On June 5, Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) introduced HR 3114 – Every Child Deserves A Family Act and on June 13, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced S 1791, the Senate version. This legislation prohibits organizations receiving federal funding from discriminating against children and families and promotes safety, well-being, and permanency for LGBTQ children in foster care.
Discrimination in the placement of children and the recruitment of parents is not in the best interests of the child especially when there are too many children and youth in foster care who lack a stable and loving family that they deserve to be cared for and with. For older children, sibling groups, and those with special needs, the child welfare system must ensure the broadest pool of families for children by assessing applicants on the basis of their abilities to successfully parent a child and work with diverse family dynamics.
Click here to endorse the bipartisan 2019 Every Child Deserves a Family Act.