,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aeaa  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #ag1
 #bjac,mr4 ,rockefeller 7for himself and
 ,mr4 ,casey7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,finance  ,a ,,bill
  ,to amend part ,e of title ,,iv of the
 ,social ,security ,act to remove       
barriers to the adoption of children in 
foster care through reauthorization and 
improvement of the adoption incentives  
program1 and for other purposes4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,removing ,barriers to ,adoption and
 ,supporting ,families ,act of #bjac4   
#b4 ,reauthorization of adoption        
incentive payments  7a7 ,in general     
,section #dgc;,a of the ,social         
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fgc;b7 is
 amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#e71  
by striking #bjjh through #bjab and     
inserting #bjac through #bjag2 and  7#b7
 in subsection 7h7-- 7,a7 in paragraph  
7#a77;,d71 by striking #bjac and        

inserting #bjah2 and  7,b7 in paragraph 
7#b71 by striking #bjac and inserting   
#bjah4  #c4 ,encouragement of interstate
 adoptions  7a7 ,additional incentive   
payment for sending and receiving states
 of an interstate adoption  7#a7 ,in    
general ,section #dgc;,a7d7 of the      
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#fgc;b7d77 is amended-- 7,a7 in         
paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in the matter      
preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking
 and 7#c7 and inserting 7#c71 and 7#d72 
7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking  
and after the semicolon2  7iii7 in      
subparagraph 7,c71 by inserting or after
 the semicolon2 and  7iv7 by adding at  
the end the following3  7,d7 subject to 
paragraph 7#d71 #h1jjj multiplied by the
 amount 7if any7 by which the number of 
interstate adoptions in the ,state      
during the fiscal year exceeds the base 
number of interstate adoptions for the  
,state for the fiscal year4  2 and  7,b7
 by adding at the end the following3    
7#d7 ,sending and receiving states      

sharing of interstate adoption incentive
 payment ,the ,secretary shall pay each 
,state that was a receiving ,state for  
an interstate adoptive placement for a  
fiscal year1 a pro rata share of the    
portion of the adoption incentive       
payment paid to the sending ,state for  
the fiscal year under this section that 
is attributable to the amount determined
 under paragraph 7#a77;,d74  4  7#b7    
,conforming amendments ,section #dgc;,a 
of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fgc;b7 is  
amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b77#b7--  
7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking or
 after the semicolon2  7ii7 in          
subparagraph 7,c71 by inserting or after
 the semicolon2 and  7iii7 by adding at 
the end the following3  7,d7 the number 
of interstate adoptions in the ,state   
during the fiscal year exceeds the base 
number of interstate adoptions for the  
,state in the fiscal year2  2 and  7,b7 
in subsection 7g71 by adding at the end 
the following3  7#i7 ,base number of    
interstate adoptions ,the term base     

number of interstate adoptions for a    
,state means1 with respect to any fiscal
 year1 the number of interstate child   
adoptions in the ,state in fiscal year  
#bjab4  7#aj7 ,interstate adoptions ,the
 term interstate adoptions means the    
final adoption of a child who1 at the   
time of adoptive placement              
out-of-,state1 was in foster care under 
the supervision of the ,state or for    
whom an adoption assistance agreement   
was in effect under section #dgc with   
respect to the child4  7#aa7 ,receiving 
,state ,the term receiving ,state means 
the ,state in which the adoptive parents
 reside at the time of final adoption of
 a child from another ,state4  7#ab7    
,sending ,state ,the term sending ,state
 means the ,state in which the child    
resided before being placed for an      
adoption in another ,state4  4  7b7     
,requirement ,to report data on         
interstate adoptions ,section #dgc;,a7c7
 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fgc;b7c77 
is amended by adding at the end the     

following3  7#d7 ,determination of      
numbers of interstate adoptions based on
 ,state reporting of data  7,a7 ,in     
general ,a ,state is in compliance with 
this subsection for a fiscal year if the
 ,state has provided to the ,secretary  
the following data with respect to the  
preceding fiscal year3 7i7 ,the total   
number of interstate adoptions completed
 by the ,state with respect to children 
in foster care under the responsibility 
of the ,state1 and with respect to each 
such adoption the identity of the other 
,state involved4  7ii7 ,the total number
 of adoptions completed by the ,state   
with respect to children who were in    
foster care under the responsibility of 
other ,states1 and with respect to each 
such adoption1 the identity of the other
 ,state involved4  7iii7 ,such other    
information as the ,secretary may       
require in order to determine whether   
the ,state is eligible for an adoption  
incentive payment under subsection      
7d77#a77;,d7 for the fiscal year4  7,b7 

