Bill > S2902

This bill, known as the Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act, requires states to collect and report detailed data on "hidden foster care arrangements," which are situations where children are separated from their parents without formal court involvement or state foster care system placement. States must submit annual reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services detailing the number of children in such arrangements, including specifics like the reasons for separation, length of time in the arrangement, how the arrangement ended, services provided to families, and follow-up investigations. The bill defines hidden foster care as occurring when a child protection services agency suggests or requires a parent to have their child live elsewhere during an investigation, without formal court oversight, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is tasked with compiling these state reports into an annual congressional report that provides a comprehensive national overview of hidden foster care practices, ensuring consistent and standardized data collection across states. The goal of the bill is to increase transparency and understanding of these informal child placement practices that currently occur outside of traditional foster care systems.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2902/all-info