,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ciji ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bc1 #bjai,mr4 ,langevin 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,bass1 and ,mr4 ,bacon7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means ,a ,,bill ,to amend subpart #b of part ,b of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act to authorize grants to eligible entities to develop and implement statewide or tribal post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health service programs for all children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,supporting ,adopted ,children and ,families ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,federal grant program for post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health services ,section #dcg of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fbi;g7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7h7 ,post-,adoption and post-,legal guardianship mental health services 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administration for ,children and ,families1 shall award grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to-- 7,a7 develop and implement statewide or tribal post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health service programs for all children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship and their families2 7,b7 support public organization and private nonprofit organizations actively involved in statewide or tribal post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health service programs2 7,c7 collect and analyze data on ,state-sponsored statewide or tribal post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health service programs that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of such services and for research1 technical assistance1 and policy development2 7,d7 develop and provide adoption and legal guardianship competent educational and training opportunities concerning the mental health needs of children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship1 and their families1 for use by teachers1 social workers1 and other community mental health service providers2 7,e7 develop and provide materials for potential adoptive parents and legal guardians1 both for children who already reside in the ,united ,states at the time of the adoption or placement in legal guardianship and for those who at such time reside in other countries1 describing the possible need for post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health services and available resources2 7,f7 develop and provide respite care services for adoptive and legal guardian families2 and 7,g7 support research on1 and development of1 promising practices 7as defined in section #dga7;e77#d77;,c77iii77 for post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health services4 7#b7 ,eligible entity 7,a7 ,definition ,in this subsection1 the term eligible entity means-- 7i7 a ,state2 7ii7 a public organization or private nonprofit organization designated by a ,state to develop or direct the ,state-sponsored statewide post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health service program under a grant under this subsection2 and 7iii7 a federally recognized ,indian tribe or tribal organization 7as defined in the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dej et seq477 or an urban ,indian organization 7as defined in the ,indian ,health ,care ,improvement ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq477 that is actively involved in the development and continuation of a post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health service program4 7,b7 ,limitation ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,secretary shall ensure that each ,state is awarded only #a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection4 ,for purposes of the preceding sentence1 a ,state shall be considered to have been awarded a grant or cooperative agreement if the eligible entity involved is the ,state or an entity designated by the ,state under subparagraph 7,a77ii74 ,nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to apply to entities described in subparagraph 7,a77iii74 7#c7 ,preference ,in providing assistance under a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall give preference to-- 7,a7 eligible entities that have demonstrated success in increasing the level of adoption and legal guardianship competency among mental health providers1 adoption and legal guardianship lawyers1 social workers1 case workers1 adoptive parents1 and legal guardians2 and 7,b7 eligible entities that plan to partner with their ,state mental health agency in carrying out the activities for which the grant or cooperative agreement is made4 7#d7 ,requirement for direct services ,not less than #he percent of funds received under a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall be used to provide direct services1 of which not less than #e percent shall be used for activities authorized under paragraph 7#a77;,c74 7#e7 ,coordination and collaboration 7,a7 ,in general ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,secretary shall collaborate with relevant ,federal agencies and adoption and legal guardianship-related working groups to promote interaction between domestic foster care agencies and private adoption agencies in other countries4 7,b7 ,consultation ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,secretary shall consult with-- 7i7 ,state and social service agencies engaged in the placement of children for adoption1 domestically or from other countries2 7ii7 local and national organizations that serve foster and adopted youth and youth placed in legal guardianship2 7iii7 health and education specialists who focus on adoption1 legal guardianship1 and foster care medicine2 7iv7 youth who have been in foster care1 adopted1 or in legal guardianship1 domestically or from other countries1 including youth who have experienced adoption or guardianship disruptions or dissolutions2 7v7 families and friends of youth who have been in foster care1 adopted1 or in legal guardianship1 domestically or from other countries1 including foster and adoptive parents and legal guardians2 and 7vi7 qualified professionals who possess the specialized knowledge1 skills1 experience1 and relevant attributes needed to serve children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship and their families4 7,c7 ,policy development ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,secretary shall-- 7i7 coordinate and collaborate on policy development with other relevant ,department of ,health and ,human ,services agencies and adoption and legal guardianship-related working groups2 and 7ii7 consult on policy development at the ,federal level with those in the private sector engaged in the recruitment of foster and adoptive parents and legal guardians1 the placement of children in foster care1 for adoption1 and in legal guardianship1 and the provision of post-adoption and post-legal guardianship services4 7#f7 ,evaluation and report 7,a7 ,evaluations by eligible entities ,not later than #ah months after receipt of a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection1 an eligible entity shall submit to the ,secretary the results of an evaluation to be conducted by the entity concerning the effectiveness of the activities carried out under the grant or agreement4 7,b7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report concerning the results of-- 7i7 the evaluations conducted under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 an evaluation conducted by the ,secretary to analyze the effectiveness and efficacy of the activities conducted with grants1 collaborations1 and consultations under this subsection4 7#g7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,adoption and legal guardianship competency ,the term adoption and legal guardianship competency means an understanding of-- 7i7 the nature of adoption and legal guardianship as a form of family formation and the different types of adoption and legal guardianship2 7ii7 relevant emotional and physical issues involved in the adoption and legal guardianship process1 including issues relating to separation1 loss1 attachment1 abuse1 trauma1 and neglect2 7iii7 common developmental challenges associated with adoption and legal guardianship2 7iv7 the characteristics and skills that allow for successful adoptive and legal guardian families2 7v7 proper sensitivity with respect to the different geographic1 ethnic1 or cultural backgrounds of children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship and their families2 and 7vi7 the necessary skills for effectively advocating on behalf of birth and adoptive and legal guardian families4 7,b7 ,post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health services ,the term post-adoption and post-legal guardianship mental health services includes-- 7i7 adoption and legal guardianship competent mental health direct services1 including training1 educational support1 counseling1 and other services for adoptive and legal guardian parents and families that address caregiver interests and concerns regarding child behavioral issues that are common among children who are adopted1 placed in legal guardianship1 or placed in foster care1 including1 as appropriate-- 7,i7 caring for a child who is adopted or placed in legal guardianship and has emotional1 behavioral1 or developmental health needs2 and 7,,ii7 providing for the emotional needs of a child who is adopted or placed in legal guardianship1 including issues relating to attachment1 identity1 abandonment1 cultural differences1 grief1 loss1 and trauma2 7ii7 peer-to-peer mentoring and support groups that permit a newly adoptive parent or legal guardian to communicate and learn from more experienced adoptive parents and legal guardians2 7iii7 the provision of informational resources and available services for adoptive parents and legal guardians2 7iv7 direct services1 including counseling1 peer-to-peer mentoring and support groups1 and other services for children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship that address common behavioral and adjustment issues1 including1 as appropriate-- 7,i7 support services for a child who is adopted or placed in legal guardianship with emotional1 behavioral1 or developmental health needs2 7,,ii7 support services that address the emotional needs of a child who is adopted or placed in legal guardianship1 including issues relating to attachment1 identity1 abandonment1 cultural differences1 grief1 loss1 and trauma2 and 7,,iii7 treatment services that are specialized for children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship1 including psychiatric residential services1 outpatient mental health services1 social skills training1 intensive in-home supervision services1 recreational therapy1 suicide prevention1 and substance abuse treatment2 7v7 peer-to-peer mentoring and support groups that allow children who are adopted or placed in legal guardianship to communicate and socialize with other such children2 and 7vi7 crisis intervention and family preservation services4 7#h7 ,limitations on authorization of appropriations ,for grants under this subsection1 there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary not more than #aj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbj1 to remain available until expended4 4