Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced
Summary
Improving recruitment and retention of foster and adoptive families. This bill would require states to create a family partnership plan that uses data and input from families and youth with foster care experience to recruit, support, and better match foster and adoptive parents to children’s needs.
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- Families and prospective parents would get clearer state plans for recruiting, screening, licensing, supporting, and retaining foster and adoptive families. States must develop plans with input from birth, kinship, foster, and adoptive families, community providers, technical assistance providers, and youth with lived experience.
- Children and youth would receive child-specific recruitment plans and be engaged in recruitment on their behalf when appropriate. The plans aim to increase kinship placements, improve placement stability, and reduce unnecessary congregate care.
- States would collect and report at least annually on foster family capacity, congregate care use, the number and characteristics of licensed families, and why some families go unused. Plans must analyze barriers to recruiting families who reflect children’s racial and ethnic backgrounds and set data-driven goals to measure progress. The requirements would take effect October 1, 2026, with a possible delay if a state needs non-appropriations legislation to comply.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More help recruiting foster and adoptive families
This bill would require States to create a family partnership plan starting October 1, 2026. The plan would say how States identify, recruit, screen, license, support, and keep foster and adoptive families. States would need child-specific recruitment plans and must include youth with foster care experience in recruitment. States would report at least yearly on foster family capacity, unused licensed families, and use of congregate care, and summarize parent and youth feedback. If a State needs new State laws to comply, the State would get extra time until the first day of the first calendar quarter after its next regular legislative session ends; for States with two-year sessions, each year counts separately.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Roger Wicker
MS • R
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov