Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Empowering Kinship Caregivers and Youth through Title IV–B Act”.
Empowering Kinship Caregivers and Youth through Title IV–B Act
A BILL
To amend subpart 2 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to promote permanency for youth by strengthening support networks for children, youth, and families at risk of entering the child welfare system.
Sec. 2 Supplementation of definitions
Section 431(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)) is amended—
in paragraph (1)—
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—
by striking “children” and inserting “children, youth,”; and
by striking “adoptive and extended” and inserting “kinship and adoptive”;
in subparagraph (D), by striking “parents and other caregivers (including foster parents)” and inserting “parents, kinship caregivers, and foster parents” ;
by striking “and” at the end of subparagraph (E);
by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) and inserting “ ; and”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(G) peer-to-peer mentoring and support programs designed to help children and families learn from others with direct experience or interactions with the child welfare system.”
in paragraph (2)(B)—
in clause (i), by striking “children” and inserting “children, youth,”; and
in clause (ii), by striking “extended” and inserting “kinship”;
in paragraph (7)(A), by inserting “with kinship caregivers or” before “in a foster family home”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(10) Youth—The term youth means individuals who have not attained 26 years of age.”