Bill > HR579

This bill, known as the Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025, aims to improve foster and adoptive parent recruitment and retention by requiring states to develop comprehensive family partnership plans. The bill mandates that these plans be created in consultation with various stakeholders, including birth families, foster parents, and youth with foster care experience. States must develop strategies for identifying potential placement resources, creating child-specific recruitment plans, engaging children in their own placement efforts, and using data to improve foster care outcomes. The plan must include annual reporting on foster family capacity, congregate care utilization, and detailed demographic information about licensed foster families and children in care. Additionally, states must collect and report feedback from foster parents about their experiences, challenges in licensing and support, and reasons why parents might stop fostering. The bill also requires states to analyze and address barriers to recruiting foster families that reflect the racial and ethnic backgrounds of children in foster care. Furthermore, the bill amends reporting requirements to the U.S. Congress, mandating more detailed annual reports about foster and adoptive family demographics, challenges, and barriers to successful placements. The provisions will take effect on October 1, 2026, with flexibility for states that require legislative action to implement the new requirements.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/579/all-info