Child Welfare: Program Reauthorizations and Recent and FY2006 Proposed Funding Levels

Publication Date: November 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Social conditions

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Abstract:

Most of the final FY2006 funding levels for child welfare programs remain undetermined. In the interim, funding is available under the continuing resolution (H.J.Res. 72) through December 17, 2005. Most child welfare programs receive funding through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and their proposed FY2006 funding is included in H.R. 3010. On November 17, 2005, the House rejected the conference agreement (H.Rept. 109-300) on this bill. A few child welfare programs receive funding through the Department of Justice, and the FY2006 funding for those programs is included in P.L. 109-108, which was signed by the President on November 22, 2005. (See Table 1.) Funding authorization for several small child welfare grant programs (Adoption Awareness, Children's Advocacy Centers, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and Training for Judicial Personnel and Practitioners) expired with FY2005. No reauthorization language has been introduced for most of these programs. Nonetheless, the final or pending appropriations language includes FY2006 funding for these expired programs. The Promoting Safe and Stable Families program (Title IV-B, Subpart 2 of the Social Security Act) will expire with FY2006, and Congress may act to reauthorize this program later in the 109th Congress. This report will be updated.