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HR7995119th CongressWALLET

CONNECT Act

Sponsored By: Representative Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would amend the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program to help older foster youth build lasting relationships and take a clearer role in permanency planning. It centers on lifelong connections and support networks for youth who experienced foster care at age 14 or older.

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  • Youth who experienced foster care at age 14 or older would get help developing and keeping sustained relationships with adults, kin, mentors, and peers. It would also support youth in exercising rights to participate in developing their permanency plan and to receive written information about available services and steps the agency is taking.
  • State and Tribal child welfare agencies would receive required guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services within 1 year after enactment. The guidance must include examples of services eligible for federal funding, standards for outreach, and protocols for documenting support and relationship-building in case plans.
  • The guidance would lay out best practices and minimum qualifications and training for mentors and peer supporters, and it would promote pre- and post-permanency peer support and referrals to appropriate programs.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

More support for older foster youth

If enacted, this bill would change the Chafee foster care program to focus on lasting adult relationships. It would target youth who were in foster care at age 14 or older. The bill would add two statutory purposes: help those youth develop and maintain sustained relationships with adults, mentors, and peers; and support youth still in care to participate in permanency planning and receive written information, peer support, mentoring, kin connections, and referrals. The statutory changes would take effect 1 year after enactment. The bill would also require HHS to issue guidance within 1 year that lists eligible federally funded services, best practices for mentoring and peer support, outreach standards for eligible youth, and case-plan documentation protocols.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

WI • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 3/19/2026

  • Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Schweikert, David [R-AZ-1]

    AZ • R

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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