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Get Co-sponsors for the Kinship Legislation in the House
ACTION
Urge Your Representative to Co-sponsor the Kinship Caregiver Support Act (HR 2188)!
- E-MAIL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE (below)
- CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
Urge your Representative to co-sponsor the Danny Davis/Tim Johnson kinship bill to be introduced in the House this week!
Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard to get in touch with your Representative.
U.S. Capitol Switchboard 202/225-3121
BACKGROUND
Kinship legislation has been introduced in the House and needs more bi-partisan co-sponsors to give it the best chance of passing. Contact your Representative and urge them to co-sponsor the Kinship Caregiver Support Act (HR 2188) right away. This legislation was filed this week by Rep. Danny Davis [D-IL] and Rep. Tim Johnson [R-IL].
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Support the Guardianship Assistance Promotion and Kinship Support Act
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As a member of your constituency, I urge you to co-sponsor and support the Kinship Caregiver and Support Act in the House of Representatives.
Kinship care is a situation in which an adult family member, such as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other relative, provides a caring home for a child who is not able to live with his or her parents. Subsidized guardianship is another important permanency option for relatives who care for children. The number of states implementing guardianship programs reflects growing national interest in the use of guardianship as an alternative permanency option for some children in foster care, particularly for children who are placed with relatives, who cannot be safely reunified with birth parents, and who cannot, or do not, wish to be adopted.
Kinship care and subsidized guardianship programs allow qualified relatives or qualified non-relatives to step in and provide care they may not have been able to provide otherwise because of the financial burdens such a role requires. Additionally, these relative placements may offer an emotional and cultural benefit to children who cannot return safely to their parents and for whom adoption is not an appropriate option.
The Adoption and Safe Families Act, enacted in 1997, recognizes placement with a relative or a legal guardian as a permanency option for children in foster care; however, the federal government makes no funds available on a continuing basis to help those relatives care for the children.
Representatives Danny Davis [D-IL] and Tim Johnson [R-IL] have introduced the Kinship Caregiver Support Act (HR 2188) in the House. Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has introduced the Kinship Caregiver Support Act (S. 661) in the Senate.
These bipartisan bills create first-time federal support for children living with relatives in guardianship placements. The House bill specifically provides support for both relative and non-relative guardianship placements.
These supports help relative caregivers providing for children who have been in foster care for at least 12 months and whose care is paid for in part with federal Title IV-E Foster Care funds. The House bill would also extend this assistance to non-relative guardians. In all instances, the aim is to place the child in the safest and most emotionally appropriate environment as possible.
Again, I urge you to co-sponsor and support the Kinship Caregiver Support Act in the House of Representatives.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
February 24, 2007
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The Importance of Kinship Care and Guardianship
Kinship care is a situation in which an adult family member, such as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other relative, provides a caring home for a child who is not able to live with his or her parents. Subsidized guardianship is another important permanency option for relatives who care for children. The number of states implementing guardianship programs reflects growing national interest in the use of guardianship as an alternative permanency option for some children in foster care, particularly for children who are placed with relatives, who cannot be safely reunified with birth parents, and who cannot, or do not, wish to be adopted.
Kinship care and subsidized guardianship programs allow qualified relatives or qualified non-relatives to step in and provide care—care they may not have been able to provide otherwise because of the financial burdens such a role requires. Additionally, these relative placements may offer an emotional and cultural benefit to children who cannot return safely to their parents and for whom adoption is not an appropriate option.
If assistance is not given to relatives and guardians raising children in the foster care system, their families will continue to live in poverty, and the children will likely fail to receive adequate education and healthcare, putting them back into the cycle of poverty later in their lives.
· According to the 2000 Census, some 6 million children live with relatives-—4.5 million of whom live with grandparents, a 30% increase between 1990 and 2000. Most of these families are not a part of the formal child welfare system.
· Almost 20% of grandparents who are responsible for their grandchildren live in poverty. Overall population statistics in 1997 indicated that 27% of children living in grandparent-maintained homes lived below the poverty level, compared with 19% in households maintained by parents.
· Approximately one-quarter of all children in kinship care live in families that receive either a foster care payment or a child-only payment through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The remaining families do not receive federal financial support, even if they need such support and services.
· Of the 509,662 children in out-of-home care on September 30, 2004, 23.5% were living with relatives while in care.
· Of the 185,700 children living in long-term foster care and awaiting a permanent setting in 2002, 46,000 (1 in 4) lived with a relative.
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