Foster Care Stabilization Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
Introduced
Summary
Emergency relief and better pre-placement support for foster youth. The Foster Care Stabilization Act of 2026 would create a demonstration grant program that awards three grants of up to $1 million each to foster care stabilization agencies to deliver emergency aid and strengthen services for youth awaiting placement.
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- Foster youth: Grants can pay for clothing and personal necessities up to $250 per youth per year, food and meal-prep equipment, and services to prevent or respond to abuse.
- Local and nonprofit agencies: Eligible community, faith-based, and Tribal-serving agencies could hire staff and use funds to improve pre-placement services. Recipients have three years to spend grant funds and must submit applications and outcome reports.
- Rural, Tribal, and Native Hawaiian outreach and oversight: The Secretary must publicize the solicitation and target rural areas, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations. The program reserves $45,000 for administration and is funded only if there are more than $5 million in excess amounts under the cited subsection in a fiscal year.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Emergency help for foster youth
This bill would create a demonstration grant program to help foster youth and improve pre-placement services. The Health and Human Services Secretary would award up to three grants, each up to $1,000,000, to local nonprofit agencies. Grants would fund emergency relief, hiring staff, food and meal equipment, abuse-prevention services, and other Secretary-approved purposes. Clothing and personal necessities would be limited to $250 per foster youth per year. Grants would use only excess subsection (a) dollars that exceed the prior year by more than $5,000,000. The Secretary would reserve $45,000 for administration and require grantees to obligate funds within three years. The Secretary would post solicitations publicly and do targeted outreach to rural areas and Tribal organizations. The Secretary would report to Congress on grant uses, clothing purchases, case outcomes, and home transfers.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
NE • R
Cosponsors
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov