HR 3491 amends Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to provide incentives to improve support services for adopted children and families. HR 3491 stipulates that states require at least 20 hours of pre-placement training for all prospective adoptive parents and legal guardians. Kinship placements will not be required to take these mandated trainings, and the states shall provide training options, such as completing training after the adoption placement or reduced hours of training, as appropriate.
HR 3491 also requires states to provide pre- and post-adoption services, through a variety of delivery methods (such as at-home training), to families adopting or obtaining legal guardianship out of foster care. The services must appropriately address the specific mental health needs of adopted children, children to be adopted, and the families of all such children. The needs for these children are related to the emotional, behavioral, and developmental issues associated with adoption- including trauma, identity, loss, abuse, neglect, and substance exposure.
