House Cuts to Foster Care Funding would Jeopardize Children Living with Grandparents and Other Relatives

Publication Date: January 2006

Publisher: Center for Law and Social Policy

Author(s): Vicki Turetsky; Casey Trupin

Research Area: Social conditions

Type: Brief

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering budget reconciliation legislation that would decrease federally funded foster care services by $577 million over five years and $1.3 billion over ten years. The budget legislation is expected to go to the House floor on Thursday,
November 10, 2005. The provisions in the House budget bill would discourage states from placing abused and neglected children with grandparents and other relatives, impede state efforts to reunify children with their parents, and make it more difficult to provide critical services to children and families.