119-hr4769

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4769 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4769

 To support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs 
 using a network of public and private community entities to provide 
 mentoring for children and youth with experience in foster care.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 25, 2025

 Ms. Scanlon (for herself, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Casten, Mrs. Cherfilus-
 McCormick, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, Ms. 
 Sewell, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Williams of Georgia, and Mr. Larson of 
 Connecticut) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To support the establishment or expansion and operation of programs 
 using a network of public and private community entities to provide 
 mentoring for children and youth with experience in foster care.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress makes the following findings:

    (1) Positive relationships are important for children and 
 youth. An estimated 20 percent of youth do not have caring 
 adults in their lives, representing 8,500,000 youth. Children 
 who have a positive caring relationship with an adult can also 
 benefit from additional positive relationships.

    (2) Research shows that mentors make a difference in young 
 people's lives. At-risk youth who have mentors are 55 percent 
 more likely to enroll in college. Students who meet regularly 
 with their mentors are 52 percent less likely than their peers 
 to skip a day of school. Youth who have mentors are also 75 
 percent more likely to hold a leadership position in a club or 
 sports team.

    (3) Young people that have mentors have improved 
 relationships with adults, fewer disciplinary referrals, and 
 more confidence in achieving their goals.

    (4) In 2021, 391,311 youth were in foster care. Of those 
 youth, 86,793 were between the ages of 11 and 15, and 55,396 
 were between the ages of 16 and 20.

    (5) Mentoring programs that serve foster youth are unique 
 and require additional considerations, including specialized 
 training and support necessary to provide for consistent, long-
 term relationships for children in foster care.

    (6) Mentoring programs can be used as an effective strategy 
 to support positive outcomes for foster youth, such as improved 
 mental health, reductions in substance misuse, and increased 
 life satisfaction. Additionally, mentoring relationships are 
 associated with supporting fewer placement changes for youth 
 and improved use of transition services when exiting foster 
 care.

    (7) Mentoring programs targeting youth experiencing 
 multiple risk factors, community-based programs, and programs 
 lasting 1 year or more are more effective in supporting youth 
 in foster care.

    (8) Mentored youth showed lower rates of involvement in the 
 juvenile justice system and lower rates of involvement in the 
 legal system as adults.

    (9) Increasing evidence is showing that peer mentoring and 
 support can be very effective in engaging young people. Alumni 
 of and youth in foster care have noted the importance of the 
 support and service delivery by individuals with lived 
 experience, including peers.

SEC. 3. PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.

 Subpart 2 of part B of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 629 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``

SEC. 439A. PROGRAMS FOR MENTORING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE AND YOUTH 
 WITH EXPERIENCE IN FOSTER CARE.

 ``

    (a) 

=== Purpose ===
-It is the purpose of this section to authorize the 
Secretary to make grants to eligible applicants to support the 
establishment or expansion and operation of programs using a network of 
public and private community entities to provide mentoring for children 
in foster care and children with experience in foster care.
 ``

    (b) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Children in foster care.--The term `children in 
 foster care' means children who have been removed from the 
 custody of their biological or adoptive parents by a State or 
 tribal child welfare agency.
 ``

    (2) Children with experience in foster care.--The term 
 `children with experience in foster care' means children, 
 youth, and adults who have not attained 26 years of age and 
 who, at any time, were removed from the custody of their 
 biological or adoptive parents by a State or tribal child 
 welfare agency.
 ``

    (3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
 ``
        (A) a nonprofit organization;
 ``
        (B) a State child welfare agency;
 ``
            (C) a local educational agency;
 ``
            (D) an Indian tribe or a tribal organization; or
 ``
        (E) a faith-based organization.
 ``

