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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Child Welfare: The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act


Emilie Stoltzfus
Specialist in Social Policy

The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (H.R. 2883) extends funding authorization for the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program and the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program for five years (FY2012-FY2016). The programs are authorized under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act and received combined funding of $709 million in FY2011. They both had funding authorizations that, absent legislative action, would have expired on September 30, 2011. Further, the bill renews authority for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to grant approval for up to 10 child welfare demonstration projects (a.k.a., “waiver” projects) in each of three years (FY2012-FY2014). The authority of HHS to approve new child welfare waiver projects expired on March 31, 2006.

Substantively identical versions of the Child and Family Service Improvement and Innovation Act were introduced on September 12, 2011, in the House and the Senate. The House bill (H.R. 2883) was introduced by Representative Geoff Davis, with Representative Lloyd Doggett, and the Senate bill (S. 1542) was introduced by Senator Max Baucus with Senator Orrin Hatch. Some of the provisions in the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act were previously included in other bills introduced or acted on in the 112th Congress (including H.R. 2790, H.R. 1194, S. 1234, and S. 1013).

On September 14, 2011, the House Ways and Means Committee held a mark up of H.R. 2883 and unanimously agreed to report the bill favorably (and without substantive changes) to the full House. The Committee reported the bill (H.Rept. 112-210) on September 19, 2011. One day later, September 20, 2011, the Senate Finance Committee held a mark up of S. 1542 and unanimously agreed to favorably report S. 1542 (without amendment) to the full Senate.

On September 21, 2011, the full House passed H.R. 2883 under suspension of the rules (with a recorded vote of 395-25). On September 22, 2011, the full Senate passed H.R. 2883 by unanimous consent. The President is expected to sign the bill into law.

This report describes provisions in the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act.



Date of Report:
September 28, 2011
Number of Pages: 21
Order Number: R42027
Price: $29.95

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