,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #gidg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,august #g1 #bjbj    
,mr4 ,danny ,k4 ,davis of ,illinois 7for
 himself and ,mrs4 ,walorski7 introduced
 the following bill2 which was referred 
to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1  
and in addition to the ,committee on    
,energy and ,commerce1 for a period to  
be subsequently determined by the       
,speaker1 in each case for consideration
 of such provisions as fall within the  
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to provide additional       
temporary supports and flexibilities for
 older foster youth1 grandparents1 and  
other kinship families1 home visiting   
for pregnant and parenting families1 and
 other child welfare services1 during   
the ,,covid-#ai pandemic4  #a4 ,short   
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,supporting ,foster ,youth and ,families
 through the ,pandemic ,act4  #b4       
,definitions ,in this ,act3  7#a7       
,,covid-#ai public health emergency ,the

 term ,,covid-#ai public health         
emergency means the public health       
emergency declared by the ,secretary    
pursuant to section #cai of the ,public 
,health ,service ,act1 entitled         
,determination that a ,public ,health   
,emergency ,exists ,nationwide as the   
,result of the #bjai ,novel             
,coronavirus4  7#b7 ,,covid-#ai public  
health emergency period ,the term       
,,covid-#ai public health emergency     
period means the period beginning on    
,april #a1 #bjbj1 and ending with       
,september #cj1 #bjba4  7#c7 ,secretary 
,the term ,secretary means the          
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services4  #c4 ,continued safe         
operation of child welfare programs and 
support for older foster youth  7a7     
,funding increases  7#a7 ,increase in   
support for ,chafee programs ,out of any
 money in the ,treasury of the ,united  
,states not otherwise appropriated1     
there are appropriated #djj1jjj1jjj for 
fiscal year #bjbj1 to carry out section 

#dgg of the ,social ,security ,act1 in  
addition to any amounts otherwise made  
available for such purpose4  7#b7       
,education and training vouchers ,of the
 amount made available by reason of     
paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection1 not  
less than #ej1jjj1jjj shall be reserved 
for the provision of vouchers pursuant  
to section #dgg7;h77#b7 of the ,social  
,security ,act4  7#c7 ,inapplicability  
of ,state matching requirement to       
additional funds ,in making payments    
under subsections 7a77#d7 and 7e77#a7 of
 section #dgd of the ,social ,security  
,act from the additional funds made     
available as a result of paragraphs 7#a7
 and 7#b7 of this subsection1 the       
percentages specified in subsections    
7a77#d77;,a77i7 and 7e77#a7 of such     
section are1 respectively1 deemed to be 
#ajj percent4  7#d7 ,maximum award      
amount ,the dollar amount specified in  
section #dgg7;i77#d77;,b7 of the ,social
 ,security ,act through the end of      
fiscal year #bjba is deemed to be       

#ab1jjj4  7#e7 ,inapplicability of nytd 
penalty to additional funds ,in         
calculating any penalty under section   
#dgg7;e77#b7 of the ,social ,security   
,act with respect to the ,national      
,youth in ,transition ,database 7,,nytd7
 for the ,,covid-#ai public health      
emergency period1 none of the additional
 funds made available by reason of      
paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 of this        
subsection shall be considered to be    
part of an allotment to a ,state under  
section #dgg7;c7 of such ,act4  7b7     
,maximum age limitation on eligibility  
for assistance ,during fiscal years     
#bjbj and #bjba1 a child may be eligible
 for services and assistance under      
section #dgg of the ,social ,security   
,act until the child attains #bg years  
of age1 notwithstanding any contrary    
certification made under such section4  
7c7 ,special rule ,with respect to funds
 made available by reason of subsection 
7a7 that are used during the ,,covid-#ai
 public health emergency period to      

support activities due to the           
,,covid-#ai pandemic1 the ,secretary may
 not require any ,state to provide proof
 of a direct connection to the pandemic 
if doing so would be administratively   
burdensome or would otherwise delay or  
impede the ability of the ,state to     
serve foster youth4  7d7 ,programmatic  
flexibilities ,during the ,,covid-#ai   
public health emergency period3 7#a7    
,suspension of certain requirements     
under the education and training voucher
 program ,the ,secretary shall allow a  
,state to waive the applicability of the
 requirement in section #dgg7;i77#c7 of 
the ,social ,security ,act that a youth 
must be enrolled in a postsecondary     
education or training program or making 
satisfactory progress toward completion 
of that program if a youth is unable to 
do so due to the ,,covid-#ai public     
health emergency4  7#b7 ,authority to   
use vouchers to maintain training and   
postsecondary education ,a voucher      
provided under a ,state educational and 