    (4) Mentoring.--The term `mentoring' means a structured, 
 managed program--
 ``
        (A) in which children and youth are appropriately 
 matched with screened and trained adult or peer 
 volunteers for consistent relationships;
 ``
        (B) that can include direct one-on-one, group, or 
 peer mentoring services that focus on 1 or more of--
 ``
            (i) academic support;
 ``
            (ii) enrichment;
 ``
            (iii) educational success;
 ``
            (iv) minimizing risk behaviors; or
 ``
            (v) promoting social skills and healthy 
 relationships;
 ``
            (C) that involves meetings, events, and 
 activities on a regular basis designed to last at least 
 1 year; and
 ``
            (D) that is intended to meet, in part, the social 
 and emotional development of the child or youth, the 
 need of the child or youth for involvement with a 
 caring and supportive adult, and the need of the child 
 or youth for positive role models, connections, and 
 normalcy.
 ``
            (c) Grant Program.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
 to award grants to eligible entities to support the 
 establishment or expansion and operation of programs using 
 networks of public and private community entities to provide 
 mentoring for children in foster care and children with 
 experience in foster care.
 ``

    (2) Application requirements.--To be eligible for a grant 
 under paragraph

    (1) , an eligible entity shall submit to the 
 Secretary an application containing the following:
 ``
        (A) Program design.--A description of the 
 proposed program to be carried out using amounts 
 provided under this grant, including--
 ``
            (i) targeted outcomes, mentee age and 
 eligibility, mentor type, setting, duration, 
 and meeting frequency;
 ``
            (ii) the number of mentor-child matches 
 proposed to be established and maintained 
 annually under the program;
 ``
            (iii) the capacity and expertise of the 
 program to serve children and youth in a way 
 that is responsive to children and youth of 
 color, expectant and parenting youth, 
 indigenous youth, youth who are lesbian, gay, 
 bisexual, transgendered, or queer, and youth 
 with disabilities;
 ``
            (iv) actions taken to ensure that the 
 design of the program reflects input from young 
 people, including children with experience in 
 foster care; and
 ``
            (v) such other information as the 
 Secretary may require.
 ``
        (B) Recruitment.--An assurance that the program 
 will engage in recruitment strategies for mentors 
 that--
 ``
            (i) realistically portray the benefits, 
 practices, supports, and challenges of 
 participating in the program; and
 ``
            (ii) seek to recruit mentors who reflect 
 the race, ethnicity, and various identities of 
 children in foster care and children with 
 experience in foster care.
 ``
            (C) Training.--An assurance that all mentors 
 covered under the program will receive intensive and 
 ongoing training in the following areas:
 ``
            (i) Child and adolescent development, 
 including the importance of bonding.
 ``
            (ii) Family dynamics, including the 
 effects of domestic violence and trauma.
 ``
            (iii) Understanding the education rights 
 of foster children and youth, including those 
 related to post-secondary education.
 ``
            (iv) The challenges of and approaches to 
 support the transition to adulthood.
 ``
            (v) Cultural competence practices and 
 relationship-building strategies.
 ``
            (vi) Positive youth development and 
 authentic engagement practices.
 ``
            (vii) Recognizing and reporting child 
 abuse and neglect.
 ``
            (viii) Confidentiality requirements for 
 working with children in foster care.
 ``
            (ix) Working in coordination with the 
 child welfare system.
 ``
            (x) Other matters related to working with 
 children in foster care and children with 
 experience in foster care.
 ``
            (D) Screening.--An assurance that all mentors 
 covered under the program are appropriately screened 
 and have demonstrated a willingness to comply with all 
 aspects of the mentoring program, including--
 ``
            (i) a written screening plan that 
 includes all of the policies and procedures 
 used to screen and select mentors, including 
 eligibility requirements and preferences for 
 such applicants;
 ``
            (ii) a description of the methods to be 
 used to conduct criminal background checks on 
 all prospective mentors, and the methods in 
 place to exclude mentors with convictions for 
 crimes against children and mentors with 
 convictions occurring within the past 10 years 
 that are directly related to child safety; and
 ``
            (iii) a description of the methods to be 
 used to ensure that the mentors are willing and 
 able to serve as a mentor on a long-term, 
 consistent basis as defined in the application.
 ``
        (E) Community consultation and engagement; 
 coordination with other programs.--A demonstration 
 that, in developing and implementing the program, the 
 eligible entity will--
 ``
            (i) consult with and actively engage--
 ``
            (I) children in foster care and 
 children with experience in foster 
 care;
 ``
            (II) public and private community 
 entities, including religious 
 organizations and Indian tribal 
 organizations and urban Indian 
 organizations; and
 ``
            (III) family members of children 
 and youth who may be potential clients 
 of the program;
 ``
            (ii) coordinate the mentoring program and 
 the activities of the eligible entity with 
 other Federal, State, and local programs 
 serving children and youth; and
 ``
            (iii) consult and coordinate with 
 appropriate Federal, State, and local 
 corrections, workforce development, education, 
 and substance abuse and mental health agencies.
 ``
        (F) Equal access for local service providers.--An 
 assurance that public and private entities and 
 nonprofit community organizations, including religious 
 organizations and Indian organizations, will be 
 eligible to participate on an equal basis.
 ``
        (G) Records, reports, and audits.--An agreement 
 that the eligible entity will maintain such records, 
 make such reports, and cooperate with such reviews or 
 audits as the Secretary may find necessary for purposes 
 of oversight of project activities and expenditures.
 ``
        (H) Evaluation.--An agreement that the eligible 
 entity will cooperate fully with the ongoing and final 
 evaluation of the program under the plan by the 
 Secretary, by means including providing the Secretary 
 access to the program, the staff of the program, 
 program-related records and documents, and each public 
 or private community entity receiving funding under the 
 plan.
 ``

