,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dfcd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #ba1      
#bjbf,mr4 ,husted introduced the        
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,finance 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend section #dgg of the
 ,social ,security ,act to update the   
purposes of the ,john ,h4 ,chafee       
,foster ,care ,program for ,successful  
,transition to ,adulthood to reflect    
research and the input of youth with    
lived experience regarding the          
importance of long-term relationships to
 future success4  #a4 ,short title ,this
 ,act may be cited as the ,chafee       
,opportunities for ,new ,networks and   
,existing ,connection ,trust ,act or the
 ,,connect ,act4  #b4 ,updating the     
purposes of the ,john ,h4 ,chafee       
,foster ,care ,program for ,successful  
,transition to ,adulthood  7a7 ,updating
 of purposes ,section #dgg7;a7 of the   
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#fgg7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking 

paragraph 7#b72  7#b7 by redesignating  
paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#c7 through 7#g7 as
 paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#h71          
respectively2 and  7#c7 by inserting    
after conducted-- the following3  7#a7  
to help children who have experienced   
foster care at age #ad or older to      
develop and maintain sustained1         
supportive relationships with adults    
7including kin or fictive kin who are   
not serving as placement71 mentors1 and 
peers 7including peers who have         
experienced foster care71 with a goal of
 providing multiple and varied paths to 
reduce isolation and ensuring that the  
youth develop lifelong connections and  
support networks2 and  7#b7 to support  
youth still in foster care who have     
experienced foster care at age #ad or   
older in exercising the rights referred 
to in section #dge;,a to participate in 
developing their permanency plan and    
receive written information about       
available services and steps the agency 
is taking to support the plan1 as well  

as to facilitate pre- and               
post-permanency peer support1 mentoring1
 connections with kin1 and referrals to 
additional appropriate programs and     
services to help youth achieve their    
permanency goals2  4  7b7 ,guidance ,not
 later than #a year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act and after    
consulting with youth with lived        
experience in foster care1 the          
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services shall issue guidance to       
,states and ,tribal child welfare       
agencies regarding the purposes set     
forth in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 of    
section #dgg7;a7 of the ,social         
,security ,act1 that includes1 at a     
minimum-- 7#a7 examples of services and 
support eligible for ,federal funding   
under part ,b of title ,,iv of such     
,act1 under part ,e of such title as    
part of completing and following the    
case plan requirements provided for in  
section #dge;,a of such ,act1 or under  
section #dgg of such ,act1 including    

individual youth support1 family        
support1 and peer support to engage     
youth during reunification1             
guardianship1 or adoption proceedings2  
7#b7 best practices for facilitating    
peer support1 mentoring1 and the        
development and maintenance of lifelong 
connections1 including practices that   
support sibling1 tribal1 and community  
connections1 including minimum          
qualifications and training for persons 
providing mentoring and peer support2   
7#c7 standards of outreach to and       
notification of eligible youth1         
including youth with a planned permanent
 living arrangement1 to ensure referrals
 to appropriate programs and services2  
and  7#d7 protocols for documentation of
 support and relationship-building      
activities under section #dgg of such   
,act that are required by section       
#dge;,a of such ,act to be included in a
 child's case plan1 sufficient to permit
 review under the case review system    
defined in section #dge7e7 of such ,act4

  7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments   
made by this ,act shall take effect on  
the date that is #a year after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act4