FOSTER Act

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by Ms. Strickland and Mr. Fitzpatrick, aims to help children and families caught in the opioid crisis. It provides money to state and local agencies to support kids, foster parents, and relatives like grandparents who are raising children because of drug-related issues.
• The plan authorizes $255 million every year from 2028 through 2033. This money will be used to hire and train more social workers, provide healthcare services, and find more foster and adoptive parents for children in need.
• A big part of the bill focuses on "kinship caregivers." These are relatives like aunts, uncles, or grandparents who step in to raise a child when the parents cannot. The bill ensures these families get the specific help and training they need to handle the challenges of the opioid epidemic.
• By updating existing laws, the bill makes sure that at least 1% of certain federal opioid grants are dedicated specifically to these family and child services. This ensures that children and their guardians receive a guaranteed portion of the funding meant to fight drug abuse.