Bill Overview
Title: Foster Care Stabilization Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Administration for Children and Families to award demonstration grants to foster care stabilization agencies to improve services for foster youth awaiting placement and for other emergency assistance.
Sponsors: Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
Target Audience
Population: Foster Youth Awaiting Placement
Estimated Size: 40000
- The bill targets foster care stabilization, which generally involves providing better services and support for youth in foster care.
- The number of foster youth in the world is substantial, but the bill specifically targets enhanced services, likely focusing on those in transition or awaiting placement.
- Foster care systems are prevalent in many countries, with millions of children living under such care globally.
Reasoning
- The policy targets a specific and small segment of the population, those within the foster care system, focusing on youth awaiting placement or in transition states.
- The current budget allocation is approximately $150 million in the first year, expanding to over a billion over ten years, which indicates substantial but targeted financial support.
- Considering the focus is on service improvement for stabilization, personal wellbeing would likely be the best measure to assess potential future outcomes.
- The target group is roughly 40,000 foster youth in the US, representing a specific focus on those awaiting placement.
- In simulating these interviews, a blend of affected individuals and those with adjacent experiences (like foster parents) provides comprehensive perspectives on impact.
Simulated Interviews
Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the policy provides more support and quicker placements.
- Being unstable for long periods is really hard.
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 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Foster Care Social Worker (New York, NY)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional resources can significantly impact our ability to help foster youth.
- I worry about proper allocation and administration though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Former Foster Youth (Chicago, IL)
Age: 23 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I went through similar phases and more assistance would have been beneficial.
- I really support the idea of stabilization.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Foster Parent (Houston, TX)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More resources for stabilization can reduce the time youth remain in limbo.
- This can help parents like me with more stability and support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
High School Student (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 16 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Moving around is tough, so better services would be great.
- Policies like these might help my friends too.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Program Administrator (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy can be a game-changer if implemented well.
- Effectiveness depends on the administration at local levels.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Child Advocate Lawyer (Miami, FL)
Age: 47 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Proper funding can significantly affect case outcomes for foster youth.
- We need to ensure legal frameworks support these changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Recently Emancipated Youth (Denver, CO)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Stability would have improved my experience drastically.
- I support anything that helps the younger ones.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired, Former Foster Parent (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've seen the system's weaknesses, and this policy could provide much-needed support.
- I worry about how sustainable the solutions are.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Foster Care Agency Manager (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional funding will help reduce wait times for youth placement.
- Long-term success relies on continued support and systemic change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $150000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $200000000)
Year 2: $150000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $200000000)
Year 3: $150000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $200000000)
Year 5: $150000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $200000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The effectiveness of the grants in achieving real improvements in foster care services will significantly influence longer-term outcomes.
- The initial setup and coordination required to efficiently distribute grants and implement services can affect the overall costs and efficacy.
- Sustainability of services post-grant period is crucial for continued benefits.