HR4769119th CongressWALLET

Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Scanlon

Introduced

Summary

Expands federal grants for mentoring children in foster care and those with foster care experience.

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It would create a new grant program to fund community-based, structured mentoring that matches youth with screened and trained adult or peer volunteers for at least one year and supports academic, social, and transition-to-adulthood goals.

  • Children and families: Children removed from parental custody and people who were in foster care up to age 25 would gain access to consistent, development-focused mentoring aimed at school success, healthy relationships, and reducing risky behavior.
  • Mentors and community groups: Nonprofits, State child welfare agencies, local schools, Indian tribes, and faith-based groups could receive grants to recruit, screen, train, compensate, and support mentors and to cover mentee participation costs.
  • Program rules and oversight: Applicants must show youth input, plans for diverse and culturally competent recruitment and training, criminal background checks excluding certain child-safety convictions in the past 10 years, and grantees must provide annual reports and cooperate with federal evaluations.

*This bill would increase federal spending by authorizing $50 million for FY2026 and $50 million for FY2027, with additional unspecified funding authorized in later years.*

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

More mentoring for foster youth

If enacted, this bill would expand mentoring for children in foster care and people under age 26 who were in foster care. The government would give competitive grants to nonprofits, schools, tribes, faith groups, and child welfare agencies. Programs would match youth with screened and trained mentors for at least one year, with criminal background checks and exclusions for certain offenses. Grants could pay to recruit and train mentors, compensate mentors, cover mentee costs, and fund activities that build school, work, and life skills. The bill authorizes $50 million for FY2026 and $50 million for FY2027, with more as needed later; it would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Scanlon

PA • D

Cosponsors

  • Bacon

    NE • R

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Casten

    IL • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Cherfilus-McCormick

    FL • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Cleaver

    MO • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Moore (WI)

    WI • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Nunn (IA)

    IA • R

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Sewell

    AL • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Veasey

    TX • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Williams (GA)

    GA • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Larson (CT)

    CT • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Escobar

    TX • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Ross

    NC • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Simon

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Evans (PA)

    PA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Harder (CA)

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • McBride

    DE • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Cohen

    TN • D

    Sponsored 2/10/2026

  • Magaziner

    RI • D

    Sponsored 2/23/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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