Protecting Sibling Relationships in Foster Care Act

Grants to Keep Siblings Together

If enacted, the bill would create a five-year HHS pilot grant program to help place siblings in foster care together. The Secretary would be allowed to award up to five grants and authorize up to $10 million total, available during that five-year period. Eligible applicants would include State child welfare agencies, State, tribal, or local agencies, faith- or community-based groups, and nonprofits with foster care experience and State supervision. Grants would fund specialized foster programs to place sibling groups of three or more, wide-age sibling groups, and groups that include a youth with complex needs (for example, severe mental health needs, disability, life-threatening illness, risky behaviors, or trauma). Applicants would need to describe how funds will be used, the program design, data on placement challenges and numbers waiting, and other information HHS may require. Grant recipients would report counts, sibling group sizes, placement methods, and placement outcomes to the Secretary, and the Secretary could issue regulations to run the pilot.