News Release
National Foster Care Coalition Support of Federal Invest in KIDS Act (H.R. 5466)
March 7, 2008
Contact:
Robin Nixon
Executive Director
National Foster Coalition
rnixon@nationalfostercare.org
202.361.4046
The National Foster Care Coalition recently submitted written comments to the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means. The Coalition’s statements offers support for the proposed Invest in KIDS Act (H.R. 5466) which was discussed at a Hearing on Improving the Child Welfare System held on February 27, 2008.
According to the Coalition’s comments, the key provisions of the bill address existing challenges and shortcomings by the child welfare system. NFCC supports:
- giving states additional funding to strengthen families by providing prevention resources and in-home services as an alternative to placing children and youth in care;
- allowing states to be assisted in placing foster children and youth with relatives, familiar friends,
- or neighbors that can provide safe, stable, caring families through legal guardianship;
- improving child welfare worker skill sets and reducing caseloads to reflect in positive outcomes for foster children and youth;
- prohibiting income requirements for foster care reimbursements; and
- extending the foster care to age 21 for young people who will benefit from the resources made available through the child welfare system.
The Coalition’s complete written comments are available here.
National Foster Care Coalition
The National Foster Care Coalition (NFCC) is a unique partnership of more than 40 national and local organizations, as well as individuals, building public will to improve the lives of children, youth, and young adults who are, or who have been, in foster care. Through advocacy, education, and networking, NFCC works to strengthen our ability as a nation to support the positive development of every young person who must spend time in the foster care system. We believe that young people themselves are the experts on foster care, and our best allies in efforts to strengthen the services, supports, and opportunities available to them.