training voucher program under section  
#dgg7;i7 of the ,social ,security ,act  
may be used for maintaining training and
 postsecondary education1 including less
 than full-time matriculation costs or  
other expenses that are not part of the 
cost of attendance but would help       
support youth in remaining enrolled as  
described in paragraph 7#a7 of this     
subsection4  7#c7 ,authority to waive   
limitations on percentage of funds used 
for housing assistance and eligibility  
for such assistance ,notwithstanding    
section #dgg7;b77#c77;,b7 of the ,social
 ,security ,act1 a ,state may use--     
7,a7 more than #cj percent of the       
amounts paid to the ,state from its     
allotment under section #dgg7;c77#a7 of 
such ,act for a fiscal year1 for room or
 board payments2 and  7,b7 any of such  
amounts for youth otherwise eligible for
 services under section #dgg of such    
,act who--  7i7 have attained #ah years 
of age and not #bg years of age2 and    
7ii7 experienced foster care at #ad     

years of age or older4  #d4 ,preventing 
aging out of foster care during the     
pandemic  7a7 ,addressing foster care   
age restrictions during the pandemic ,a 
,state operating a program under part ,e
 of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security 
,act may not require a child who is in  
foster care under the responsibility of 
the ,state to leave foster care solely  
by reason of the child's age4 ,a child  
may not be found ineligible for foster  
care maintenance payments under section 
#dgb of such ,act solely due to the age 
of the child or the failure of the child
 to meet a condition of section         
#dge7h77;,b77iv7 of such ,act before    
,october #a1 #bjba4  7b7 ,re-,entry to  
foster care for youth who age out during
 the pandemic ,a ,state operating a     
program under the ,state plan approved  
under part ,e of title ,,iv of the      
,social ,security ,act 7and without     
regard to whether the ,state has        
exercised the option provided by section
 #dge7h77;,b7 of such ,act to extend    

assistance under such part to older     
children7 shall--  7#a7 permit any youth
 who left foster care due to age during 
the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency 
to voluntarily re-enter foster care2    
7#b7 provide to each such youth who was 
formally discharged from foster care    
during the ,,covid-#ai public health    
emergency1 a notice designed to make the
 youth aware of the option to return to 
foster care2  7#c7 facilitate the       
voluntary return of any such youth to   
foster care2 and  7#d7 conduct a public 
awareness campaign about the option to  
voluntarily re-enter foster care for    
youth who have not attained #bb years of
 age1 who aged out of foster care in    
fiscal year #bjbj or fiscal year #bjba1 
and who are otherwise eligible to return
 to foster care4  7c7 ,protections for  
youth in foster care ,a ,state operating
 a program under the ,state plan        
approved under part ,e of title ,,iv of 
the ,social ,security ,act shall-- 7#a7 
continue to ensure that the safety1     

permanence1 and well-being needs of     
older foster youth1 including youth who 
remain in foster care and youth who age 
out of foster care during that period   
but who re-enter foster care pursuant to
 this section1 are met2 and  7#b7 work  
with any youth who remains in foster    
care after attaining #ah years of age   
7or such greater age as the ,state may  
have elected under section              
#dge7h77;,b77iii7 of such ,act7 to      
develop1 or review and revise1 a        
transition plan consistent with the plan
 referred to in section #dge7e77;,h7 of 
such ,act1 and assist the youth with    
identifying adults who can offer        
meaningful1 permanent connections4  7d7 
,authority ,to use additional funding   
for certain costs incurred ,to prevent  
aging out of1 facilitating re-,entry to1
 and protecting youth in care during the
 pandemic  7#a7 ,in general ,subject to 
paragraph 7#b7 of this subsection1 a    
,state to which additional funds are    
made available as a result of section   

#c7;a7 may use the funds to meet any    
costs incurred in complying with        
subsections 7a71 7b71 and 7c7 of this   
section4  7#b7 ,restrictions  7,a7 ,the 
costs referred to in paragraph 7#a7 must
 be incurred after the date of the      
enactment of this section and before    
,october #a1 #bjba4  7,b7 ,the costs of 
complying with subsection 7a7 or 7c7 of 
this section must not be incurred on    
behalf of children eligible for foster  
care maintenance payments under section 
#dgb of the ,social ,security ,act1     
including youth who have attained #ah   
years of age who are eligible for the   
payments by reason of the temporary     
waiver of the age requirement or the    
conditions of section #dge7h77;,b77iv7  
of such ,act4  7,c7 ,a ,state shall make
 reasonable efforts to ensure that      
eligibility for foster care maintenance 
payments under section #dgb of the      
,social ,security ,act is determined    
when a youth remains in1 or re-enters1  
foster care as a result of the ,state   