,verification of data ,the ,secretary   
shall verify the data submitted by a    
,state under subparagraph 7,a74  4  #d4 
,national standards for ,state home     
studies  7a7 ,national standards for    
,state home studies ,section #dgf of the
 ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4  
#fgf7 is amended by adding at the end   
the following3  7d7 ,national standards 
for ,state home studies  7#a7 ,in       
general ,not later than #ab months after
 the date of enactment of this          
subsection1 the ,secretary shall develop
 national standards for home studies for
 use in evaluating potential foster and 
adoptive parents4 ,in developing these  
standards1 the ,secretary shall consult 
with a working group composed of        
representatives of the adoption and     
foster care community1 experts in the   
field of social work1 ,state child      
welfare leaders and other qualified     
individuals4  7#b7 ,periodic review and 
updating ,the ,secretary shall          
periodically review and update1 as      

appropriate1 the standards developed    
under this subsection4  4  7b7 ,enhanced
 matching rate for states adopting home 
study in compliance with national       
standards ,section #dgd of the ,social  
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fgd7 is  
amended-- 7#a7 in each of paragraphs    
7#a7 and 7#b7 of subsection 7a71 by     
inserting subject to subsection 7h71    
before an amount equal to the ,federal2 
and  7#b7 by adding at the end the      
following3  7h7 ,the percentage         
applicable under paragraphs 7#a7 and    
7#b7 of subsection 7a7 for amounts      
expended during a quarter by a ,state or
 the ,district of ,columbia1 or1 in the 
case of an ,indian tribe1 tribal        
organization1 or tribal consortium that 
has elected to operate a program under  
this part in accordance with section    
#dgi;,b1 the tribal ,,fmap1 referred to 
in such paragraphs1 shall be increased  
by #e percentage points for each quarter
 that begins on or after the effective  
date of an election by the ,state1      

,district of ,columbia1 or ,indian      
tribe1 tribal organization1 or tribal   
consortium operating a program under    
this part in accordance with section    
#dgi;,b1 to use the home study standards
 developed under section #dgf7;d74  4   
#e4 ,limiting another planned permanent 
living arrangement as a permanency      
option  7a7 ,elimination of option for  
children under age #ag ,section         
#dge7e77;,c7 of the ,social ,security   
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fge7e77;,c77 is    
amended by inserting only if the child  
has attained age #ag before 7in cases   
where the ,state agency has documented4 
7b7 ,,gao report on use of another      
planned permanent living arrangement    
placements ,the ,comptroller ,general of
 the ,united ,states shall conduct a    
study and submit a report to ,congress  
regarding-- 7#a7 the number of children 
in each ,state 7as defined for purposes 
of parts ,b and ,e of title ,,iv of the 
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#fba et seq41 #fgj et seq477 that are   

assigned a permanency goal of another   
planned permanent living arrangement for
 the most recent fiscal year for which  
data are available2  7#b7 with respect  
to such fiscal years and on a           
,state-by-,state basis1 the ages1       
gender1 race1 and special needs of      
children whose permanency goal is       
another planned permanent living        
arrangement2  7#c7 a review and analysis
 of court practices for determining that
 another planned permanent living       
arrangement is the appropriate placement
 for a child2  7#d7 information with    
respect to foster youths' involvement in
 deciding to enter into a permanency    
goal of another planned permanent living
 arrangement1 including1 but not limited
 to1 how another planned permanent      
living arrangement is presented as an   
option to foster youth1 how involved    
foster youth are in selecting the       
option1 and what alternative options are
 offered instead of another planned     
permanent living arrangement2 and  7#e7 

a summary of the reasons that           
reunification1 adoption1 kinship care1  
or guardianship were not found to be in 
the best interests of the child4  #f4   
,increased funding support for          
post-adoption and post-permanency       
services  7a7 ,dedicated use of portion 
of savings from adoption assistance     
de-,linkage for post-,adoption and      
post-,permanency services ,section      
#dgc7;a77#h7 of the ,social ,security   
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fgc7;a77#h77 is    
amended-- 7#a7 by inserting 7,a7 after  
7#h72  7#b7 by striking 7including      
post-adoption services72  7#c7 by       
striking 1 including on post-adoption   
services4 and inserting 4 ,a ,state     
shall spend an amount equal to #bj      
percent of the amount of such savings to
 provide post-adoption and              
post-permanency services to children or 
families and shall document how such    
amounts are spent42 and  7#d7 by adding 
at the end the following3  7,b7 ,the    
,secretary shall establish a formula for

