,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eehc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #aj1 #bjbj,ms4 ,scanlon 7for herself and ,mr4 ,thompson of ,pennsylvania7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act to provide for better protections for children raised in kinship families outside of the foster care system4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,help ,grandfamilies ,prevent ,child ,abuse ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds as follows3 7#a7 ,more than #b1fjj1jjj children are being raised in kinship families by relatives or close family friends without their parents in the home1 and the vast majority of such children are raised outside of the foster care system4 7#b7 ,the majority of kinship caregivers are grandparents1 and such families are commonly referred to as grandfamilies4 7#c7 ,for every child in foster care living with relatives1 there are #ai being raised by relatives outside of the foster care system4 7#d7 ,more than one-third of all children placed in foster care because of parental drug or alcohol use are placed with relatives4 7#e7 ,children who have been exposed to substance misuse in the home may also experience abuse and neglect1 and research indicates that children in family foster care because of substance use are more likely to be placed with relatives than with nonrelatives4 #c4 ,amendments to ,,capta 7a7 ,advisory board on child abuse and neglect ,section #ajb7;c7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajb7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#ac71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#ad71 by striking the period and inserting a semicolon2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#ae7 organizations providing services to kinship families2 and 7#af7 birth parents1 kinship caregivers1 and foster care alumni4 4 7b7 ,national clearinghouse for information relating to child abuse ,section #ajc7;b7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajd7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#h77;,b71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#i71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#aj7 maintain and disseminate information about best practices used to support children being raised in kinship families within1 or outside of1 the child welfare system4 4 7c7 ,grants to ,states1 ,indian ,tribes or ,tribal organizations1 and public or private agencies and organizations ,section #aje7;a77#d7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajf7;a77#d77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,such procedures used by recipients of a grant pursuant to this paragraph shall reflect equity for children placed with kin1 recognize their unique circumstance1 and include plans for prioritizing placement with kin as the first placement1 identifying and engaging kin as supports for children throughout the child's involvement with the child welfare system1 making it a priority to license kin as foster parents1 supporting permanent families for children placed with kin1 and creating a strong community network to support kin families44 7d7 ,grants to ,states for child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment programs ,section #ajf of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eajf;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,b77iv71 by inserting 1 and for how kinship placements will be prioritized before the semicolon2 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,d77v71 by inserting kinship navigators1 after substance abuse treatment agencies12 and 7#b7 in subsection 7d77#c7-- 7,a7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c7 as subparagraphs 7,c7 and 7,d71 respectively2 7,b7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,a7 the following3 7,b7 the number that did not receive services during the year under the ,state program funded under this section or an equivalent ,state program because the child was diverted from the child welfare system to live with kin outside of the foster care system2 2 and 7,c7 in subparagraph 7,d71 as so redesignated1 by striking families and inserting parents4 7e7 ,community-,based grants for the prevention of child abuse and neglect 7#a7 ,purpose ,section #bja7;b77#a7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaaf7;b77#a77 is amended-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,g71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,h71 by adding and after the semicolon2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7,i7 support the unique needs of kinship families raising children inside or outside the foster care system2 4 7#b7 ,local program requirements ,section #bje7;a7 of the ,child ,abuse ,prevention and ,treatment ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaaf;e7a77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking and to parents who are adult former victims of domestic violence or child abuse or neglect and inserting to parents who are adult former victims of domestic violence or child abuse or neglect1 and to families where children are being raised by kin because their parents cannot raise them2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,b7-- 7i7 in clause 7viii71 by striking and2 7ii7 in clause 7ix71 by striking the period and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7x7 training to meet the specific needs of kinship caregivers1 including training on caring for children with behavioral or mental health challenges and how to access services for which such caregivers may be eligible2 and 7xi7 training on understanding substance use disorders and the impact of trauma on children4 2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#d71 by inserting 1 kinship caregivers1 and foster care alumni after parents4