HR 2682 amends Part B (Child and Family Services) of Title IV of the Social Security Act to require states report to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on efforts to address pregnancy and parenthood among foster youth.
HHS will offer grants to states to identify and implement approaches that support foster youth in successful parenting. The bill specifies that pregnancy and parenting are sufficient reasons to remain in foster care until age 21, that states must strive to keep parents with their children, and that children born to foster youths are not required to enter foster care themselves.
The bill provides new grants to support the development of foster youth specific sex education curriculum to prevent teen pregnancy, and provides supports for those who are pregnant and parenting. Specifically, it prevents states from removing infants from their teen moms and placing them in foster care or encourages foster care placements that keep moms and babies together by increasing the infant supplement amount to match what foster parents receive for caring for their teen moms.
The Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect shall identify and address issues facing foster youth who are expectant or parenting.
HR 2682 also states that HHS will promote emerging lessons, research, and best practices about preventing teen pregnancy among foster youth, and enables foster youth who are parents to receive support from those working in the areas of teen pregnancy prevention and child welfare.
State certifications under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program must also ensure that each youth in the program who is pregnant or parenting receives independent and transition planning services that can support them in raising a child.
