,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dgfi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #be1 #bjbe,ms4 ,scanlon 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,bacon1 ,mr4 ,casten1 ,mrs4 ,cherfilus-,mc,cormick1 ,mr4 ,cleaver1 ,ms4 ,moore of ,wisconsin1 ,mr4 ,nunn of ,iowa1 ,ms4 ,sewell1 ,mr4 ,veasey1 ,ms4 ,williams of ,georgia1 and ,mr4 ,larson of ,connecticut7 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 and youth with experience in foster care4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,foster ,youth ,mentoring ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,positive relationships are important for children and youth4 ,an estimated #bj percent of youth do not have caring adults in their lives1 representing #h1ejj1jjj youth4 ,children who have a positive caring relationship with an adult can also benefit from additional positive relationships4 7#b7 ,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 #ge percent more likely to hold a leadership position in a club or sports team4 7#c7 ,young people that have mentors have improved relationships with adults1 fewer disciplinary referrals1 and more confidence in achieving their goals4 7#d7 ,in #bjba1 #cia1caa youth were in foster care4 ,of those youth1 #hf1gic were between the ages of #aa and #ae1 and #ee1cif were between the ages of #af and #bj4 7#e7 ,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#f7 ,mentoring programs can be used as an effective strategy to support positive outcomes for foster youth1 such as improved mental health1 reductions in substance misuse1 and increased life satisfaction4 ,additionally1 mentoring relationships are associated with supporting fewer placement changes for youth and improved use of transition services when exiting foster care4 7#g7 ,mentoring programs targeting youth experiencing multiple risk factors1 community-based programs1 and programs lasting #a year or more are more effective in supporting youth in foster care4 7#h7 ,mentored youth showed lower rates of involvement in the juvenile justice system and lower rates of involvement in the legal system as adults4 7#i7 ,increasing evidence is showing that peer mentoring and support can be very effective in engaging young people4 ,alumni of and youth in foster care have noted the importance of the support and service delivery by individuals with lived experience1 including peers4 #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 and youth with experience 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 care and children with experience 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 or tribal child welfare agency4 7#b7 ,children with experience in foster care ,the term children with experience in foster care means children1 youth1 and adults who have not attained #bf years of age and who1 at any time1 were removed from the custody of their biological or adoptive parents by a ,state or tribal child welfare agency4 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 7#d7 ,mentoring ,the term mentoring means a structured1 managed program-- 7,a7 in which children and youth are appropriately matched with screened and trained adult or peer volunteers for consistent relationships2 7,b7 that can include direct one-on-one1 group1 or peer mentoring services that focus on #a or more of-- 7i7 academic support2 7ii7 enrichment2 7iii7 educational success2 7iv7 minimizing risk behaviors2 or 7v7 promoting social skills and healthy relationships2 7,c7 that involves meetings1 events1 and activities on a regular basis designed to last at least #a year2 and 7,d7 that is intended to meet1 in part1 the social and emotional development of the child or youth1 the need of the child or youth for involvement with a caring and supportive adult1 and the need of the child or youth for positive role models1 connections1 and normalcy4 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 care and children with experience 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 targeted outcomes1 mentee age and eligibility1 mentor type1 setting1 duration1 and meeting frequency2 7ii7 the number of mentor-child matches proposed to be established and maintained annually under the program2 7iii7 the capacity and expertise of the program to serve children and youth in a way that is responsive to children and youth of color1 expectant and parenting youth1 indigenous youth1 youth who are lesbian1 gay1 bisexual1 transgendered1 or queer1 and youth with disabilities2 7iv7 actions taken to ensure that the design of the program reflects input from young people1 including children with experience in foster care2 and 7v7 such other information as the ,secretary may require4 7,b7 ,recruitment ,an assurance that the program will engage in recruitment strategies for mentors that-- 7i7 realistically portray the benefits1 practices1 supports1 and challenges of participating in the program2 and 7ii7 seek to recruit mentors who reflect the race1 ethnicity1 and various identities of children in foster care and children with experience in foster care4 7,c7 ,training ,an assurance that all mentors covered under the program will receive intensive and ongoing training in the following areas3 7i7 ,child and adolescent development1 including the importance of bonding4 7ii7 ,family dynamics1 including the effects of domestic violence and trauma4 7iii7 ,understanding the education rights of foster children and youth1 including those related to post-secondary education4 7iv7 ,the challenges of and approaches to support the transition to adulthood4 7v7 ,cultural competence practices and relationship-building strategies4 7vi7 ,positive youth development and authentic engagement practices4 7vii7 ,recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect4 7viii7 ,confidentiality requirements for working with children in foster care4 7ix7 ,working in coordination with the child welfare system4 7x7 ,other matters related to working with children in foster care and children with experience 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 mentoring program1 including-- 7i7 a written screening plan that includes all of the policies and procedures used to screen and select mentors1 including eligibility requirements and preferences for such applicants2 7ii7 a description of the methods to be used to conduct criminal background checks on all prospective mentors1 and the methods in place to exclude mentors with convictions for crimes against children and mentors with convictions occurring within the past #aj years that are directly related to child safety2 and 7iii7 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 basis as defined in the application4 7,e7 ,community consultation and engagement2 coordination with other programs ,a demonstration that1 in developing and implementing the program1 the eligible entity will-- 7i7 consult with and actively engage-- 7,i7 children in foster care and children with experience in foster care2 7,,ii7 public and private community entities1 including religious organizations and ,indian tribal organizations and urban ,indian organizations2 and 7,,iii7 family members of children and youth who may be potential clients of the program2 7ii7 coordinate the mentoring program and the activities of the eligible entity 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 education1 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 ongoing and final evaluation of the program under the plan by the ,secretary1 by means including providing the ,secretary access to the program1 the staff of the program1 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 how1 and the degree to which1 children in foster care and children with experience in foster care are consulted and engaged in the development1 design1 and implementation of the program2 7,b7 the feasibility and strength of a plan to recruit and support transition-aged foster youth2 7,c7 the overall qualifications and capacity of the eligible entity and its partners to effectively carry out a mentoring program under this subsection2 7,d7 the level and quality of training provided to mentors under the program2 7,e7 evidence of coordination of the program with the social services and education programs of the ,state or political subdivision2 7,f7 the ability of the eligible entity to provide supervision and support for mentors under the program and the youth served by such mentors2 7,g7 the number of children and youth in foster care served by the ,state or political subdivision2 and 7,h7 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 and youth in foster care2 7,c7 compensate mentors including peer mentors2 7,d7 pay for costs related to mentee participation in the program2 and 7,e7 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 annual budget and capacity of the eligible entity4 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 mentors who participate in programs described in subparagraph 7,a71 including the overall number1 average length of participation1 and demographics4 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 programs1 including successful transition into post-secondary education where applicable4 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 #ej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf and #bjbg2 and 7,b7 such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year4 4