New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand recently introduced the bipartisan, bicameral National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act of 2021. A bill aiming to create a national foster care database to increase transparency and uniformity across the foster care system. Above all, the bill is to streamline foster to adopt requirements across all 50 states.

Why Change is Needed

The lack of consistency can further complicate foster care placements and inter-state adoption. Creating uniform standards for home visits and evaluations helps protect foster children from abuse or inadequate placements. Senator Gillibrand said,

Our outdated child welfare system can’t meet the needs of the thousands of children that enter the child welfare system every year. Congress has a responsibility to help these children find loving and stable families, and give them the opportunity to reach their full potential.

What The Bill Will Do

The National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act of 2021 aims to amend the current Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. Therefore, by creating a new branch of the Adoption Opportunities Program, the change focuses on three areas:

• Development of a research-based National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study assessment process and demonstration program,
• Development and deployment of a National Home Study Database, and
• Evaluation of National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study methodology and National Home Study Database deployment.

Certainly, work in all three of these areas helps ensure that foster children are placed in safe and caring homes.

So with growing support, congress is working on establishing guidelines for funding and implementation. The introduction of this bill helps to bring attention to the shortfalls within the foster care system and signals change.

Thank you, Senator

In conclusion, Foster Love - Together We Rise would like to thank Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for her dedication to our nation’s foster children. We hope that everyone can support this bill as its potential can change lives!

In the meantime, join us in supporting kids in foster HERE.