    (3) Considerations in awarding grants.--In awarding 
 grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall take into 
 consideration--
 ``
        (A) how, and the degree to which, children in 
 foster care and children with experience in foster care 
 are consulted and engaged in the development, design, 
 and implementation of the program;
 ``
        (B) the feasibility and strength of a plan to 
 recruit and support transition-aged foster youth;
 ``
            (C) the overall qualifications and capacity of 
 the eligible entity and its partners to effectively 
 carry out a mentoring program under this subsection;
 ``
            (D) the level and quality of training provided to 
 mentors under the program;
 ``
        (E) evidence of coordination of the program with 
 the social services and education programs of the State 
 or political subdivision;
 ``
        (F) the ability of the eligible entity to provide 
 supervision and support for mentors under the program 
 and the youth served by such mentors;
 ``
        (G) the number of children and youth in foster 
 care served by the State or political subdivision; and
 ``
        (H) any other factors that the Secretary 
 determines to be significant with respect to the need 
 for, or the potential success of, carrying out a 
 mentoring program under this section.
 ``

    (4) Use of funds.--An eligible entity that receives a 
 grant under this subsection may use such funds to--
 ``
        (A) develop and carry out a training program and 
 ongoing support for mentors;
 ``
        (B) recruit mentors for children and youth in 
 foster care;
 ``
            (C) compensate mentors including peer mentors;
 ``
            (D) pay for costs related to mentee participation 
 in the program; and
 ``
        (E) provide activities that will help the 
 development of a child in foster care who is 
 participating in the program.
 ``

    (5) Grant amount.--In awarding grants under this 
 subsection, the Secretary shall scale grants to account for the 
 annual budget and capacity of the eligible entity.
 ``

    (6) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
 of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the 
 Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that 
 includes the following with respect to the year involved:
 ``
        (A) A description of the number of programs 
 receiving grant awards under this subsection.
 ``
        (B) A description of mentors who participate in 
 programs described in subparagraph
        (A) , including the 
 overall number, average length of participation, and 
 demographics.
 ``
            (C) A description of--
 ``
            (i) the number of children in foster care 
 who participated in mentoring programs funded 
 by the grant funds under this subsection;
 ``
            (ii) data on the academic achievement of 
 the children in mentoring programs funded by 
 the grant funds under this subsection; and
 ``
            (iii) the number of children in foster 
 care on waiting lists for such mentoring 
 programs, including successful transition into 
 post-secondary education where applicable.
 ``
            (D) Any other information that the Secretary 
 determines to be relevant to the evaluation of the 
 program under this section.
 ``

    (7) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section--
 ``
        (A) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and 
 2027; and
 ``
        (B) such sums as may be necessary for each 
 succeeding fiscal year.''.
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