Nebraska lawmakers reintroduce bipartisan, bicameral bill supporting foster care participants

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) recently reintroduced a bicameral, bipartisan bill to provide children in pre-placement foster care with improved access to emergency services.

“Children in foster care often face so many hardships. One of the most important things we can do is make sure they receive the full support and care they deserve,” Sen. Fischer said. “Our legislation would authorize new grants to help cover the costs of basic supplies and other resources children transitioning into the foster care system desperately need.”

Sen. Fischer on Jan. 26 sponsored the Foster Care Stabilization Act of 2023, S. 102, in her chamber with original cosponsor U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) to establish a demonstration grant program that would provide emergency relief to foster youth and improve pre-placement services offered by foster care stabilization agencies, according to the text of the bill.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Bacon introduced the identical bill.

“As a foster-to-adopt parent, I know the Foster Care Stabilization Act will help to reduce trauma that children experience in the foster care system because it would help them receive daily needs, such as clothing, food, and safety — things that many of us take for granted but mean so much to a child,” said Rep. Bacon.

If enacted, the bill would authorize three U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) demonstration grants of not more than $1 million each to be awarded to foster care stabilization agencies, according to the text of the bill.

The HHS demonstration grants could be used to hire personnel; secure clothing or personal necessities for foster youth; purchase food and food preparation equipment for foster youth; offer services to prevent and respond to child abuse; or address any other emergency assistance needed to promote the safety and self-sufficiency of foster youth, says a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.

A foster care stabilization agency that receives an HHS grant would have three years to spend the awarded grant funds and then would be required to return any unused grant funds, the text says. 

Leigh Esau, executive director of the Nebraska Foster Care Closet, endorsed the measure, which Sen. Ernst and Rep. Bacon first introduced in August 2022. Both bills, S. 4762 and H.R. 8635, stalled in committee.