Supporting Adopted Children and Families Act

Key Points

• The bill creates a new definition for adoption support services to help families before and after an adoption is finalized. This includes training for parents on how to handle behavioral issues, counseling for children dealing with trauma or loss, and peer mentoring where new adoptive parents can learn from experienced ones.
• It sets aside $20 million for a federal grant program from 2026 to 2029. These grants will help states and tribal organizations build mental health programs specifically for children who have been adopted or placed with legal guardians. At least 85 percent of this money must go directly to providing services like therapy and social skills training.
• States would be required to track and report data on adoptions that do not work out. By collecting information on why children enter state custody after an adoption ends, the government hopes to identify which support services are most effective at keeping families together and preventing children from returning to foster care.
• The policy also focuses on respite care, which gives adoptive parents a temporary break from caregiving to prevent burnout. It also encourages the creation of 24-hour emergency hotlines for families in crisis to ensure they have professional help available at any time of day or night.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.