Foster Care Stabilization Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Bacon
Introduced
Summary
Provides targeted emergency grants to stabilize foster youth and strengthen pre-placement services. This bill would create a small demonstration program that awards three grants to foster care stabilization agencies to deliver emergency relief and improve services for youth awaiting placement.
Show full summary
- Families and foster youth: Funds can buy clothing up to $250 per youth per year, pay for food and food-preparation equipment, and provide other emergency supports to promote safety and self-sufficiency.
- Local and community agencies: Awards are limited to three demonstration grants of up to $1.0 million each. Recipients may hire staff, have three years to spend funds, and must return unused amounts.
- Tribal and rural reach: Applications must be publicly posted and specifically targeted for dissemination to rural areas, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations.
- Federal oversight and reporting: The Secretary must reserve $45,000 for administration and report to Congress on grant use, clothing purchases, outcomes for youth, and numbers of home transfers; funding is available only if annual appropriations rise by more than $5.0 million.
*Would authorize up to $3.0 million in demonstration grants plus $45,000 for administration, with funding conditional on specified increases in annual appropriations.*
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Emergency grants for foster youth
If enacted, the bill would create a demonstration grant program for foster youth. The Secretary would award up to three grants of not more than $1,000,000 each to local nonprofit or public "foster care stabilization agencies." A foster youth would be defined as someone in foster care under age 26. Grant money could pay for staff, food and food equipment, services to prevent or respond to abuse, other emergency help, and clothing or personal items up to $250 per youth per year. Grantees would have three years to spend the money and must return unused funds. Applicants must explain how they will use funds for emergency relief and for better pre-placement services, and the Secretary must post applications publicly and reach out to rural areas, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations.
Funding tied to appropriations growth
If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary use money for the stabilization grants only when subsection (a) funding for a fiscal year exceeds the prior year by more than $5,000,000. When that trigger is met, the Secretary would use the extra amount to carry out the demonstration program. The Secretary would also be required to set aside $45,000 of those amounts for administration, oversight, and technical assistance related to the subsection.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bacon
NE • R
Cosponsors
Scanlon
PA • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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