,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cjfa ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #c1 #bjai,ms4 ,bass 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,bacon1 ,mr4 ,langevin1 and ,mr4 ,schweikert7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means ,a ,,bill ,to support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs using a network of public and private community entities to provide mentoring for children in foster care4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,foster ,youth ,mentoring ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,research shows that mentors make a difference in young people's lives4 ,at-risk youth who have mentors are #ee percent more likely to enroll in college4 ,students who meet regularly with their mentors are #eb percent less likely than their peers to skip a day of school4 ,youth who have mentors are also #acj percent more likely to hold a leadership position4 7#b7 ,young people that have mentors have improved relationships with adults1 fewer disciplinary referrals1 and more confidence to achieve their goals4 7#c7 ,in #bjag1 #ddb1iie youth were in foster care4 ,of those youth #gj1heh were between the ages of #aj and #ac1 and #aja1ihc were between the ages of #ad and #bj4 7#d7 ,mentoring programs that serve foster youth are unique and require additional considerations1 including specialized training and support necessary to provide for consistent1 long-term relationships for children in foster care4 7#e7 ,mentoring programs can be used as an effective preventative or intervention strategy to support positive outcomes for foster youth4 #c4 ,programs for mentoring children in foster care ,subpart #b of part ,b of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fbi et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #dci;,a4 ,programs for mentoring children in foster care 7a7 ,purpose ,it is the purpose of this section to authorize the ,secretary to make grants to eligible applicants to support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs using a network of public and private community entities to provide mentoring for children in foster care4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,children in foster care ,the term children in foster care means children who have been removed from the custody of their biological or adoptive parents by a ,state child welfare agency4 7#b7 ,mentoring ,the term mentoring means a structured1 managed program-- 7,a7 in which children are appropriately matched with screened and trained adult volunteers for consistent relationships2 7,b7 that can include direct one-on-one1 group1 peer1 or a combination of these types of mentoring services2 7,c7 that involves meetings and activities on a regular basis2 and 7,d7 that is intended to meet1 in part1 the child's need for involvement with a caring and supportive adult who provides a positive role model4 7#c7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a nonprofit organization2 7,b7 a ,state child welfare agency2 7,c7 a local educational agency2 7,d7 an ,indian tribe or a tribal organization2 or 7,e7 a faith-based organization4 7c7 ,grant program 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out a program to award grants to eligible entities to support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs using networks of public and private community entities to provide mentoring for children in foster care4 7#b7 ,application requirements ,to be eligible for a grant under paragraph 7#a71 an eligible entity shall submit to the ,secretary an application containing the following3 7,a7 ,program design ,a description of the proposed program to be carried out using amounts provided under this grant1 including-- 7i7 the number of mentor-child matches proposed to be established and maintained annually under the program2 7ii7 the targeted age range of youth to be served by the program2 7iii7 such information as the ,secretary may require concerning the methods to be used to recruit1 screen1 support1 and oversee individuals participating as mentors1 and to evaluate outcomes for participating children1 including information necessary to demonstrate compliance with requirements established by the ,secretary for the program2 and 7iv7 such other information as the ,secretary may require4 7,b7 ,recruitment ,an assurance that the program will engage in recruitment strategies for mentors that realistically portray the benefits1 practices1 supports1 and challenges of participating in the program4 7,c7 ,training ,an assurance that all mentors covered under the program will receive intensive and ongoing training in the following areas3 7i7 ,child development1 including the importance of bonding4 7ii7 ,family dynamics1 including the effects of domestic violence and trauma4 7iii7 ,the foster care system and foster care principles and practices4 7iv7 ,cultural competence practices and relationship building strategies4 7v7 ,positive youth development practices4 7vi7 ,recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect4 7vii7 ,confidentiality requirements for working with children in foster care4 7viii7 ,working in coordination with the child welfare system4 7ix7 ,other matters related to working with children in foster care4 7,d7 ,screening ,an assurance that all mentors covered under the program are appropriately screened and have demonstrated a willingness to comply with all aspects of the mentor program1 including-- 7i7 a description of the methods to be used to conduct criminal background checks on all prospective mentors2 and 7ii7 a description of the methods to be used to ensure that the mentors are willing and able to serve as a mentor on a long-term1 consistent basis4 7,e7 ,community consultation2 coordination with other programs ,a demonstration that1 in developing and implementing the program1 the eligible entity will1 to the extent feasible and appropriate-- 7i7 consult with-- 7,i7 public and private community entities1 including religious organizations and ,indian tribal organizations and urban ,indian organizations2 and 7,,ii7 family members of children who may be potential clients of the program2 7ii7 coordinate the mentoring program and the eligible entity's activities with other ,federal1 ,state1 and local programs serving children and youth2 and 7iii7 consult and coordinate with appropriate ,federal1 ,state1 and local corrections1 workforce development1 and substance abuse and mental health agencies4 7,f7 ,equal access for local service providers ,an assurance that public and private entities and nonprofit community organizations1 including religious organizations and ,indian organizations1 will be eligible to participate on an equal basis4 7,g7 ,records1 reports1 and audits ,an agreement that the eligible entity will maintain such records1 make such reports1 and cooperate with such reviews or audits as the ,secretary may find necessary for purposes of oversight of project activities and expenditures4 7,h7 ,evaluation ,an agreement that the eligible entity will cooperate fully with the ,secretary's ongoing and final evaluation of the program under the plan1 by means including providing the ,secretary access to the program1 the program's staff1 program-related records and documents1 and each public or private community entity receiving funding under the plan4 7#c7 ,considerations in awarding grants ,in awarding grants under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall take into consideration-- 7,a7 the feasibility and strength of a plan to recruit and support transition-aged foster youth2 7,b7 the overall qualifications and capacity of the eligible entity and its partners to effectively carry out a mentoring program under this subsection2 7,c7 the level and quality of training provided to mentors under the program2 7,d7 evidence of coordination of the program with the social services and education programs of the ,state or political subdivision2 7,e7 the ability of the eligible entity to provide supervision and support for mentors under the program and the youth served by such mentors2 7,f7 the number of children in foster care served by the ,state or political subdivision2 and 7,g7 any other factors that the ,secretary determines to be significant with respect to the need for1 or the potential success of1 carrying out a mentoring program under this section4 7#d7 ,use of funds ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection may use such funds to-- 7,a7 develop and carry out a training program and ongoing support for mentors2 7,b7 recruit mentors for children in foster care2 and 7,c7 provide activities that will help the development of a child in foster care who is participating in the program4 7#e7 ,grant amount ,in awarding grants under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall scale grants to account for the eligible entity's annual budget and capacity4 7#f7 ,annual report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this section1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall prepare and submit to ,congress a report that includes the following with respect to the year involved3 7,a7 ,a description of the number of programs receiving grant awards under this subsection4 7,b7 ,a description of the number of mentors who serve in the programs described in subparagraph 7,a74 7,c7 ,a description of-- 7i7 the number of children in foster care who participated in mentoring programs funded by the grant funds under this subsection2 7ii7 data on the academic achievement of the children in mentoring programs funded by the grant funds under this subsection2 and 7iii7 the number of children in foster care on waiting lists for such mentoring programs4 7,d7 ,any other information that the ,secretary determines to be relevant to the evaluation of the program under this section4 7#g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section-- 7,a7 #ae1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai and #bjbj2 and 7,b7 such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year4 4