WASHINGTON—Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08) and Congressman Randy Feenstra (IA-04) recently introduced new bipartisan legislation, supported by Republicans and Democrats, to reduce the number of vulnerable children in foster care.
In 2018, Congress passed, and former President Trump signed into law, the Family First Prevention Services Act, a law that provides federal funding to states to offer services that reduce the number of kids entering the foster care system and keep families together. However, lack of funding for research and evaluation has limited the number of services that qualify for this federal funding.
Congressman Kildee’s Strengthening Evidence-Based Prevention Services Act would significantly expand access to critical child welfare services in mid-Michigan—and across the country—by creating a new grant program at the U.S. Administration of Children and Families to fill the current gap in research and evaluation funding.
“As a former social worker, one of my top priorities in Congress is providing our children and their families with the care and support they need. To do that, we must invest in finding the programs and services that work for our communities,” said Congressman Kildee. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will get us one step closer to ensuring every mid-Michigan child grows up in a safe, loving home.”
“Families that welcome foster children into their homes are special people. These kids are among the most vulnerable in our communities and deserve a safe, loving place to call home. While we work to strengthen our foster care system, we also need to commit to keeping children out of foster care and with their families,” said Congressman Feenstra. “Our bill will ensure that we can quickly and efficiently evaluate prevention services, verify their effectiveness, and connect families and children with tools to enhance their lives and wellbeing.”
The bill is endorsed by the following organizations: Michigan Federation for Children and Families, America Forward, Brightpoint, Child Welfare League of America, Children’s Home Society of America, Family Centered Treatment Foundation, Family Focused Treatment Association, Generations United, Results for America, Triple P America, Voice for Adoption and Youth Villages.
“The Michigan Federation for Children and Families endorses the Strengthening Evidence-Based Prevention Services Act of 2024. We commend Congressman Dan Kildee for his leadership in championing this important legislation. We support initiatives and efforts that promote building evidence-based programming, allowing for greater flexibility in service delivery to shift towards a child welfare system that is equitable and responsive to the needs of our communities,” said Janet Reynolds Snyder, executive director, Michigan Federation for Children and Families.
