Help Grandfamilies Prevent Child Abuse Act
Sponsored By: Representative Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Introduced
Summary
Kinship families would get new, focused protections and supports under the Help Grandfamilies Prevent Child Abuse Act. This bill would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to add kinship-focused advisory board seats, create coordinated national technical assistance, and change grant rules to prioritize and support children placed with relatives.
Show full summary
- Kinship families and children would gain targeted supports and recognition in CAPTA programs. The bill cites more than 2.4 million children being raised by relatives or close family friends and stresses prioritizing placement with kin.
- System changes would add advisory board seats for organizations serving kinship families and for birth parents, kinship caregivers, and foster care alumni. Grants would push kin licensing, fund kinship navigators, and require caregiver training on behavioral and mental health, trauma, and substance use disorders.
- States, tribes, and agencies seeking CAPTA grants would need plans that prioritize kin placement and build community networks to support kin families. Programs must report how many children diverted to live with kin outside foster care did not receive services.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More help for kin caregivers
If enacted, this bill would make community prevention grants serve kinship families and list kin caregivers and foster care alumni as eligible. It would require local programs to offer kin-specific training on child behavior, mental health, substance use disorders, and trauma. It would require grant recipients to prioritize placing children with relatives, find and support kin, and help kin become licensed foster parents. It would also require states to name kinship navigators and report each year how many children were diverted to live with kin and did not get state program services.
Kinship voices on federal boards
If enacted, this bill would add organizations serving kinship families and seats for birth parents, kinship caregivers, and foster care alumni to the federal Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. It would also direct the CAPTA National Clearinghouse to work with the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network to share proven practices for supporting children raised by relatives inside or outside foster care.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
PA • R
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 8/13/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov