On Monday, February 22, 2021, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) awarded the $344 million in additional Chafee program awards to states and participating territories and tribes.  Attached is an allotment table showing the amount of the awards.  The additional ETV awards and other supplemental grants have not yet been released but will be awarded soon.

The “Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act,” Division X of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, P.L. 116-260, enacted into law on December 27, 2020, provided additional, supplemental or enhanced funding for several programs authorized under titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act.  Among its provisions, the law included $400 million in additional appropriations for the Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (the Chafee Program).  Of this amount, 1.5 percent ($6 million) is reserved for technical assistance and evaluation activities, $50 million is reserved for additional grants for the Chafee Educational and Training Vouchers (ETV) program and $344 million is to be used for additional grants for the Chafee program.

Information Memorandum ACYF-CB-IM-21-05, issued on January 13, 2021, summarizes the provisions of Division X, the “Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act.”  Additional guidance on the provisions will be issued through forthcoming Program Instructions.

Please direct any questions to Children’s Bureau Regional Program Managers.

On Thursday, February 18, 2021, the Children’s Bureau sent the following communication about new federal funds for Kinship Navigator Programs included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021:

 

We are writing to inform you that the Consolidated Appropriations Act passed listed two sources of kinship navigator funding in FY 2021. Congress has appropriated another $19 million available under title IV-B, subpart 2. As with past years, that will require title IV-E agencies to submit an application for funding and then OGM will make formula grant awards.

 

In addition, Division X of the appropriations bill, which is called “Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act” authorizes temporary flexibilities (from April 1, 2020 – Sept. 30, 2021) in the title IV-E kinship navigator program – including waiving the requirements for programs to be evidence-based and providing 100% Federal Financial Participation. To participate in the IV-E Kinship Navigator program, title IV-E agencies will need to do a separate submission to opt in to the program and then will submit claims on the CB-496 form.

 

The Children’s Bureau will be issue 2 program instructions to soon address each of the Kinship Navigator programs.