Bill Overview
Title: Find and Protect Foster Youth Act
Description: This bill requires the Office of the Administration for Children & Families to evaluate the protocols that states have developed to comply with the reporting requirements for locating a child missing from foster care. Additionally, the administration, through the Children's Bureau, must provide states, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal consortia with information, advice, educational materials, and technical assistance relating to eliminating identified obstacles to identifying and responding to children missing from foster care and other vulnerable foster youth and providing such children and youth with effective services.
Sponsors: Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30]
Target Audience
Population: children and youth in foster care
Estimated Size: 400000
- The bill specifically references children and youth missing from foster care. This group is directly impacted as the bill aims to improve protocols for locating them.
- Children who are currently in foster care can be considered directly impacted since the bill attempts to provide better services and protections.
- Foster care providers and social workers in child protection services are indirectly impacted by changes and improvements to their protocols.
- The tribal populations are mentioned as specific recipients of support services, indicating those in foster care among these populations are considered.
Reasoning
- Given the specific focus on children and youth missing from foster care, it is essential to include voices from the foster care system, such as current foster youth, foster care alumni, social workers, and agency staff.
- Consideration for the long-term and short-term effects of the policy needs individuals with firsthand experience of the system. Thus, sampling people at different stages: youth currently in care, those recently aged out, and those who aged out several years ago.
- The budget constraints and program reach imply not all aspects can be extensively covered immediately. Initially, focus might be on the protocols around missing children and enhancing support services, which would gradually expand as finances permit.
- The inclusion of tribal communities and specific reference to Indigenous populations necessitates insights from tribal social services or Native American representatives in youth welfare.
- The interviews should reflect a mix of individuals affected directly and indirectly – such as foster parents and social service providers, and include those who are not directly impacted.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel like we are often just numbers in a system. Hopefully, this policy could mean they'll notice if something's wrong..
- If more people are checking in, we might feel someone is really watching out for us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Social Worker (San Diego, CA)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any policy enhancing our protocols is welcome, but I worry about the sustainable implementation with budget constraints.
- We can do so much if protocols are standardized and additional resource information is accurate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Foster Parent (Albuquerque, NM)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We always worry about safety protocols. The policy should ease some stress if it actually means someone is looking more closely at their whereabouts.
- It’s crucial that they consult us. We often know what's needed firsthand.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Foster Care Alumni (Boise, ID)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Focus on missing foster children is vital; growing up I had peers who disappeared into terrible situations.
- This policy should go further, beyond just finding missing youth. It needs to help us succeed as adults.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Agency Administrator (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy changes like this can be tough to implement across diverse states. However, if successful, it would streamline finding and helping vulnerable children.
- Concerned about consistent federal support to make long-term improvements possible.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Tribal Advocate for Foster Children (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's crucial that our native youth aren't just a footnote. Dedicated resources are necessary here.
- The success depends greatly on how well the policy respects tribal sovereignty while ensuring collaboration.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Journalist (Miami, FL)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While this policy seems promising, historically, many state-level changes fall short.
- Public accountability and transparency in implementation will be essential for real success.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College Student (New York, NY)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a start, but just enhancing protocols won't solve deeper system issues.
- Hope with newfound attention, we can focus on education and long-term success for foster youth.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Police Officer (Houston, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having reliable protocols speeds up our response times significantly. This can only be good.
- Inter-agency cooperation backed by policies reduces ambiguity in urgent cases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Public Policy Analyst (Boston, MA)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a progressive step in reforming foster welfare systems. However, initial metrics and indicators must be well defined.
- The long-term success of such policies requires constant evaluation and adaptability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4500000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $3500000 (Low: $3000000, High: $4000000)
Year 3: $3500000 (Low: $3000000, High: $4000000)
Year 5: $3500000 (Low: $3000000, High: $4000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Estimates are dependent on the actual engagement of states and tribal organizations in improving protocols.
- The quality and extent of technical assistance provision could vary, affecting cost and savings projections.
- Potential overlap with existing state or federal initiatives could reduce incremental costs but also diminish perceived benefits.