On September 26, the House approved, by voice vote, the Senate amendments to the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (S. 3525). The measure reauthorizes the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program, Child Welfare Services program, and the Mentoring Children of Prisoners program for FY2006-2011. The Senate approved the bill on September 20 (see The Source, 9/22/06). The President signed the bill into law on September 28 (P.L. 109-288).
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) said, “The Child and Family Services Improvement Act is a lifeline that will save lives. Today, we are first responders to children who need us to rescue them from abuse and neglect. S. 3525 combines the key features of the legislation we worked together to pass in this House in July, and the bill includes several important provisions authored by the Senate. So it is truly collaborative, both bicameral and bilateral here. This legislation is an example of what is possible when we forget party labels and work together for the common good. We know the problems confronting our nation’s child welfare system are staggering. We won’t solve them all in one day or with one bill. This Improvement Act is not a comprehensive solution. It is, however, a modest but important step in the right direction, a step that can save the lives of abused and neglected children.”
“The money in Safe and Stable Families goes to states to target at-risk families, helping states treat the child in their homes, prevent abuse and neglect, and adjust the entire family system to place child outcomes and family permanence above family break-ups and foster care,” said Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT). She continued, saying, “Pediatricians and teachers will tell you they know early on which families will struggle. We need more community based solutions focused on earlier intervention as well as treatment and care management, which is why I am pleased we are reauthorizing this important legislation and adding a number of provisions to it. One will add $40 million annually. Twenty million of this money will go to increase the number of home visits caseworkers make to at-risk families. This will certainly strengthen the preventative and care quality of our family support systems.”