 ,states to use to calculate the amount 
of savings in ,state expenditures under 
this part resulting from the application
 of paragraph 7#b77;,a77ii7 to all      
applicable children for a fiscal year   
based on the ,state and ,federal shares 
of expenditures for adoption assistance 
payments under this section as of fiscal
 year #bjji4  4  7b7 ,dedicated uses of 
promoting safe and stable families funds
 including for post-,adoption and       
post-,permanency services ,section      
#dcb7;a77#d7 of the ,social ,security   
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fbi;b7a77#d77 is   
amended to read as follows3  7#d7       
contains assurances that not more than  
#aj percent of the expenditures under   
the plan for any fiscal year with       
respect to which the ,state is eligible 
for payment under section #dcd for the  
fiscal year shall be for administrative 
costs1 and #bj percent of remaining     
expenditures shall be for programs of   
family preservation services1 #bj       
percent for community based family      

support services1 #bj percent for       
time-limited family reunification       
services1 #aj percent for adoption      
promotion1 and #aj percent for          
post-adoption and post-permanency       
services2  4  7c7 ,post-,adoption and   
post-,permanency services defined       
,section #dca7;a7 of the ,social        
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fbi;a7a77
 is amended by adding at the end the    
following3  7#aj7 ,post-adoption and    
post-permanency services ,the term      
post-adoption and post-permanency       
services means services for children    
placed in adoptive1 kinship1 or         
guardianship placements and their       
families1 and may include any or all of 
the following3 7,a7 ,individual         
counseling4  7,b7 ,group counseling4    
7,c7 ,family counseling4  7,d7 ,case    
management4  7,e7 ,respite care4  7,f7  
,training of public adoption personnel1 
personnel of private child welfare and  
adoption agencies licensed by the ,state
 to provide adoption services1 mental   

health services professionals1 and other
 support personnel to provide services  
under this part and part ,e4  7,g7      
,assistance to adoptive parent          
organizations4  7,h7 ,assistance to     
support groups for adoptive parents1    
adopted children1 and siblings of       
adopted children4  7,i7 ,rigorous       
evaluations of post-adoption and        
post-permanency services4  4  #g4       
,encouraging development of robust1     
comprehensive practice models of        
adoptions from foster care  7a7 ,state  
plan amendment ,section #dga7;a7 of the 
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#fga7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph
 7#cb71 by striking and after the       
semicolon2  7#b7 in paragraph 7#cc71 by 
striking the period at the end and      
inserting 2 and2 and  7#c7 by adding at 
the end the following3  7#cd7 provides  
that the ,state will engage in          
public-private partnerships to promote  
evidence-based child-focused recruitment
 practices that focus measurable        

attention on the adoption of children   
out of foster care with an emphasis on  
those children most at risk of aging out
 of care 4  4  7b7 ,technical assistance
 ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human  
,services shall provide guidance and    
technical assistance to ,state child    
welfare agencies on the use of ,federal 
funds available under section #dgd      
7a77#c77;,b7 of the ,social ,security   
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fgd7;a77#c77;,b77  
for training for the implementation of  
intensive recruitment and child-focused 
strategies that have been shown to      
increase permanent placements for older 
youth in foster care4  #h4 ,encouraging 
placement of children with siblings  7a7
 ,state plan amendment ,section         
#dga7;a77#bi7 of the ,social ,security  
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fga7;a77#bi77 is   
amended by striking all adult           
grandparents and inserting notice to the
 following relatives3 all adult         
grandparents1 all parents of the child's
 siblings1 where such parent has legal  

custody of such sibling14  7b7          
,definition of siblings ,section #dge of
 the ,social ,security ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #fge7 is amended by adding at 
the end the following3  7#i7 ,the term  
siblings means individuals who satisfy  
at least one of the following           
conditions3 7,a7 ,the individuals are   
considered by ,state law to be siblings4
  7,b7 ,the individuals would have been 
considered siblings under ,state law but
 for termination of parental rights or  
other disruption of parental rights1    
such as the death of a parent4  4  #i4  
,effective date  7a7 ,in general ,except
 as provided in subsection 7b71 the     
amendments made this ,act shall take    
effect on ,october #a1 #bjac4  7b7      
,delay permitted if state legislation   
required ,in the case of a ,state plan  
approved under part ,b or ,e of title   
,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act which
 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human   
,services determines requires ,state    
legislation 7other than legislation     

appropriating funds7 in order for the   
plan to meet the additional requirements
 imposed by this ,act1 the ,state plan  
shall not be regarded as failing to     
comply with the requirements of such    
part solely on the basis of the failure 
of the plan to meet such additional     
requirements before the #ast day of the 
#ast calendar quarter beginning after   
the close of the #ast regular session of
 the ,state legislature that ends after 
the #a-year period beginning with the   
date of the enactment of this ,act4 ,for
 purposes of the preceding sentence1 in 
the case of a ,state that has a #b-year 
legislative session1 each year of the   
session is deemed to be a separate      
regular session of the ,state           
legislature4  #aj4 ,determination of    
budgetary effects ,the budgetary effects
 of this ,act1 for the purpose of       
complying with the ,statutory           
,pay-,as-,you-,go ,act of #bjaj1 shall  
be determined by reference to the latest
 statement titled ,budgetary ,effects of

 ,,paygo ,legislation for this ,act1    
submitted for printing in the           
,congressional ,record by the ,chairman 
of the ,senate ,budget ,committee1      
provided that such statement has been   
submitted prior to the vote on passage4