On Tuesday, June 18, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WS) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) reintroduced the Treatment Family Care Services Act.
Under Therapeutic Foster Care, foster parents –and increasing other care givers including relative care givers and parents—are given special training to address the needs of youths with major mental health challenges and children receive intensive in-home services to sustain them in the community. According to the Foster Family Treatment Association, TFC provides critical services to approximately 46,000 or 1-in-10 foster children across the country.
Funding can come through state Medicaid programs, but current law and guidance does not provide for a standard definition. The Treatment Family Care Services Act requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Administration for Children and Families to provide states with clear guidance on federal TFC standards under the Medicaid program and other available federal funding streams.
A House version of the bill will be introduced with Congresswoman. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Congressman. Tom Cole (R-OK), and Congressperson Karen Bass (D-CA) leading the bipartisan companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
The Child Welfare League of America has endorsed the legislation which can be found here.