complying with subsections 7a7 and 7c7  
of this section4  7,d7 ,a child who     
re-enters care during the ,,covid-#ai   
public health emergency period may not  
be found ineligible for foster care     
maintenance payments under section #dgb 
of the ,social ,security ,act solely due
 to age or the requirements of section  
#dge7h77;,b77iv7 of such ,act before    
,october #a1 #bjba4  7e7 ,termination of
 certain provisions ,the preceding      
provisions of this section shall have no
 force or effect after ,september #cj1  
#bjba4  #e4 ,family ,first ,prevention  
,services ,program pandemic flexibility 
,during the ,,covid-#ai public health   
emergency period1 each percentage       
specified in subparagraphs 7,a77i7 and  
7,b7 of section #dgd7;a77#f7 of the     
,social ,security ,act is deemed to be  
#ajj percent4  #f4 ,emergency funding   
for the ,marylee ,allen ,promoting ,safe
 and ,stable ,families ,program  7a7 ,in
 general ,out of any money in the       
,treasury of the ,united ,states not    

otherwise appropriated1 there are       
appropriated #he1jjj1jjj to carry out   
section #dcf7;a7 of the ,social         
,security ,act for fiscal year #bjbj1 in
 addition to any amounts otherwise made 
available for such purpose4 ,for        
purposes of section #dcf7;b7 of such    
,act1 the amount made available by the  
preceding sentence shall be considered  
part of the amount specified in such    
section #dcf7;a74  7b7 ,inapplicability 
of ,state matching requirement to       
additional funds ,in making payments    
under section #dcd7;a7 of the ,social   
,security ,act from the additional funds
 made available as a result of          
subsection 7a7 of this section1 the     
percentage specified in section         
#dcd7;a77#a7 of such ,act is deemed to  
be #ajj percent4  #g4 ,court            
,improvement ,program  7a7 ,reservation 
of funds ,of the additional amounts made
 available by reason of section #f of   
this ,act1 the ,secretary shall reserve 
#aj1jjj1jjj for grants under subsection 

7b7 of this section1 which shall be     
considered to be made under section #dch
 of the ,social ,security ,act4  7b7    
,distribution of funds  7#a7 ,in general
 ,from the amounts reserved under       
subsection 7a7 of this section1 the     
,secretary shall--  7,a7 reserve not    
more than #ejj1jjj for ,tribal court    
improvement activities2 and  7,b7 from  
the amount remaining after the          
application of subparagraph 7,a71 make a
 grant to each highest ,state court that
 is approved to receive a grant under   
section #dch of the ,social ,security   
,act for the purpose described in       
section #dch7;a77#c7 of such ,act1 for  
fiscal year #bjbj4  7#b7 ,amount ,the   
amount of the grant awarded to a highest
 ,state court under this subsection     
shall be the sum of-- 7,a7 #he1jjj2 and 
7,b7 the amount that bears the same     
ratio to the amount reserved under      
subsection 7a7 that remains after the   
application of paragraph 7#a77;,a7 and  
subparagraph 7,a7 of this paragraph1 as 

the number of individuals in the ,state 
in which the court is located who have  
not attained #ba years of age bears to  
the total number of such individuals in 
all ,states the highest courts of which 
were awarded a grant under this         
subsection 7based on the most recent    
year for which data are available from  
the ,bureau of the ,census74  7#c7      
,other rules  7,a7 ,in general ,the     
grants awarded to the highest ,state    
courts under this subsection shall be in
 addition to any grants made to the     
courts under section #dch of the ,social
 ,security ,act for any fiscal year4    
7,b7 ,no additional application ,the    
,secretary shall award grants to the    
highest ,state courts under this        
subsection without requiring the courts 
to submit an additional application4    
7,c7 ,reports ,the ,secretary may       
establish reporting criteria specific to
 the grants awarded under this          
subsection4  7,d7 ,redistribution of    
funds ,if a highest ,state court does   

not accept a grant awarded under this   
subsection1 or does not agree to comply 
with any reporting requirements imposed 
under subparagraph 7,c7 or the use of   
funds requirements specified in         
subsection 7c71 the ,secretary shall    
redistribute the grant funds that would 
have been awarded to that court under   
this subsection among the other highest 
,state courts that are awarded grants   
under this subsection and agree to      
comply with the reporting and use of    
funds requirements4  7c7 ,use of funds  
,a highest ,state court awarded a grant 
under subsection 7b7 shall use the grant
 funds to address needs stemming from   
the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency1
 which may include any of the following3
  7#a7 ,technology investments to       
facilitate the transition to remote     
hearings for dependency courts when     
necessary as a direct result of the     
,,covid-#ai public health emergency4    
7#b7 ,training for judges1 attorneys1   
and caseworkers on facilitating and     

