Bill > HR4769

This bill establishes a federal grant program to support mentoring initiatives for children and youth in the foster care system. The bill recognizes that mentoring can significantly improve outcomes for foster youth, such as increased likelihood of college enrollment, reduced school absenteeism, and better life satisfaction. The legislation would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to eligible entities like nonprofits, state child welfare agencies, local educational agencies, tribes, and faith-based organizations to create or expand mentoring programs. These programs must involve carefully screened and trained mentors who provide consistent, long-term relationships with foster youth, focusing on academic support, social skills development, and emotional support. Grant recipients must demonstrate strategies for recruiting diverse mentors, providing comprehensive mentor training, and engaging foster youth in program design. The mentoring programs can include one-on-one, group, or peer mentoring approaches, with an emphasis on meeting the social and emotional needs of children and youth who have been in foster care. The bill authorizes $50 million in funding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with the potential for additional funding in subsequent years, and requires annual reporting to Congress on program outcomes, including participant demographics and academic achievements.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4769/all-info