can cover up to 75% of costs.
More support for kinship caregivers
The law reserves $10 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2029 for kinship navigator grants. The federal share can cover up to 75% of costs, and programs now include youth roles and peer mentoring. It also funds $5 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2029 to evaluate prevention services and kinship navigator programs. Grantees file annual reports, and up to 5% of funds can support technical help.
Short-term help to keep families together
The law lets states fund short-term help for housing, utilities, transport, and food during a crisis. This help is one-time and meant to keep a child safely at home, not to meet ongoing needs. Spending on family resource centers can count under family support, preservation, reunification, or adoption support. States must train staff and set policies to avoid removals caused only by poverty and must share information about independent legal help in court. Community support portals cannot keep or share your personal data without your consent or for anything beyond referrals.
Remote court rules and better data sharing
HHS must issue remote court best-practice guidance by October 1, 2025, and update it every five years. The guidance must protect privacy, require consent, and plan for continuity and recovery. HHS must consult tribes for cases involving Indian children. Within two years, HHS must also guide states on collecting and sharing data on youth in residential treatment, including maltreatment reporting and oversight, working with education, justice, health, and other agencies.
Simpler, public state plans and reports
HHS must standardize state plan formats and post plans online. Within two years, it must cut paperwork by at least 15% by removing duplicate reporting and aligning rules where appropriate. HHS must respect tribal sovereignty, consult recipients, and report to Congress within three years on changes. States and tribes are notified of any changes.
Grants to address parental substance use
The law reserves $30 million each year starting in fiscal year 2026 for regional partnerships that address parental substance use disorder. The program is authorized for fiscal years 2025–2029. Applicants must show they can take part in strong evaluations, and planning can be waived for ready partners. Grantees must report performance and clearinghouse submissions, and the program coordinates with other federal funds and consults with the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Stronger tribal funding and less red tape
The law sets aside 3% of certain child welfare funds each year for direct grants to tribes with approved plans. Tribes receiving $50,000 or less in a year get scaled-down reporting, set in consultation with them. Tribal organizations may choose to use federal negotiated indirect cost rates to calculate administrative costs. These steps increase funding access and cut administrative burden for tribal programs.
More voice and mental health in foster care
States may offer virtual caseworker visits to youth in care who are 18 or older, with the youth’s informed consent. States must consult youth with lived experience when they set plans and must report how youth ideas were used. State plans must also involve mental health agencies and providers and respect informed consent. This helps deliver better mental health support for children in foster care.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]
IL • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/22/2024
Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3]
NE • R
Sponsored 8/9/2024
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/9/2024
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]
NY • R
Sponsored 8/9/2024
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/9/2024
Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1]
UT • R
Sponsored 8/13/2024
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 8/13/2024
Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]
WV • R
Sponsored 8/16/2024
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 8/16/2024
Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15]
OH • R
Sponsored 8/23/2024
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-8]
MI • D
Sponsored 8/23/2024
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11]
PA • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7]
MN • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
TX • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Estes, Ron [R-KS-4]
KS • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4]
IA • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
FL • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]
TN • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Wenstrup, Brad R. [R-OH-2]
OH • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Steel, Michelle [R-CA-48]
CA • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16]
PA • R
Sponsored 8/30/2024
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
WA • D
Sponsored 9/6/2024
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 9/18/2024
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
Yes: 405 • No: 10