participating in remote hearings that   
comply with due process and all         
applicable law1 ensure child safety and 
well-being1 and help inform judicial    
decision making4  7#c7 ,programs to help
 families address aspects of the case   
plan to avoid delays in legal           
proceedings that would occur as a direct
 result of the ,,covid-#ai public health
 emergency4  7#d7 ,other purposes to    
assist courts1 court personnel1 or      
related staff related to the ,,covid-#ai
 public health emergency4  #h4 ,allowing
 home visiting programs to continue     
serving families safely  7a7 ,in general
 ,for purposes of section #eaa of the   
,social ,security ,act1 during the      
,,covid-#ai public health emergency     
period-- 7#a7 a virtual home visit shall
 be considered a home visit2  7#b7      
funding for1 and staffing levels of1 a  
program conducted pursuant to such      
section shall not be reduced on account 
of reduced enrollment in the program2   
and  7#c7 funds provided for such a     

program may be used--  7,a7 to train    
home visitors in conducting a virtual   
home visit and in emergency preparedness
 and response planning for families     
served1 and may include training on how 
to safely conduct intimate partner      
violence screenings remotely1 training  
on safety and planning for families     
served2  7,b7 for the acquisition by    
families enrolled in the program of such
 technological means as are needed to   
conduct and support a virtual home      
visit2 and  7,c7 to provide emergency   
supplies to families served1 regardless 
of whether the provision of such        
supplies is within the scope of the     
approved program1 such as diapers1      
formula1 non-perishable food1 water1    
hand soap1 and hand sanitizer4  7b7     
,virtual home visit defined ,in         
subsection 7a71 the term virtual home   
visit means a home visit1 as described  
in an applicable service delivery model1
 that is conducted solely by the use of 
electronic information and              

telecommunications technologies4  7c7   
,authority ,to delay deadlines  7#a7 ,in
 general ,the ,secretary may extend the 
deadline by which a requirement of      
section #eaa of the ,social ,security   
,act must be met1 by such period of time
 as the ,secretary deems appropriate1   
taking into consideration the impact of 
the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency 
on eligible entity home visiting        
programs and the impact of families     
enrolled in home visiting programs4 ,the
 ,secretary may delay the deadline for  
submission1 waive performance measures1 
or allow for alternative data sources to
 be used to show improvement in         
performance in the manner provided in   
section #eaa7;d77#a7 of such ,act4  7#b7
 ,delay of deadline for statewide needs 
assessment ,the ,secretary may delay the
 ,october #a1 #bjbj1 deadline for       
reviewing and updating any needs        
assessment required by section          
#eaa7;b77#a7 or #eaa7;h77#b77;,a7 of the
 ,social ,security ,act1 but any such   

delay shall not affect the timing for1  
or amount of1 any payment to the ,state 
involved from the fiscal year allotments
 available to the ,state under section  
#ejb7;c7 of such ,act4  7#c7 ,guidance  
,the ,secretary shall provide to        
eligible entities funded under section  
#eaa of the ,social ,security ,act      
information on the parameters used in   
extending a deadline under paragraph    
7#a7 or 7#b7 of this subsection4  7d7   
,extension of grant obligation period   
,notwithstanding section                
#eaa7;j77#c77;,a7 of the ,social        
,security ,act1 funds made available to 
an eligible entity for fiscal year #bjah
 under section #eaa of such ,act shall  
remain available for expenditure by the 
eligible entity through ,september #cj1 
#bjba4  7e7 ,timely release of title v  
funds ,the authorities provided in this 
section shall not be interpreted to     
authorize or require any delay in the   
timely release of funds under title ,v  
of the ,social ,security ,act4  #i4     

,kinship navigator programs pandemic    
flexibility  7a7 ,inapplicability of    
matching funds requirements ,during the 
,,covid-#ai public health emergency     
period1 the percentage specified in     
section #dgd7;a77#g7 of the ,social     
,security ,act is deemed to be #ajj     
percent4  7b7 ,waiver of evidence       
standard ,during the ,,covid-#ai public 
health emergency period1 the requirement
 in section #dgd7;a77#g7 of the ,social 
,security ,act that the ,secretary      
determine that a kinship navigator      
program be operated in accordance with  
promising1 supported1 or well-supported 
practices that meet the applicable      
criteria specified for the practices in 
section #dga7;e77#d77;,c7 of such ,act  
shall have no force or effect4  7c7     
,other allowable uses of funds ,a ,state
 may use funds provided to carry out a  
kinship navigator program--  7#a7 for   
evaluations1 independent systematic     
review1 and related activities2  7#b7 to
 provide short-term support to kinship  

families for direct services or         
assistance during the ,,covid-#ai public
 health emergency period2 and  7#c7 to  
ensure that kinship caregivers have the 
information and resources to allow      
kinship families to function at their   
full potential1 including-- 7,a7        
ensuring that those who are at risk of  
contracting ,,covid-#ai have access to  
information and resources for           
necessities1 including food1 safety     
supplies1 and testing and treatment for 
,,covid-#ai2  7,b7 access to technology 
and technological supports needed for   
remote learning or other activities that
 must be carried out virtually due to   
the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency2
  7,c7 health care and other assistance1
 including legal assistance and         
assistance with making alternative care 
plans for the children in their care if 
the caregivers were to become unable to 
continue caring for the children2  7,d7 
services to kinship families1 including 
kinship families raising children       

outside of the foster care system2 and  
7,e7 assistance to allow children to    
continue safely living with kin4  7d7   
,territory cap exemption ,section       
#aajh7;a77#a7 of the ,social ,security  
,act shall be applied without regard to 
any amount paid to a territory pursuant 
to this section that would not have been
 paid to the territory in the absence of
 this section4  #aj4 ,adjustment of     
funding certainty baselines for ,family 
,first ,transition ,act funding         
certainty grants ,section #fjb7;c77#b7  
of division ,n of the ,further          
,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1     
#bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-id7 is         
amended--  7#a7 in subparagraph 7,c71 in
 the matter preceding clause 7i71 by    
striking ,the calculation and inserting 
,except as provided in subparagraph     
7,g71 the calculation2 and  7#b7 by     
adding at the end the following3  7,g7  
,adjustment of funding certainty        
baselines  7i7 ,hold harmless for       
temporary increase in fmap ,for each    

fiscal year specified in subparagraph   
7,b71 the ,secretary shall increase the 
maximum capped allocation for fiscal    
year #bjai or the final cost neutrality 
limit for fiscal year #bjah for a ,state
 or sub-,state jurisdiction referred to 
in subparagraph 7,a77i71 by the amount  
equal to the difference between-- 7,i7  
the amount of the foster care           
maintenance payments portion of such    
maximum capped allocation or final cost 
neutrality limit2 and  7,,ii7 the amount
 that the foster care maintenance       
payments portion of such maximum capped 
allocation or final cost neutrality     
limit would be if the ,federal medical  
assistance percentage applicable to the 
,state under clause 7ii7 for the fiscal 
year so specified were used to determine
 the amount of such portion4  7ii7      
,applicable ,federal medical assistance 
percentage ,for purposes of clause      
7i77,,ii71 the ,federal medical         
assistance percentage applicable to a   
,state for a fiscal year specified in   

subparagraph 7,b7 is the average of the 
values of the ,federal medical          
assistance percentage applicable to the 
,state in each quarter of such fiscal   
year under section #dgd7;a77#a7 of the  
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#fgd7;a77#a77 after application of any  
temporary increase in the ,federal      
medical assistance percentage for the   
,state and quarter under section #fjjh  
of the ,families ,first ,coronavirus    
,response ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif;d   
note7 and any other ,federal legislation
 enacted during the period that begins  
on ,july #a1 #bjbj1 and ends on         
,september #cj1 #bjba4  4  #aa4         
,technical correction to temporary      
increase of ,medicaid ,,fmap ,section   
#fjjh of the ,families ,first           
,coronavirus ,response ,act 7,public    
,law #aaf-abg7 is amended by adding at  
the end the following3  7d7 ,application
 to title ,,iv-,e payments ,if the      
,district of ,columbia receives the     
increase described in subsection 7a7 in 

the ,federal medical assistance         
percentage for the ,district of         
,columbia with respect to a quarter1 the
 ,federal medical assistance percentage 
for the ,district of ,columbia1 as so   
increased1 shall apply to payments made 
to the ,district of ,columbia under part
 ,e of title ,,iv of the ,social        
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fgj et   
seq47 for that quarter1 and the payments
 under such part shall be deemed to be  
made on the basis of the ,federal       
medical assistance percentage applied   
with respect to such ,district for      
purposes of title ,,xix of such ,act    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq47 and as    
increased under subsection 7a74  4