District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0093 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	~~ENROLLED ORIGINAL~~
	1	+
2	2		1
3	3
4		-
5		-	A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
6		-
7		-	25-93
8		-
9		-	IN THE COUNC IL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
10		-
11		-	July 11, 2023
12		-	To recognize the importance of kinship families in the District of Columbia and the many benefits
13		-	kinship caregivers bestow on the children in their care as well as the many challenges they face when raising these children, and to declare the month of September 2023 as “Kinship
14		-	Care Month” in the District of Columbia.
15		-
16		-	WHEREAS, the DC Council seeks to proclaim September 2023 as Kinship Care Month in
17		-	the District of Columbia;
18		-
19		-	WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month is observed to recognize children in kinship families, and
20		-	the grandparents, other relatives, and family friends who raise them, ensuring their safety,
21		-	promoting their well-being, and establishing a safe and stable home for these young people;
22		-
23		-	WHEREAS, in kinship families, a caregiver cares for a child or children who were
24		-	biologically born to another family member or close friend because the biological parents are
25		-	unable to raise them;
26		-
27		-	WHEREAS, nationally, approximately 2.7 million children are living with grandparents
28		-	and other relatives or fictive kin in kinship care; more than 22,000 of these young people reside in
29		-	the District of Columbia, with fewer than 125 of them in foster care;
30		-
31		-	WHEREAS, one in 11 of all children, and one in five African- American children, will live
32		-	within a kinship family sometime during their childhood;
33		-
34		-	WHEREAS, kinship caregivers report tremendous satisfaction in caring for and raising
35		-	children but face substantial challenges in accessing th e resources they need to care for their
36		-	families;
37		-
38		-	WHEREAS, many kinship caregivers live at or below the margins of financial stability
39		-	themselves even before they agree to take a child into their homes, while others may give up their
40		-	retirement years to assume parenting duties for these children;
41		-
42		-	WHEREAS, many children come to live with kinship caregivers after allegations of
43		-	parental abuse or neglect;
44		-
45		-	ENROLLED ORIGINAL
46		-	2
	4	+	________________________________ ________________________________
	5	+	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George
47	6
48	7
49		-	~~WHEREAS,~~ ~~children in kinship care frequently have mental health conditions from trauma~~
50		-	~~experienced in their homes and communities;~~
	8	+	________________________________ ________________________________
	9	+	Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Zachary Parker
51	10
52		-	WHEREAS, kinship caregivers offer a refuge, as well as love, nurturing and care, for these
53		-	children;
54	11
55		-	WHEREAS, research shows that kinship care helps maintain family , sibling and
56		-	community ties, improves behavioral and mental health outcomes, and promotes permanency for
57		-	children who cannot live with their parents;
	12	+	________________________________ ________________________________
	13	+	Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Anita Bonds
58	14
59		-	WHEREAS, it is vitally important the public grow in awareness of the challenges faced by
60		-	children, grandparents and other relatives in kinship families; so as to ensure there are services and
61		-	supports available and accessible to enable kinship youth to grow and thrive; and
62	15
63		-	~~WHEREAS,~~ ~~Kinship Care Month honors the priceless role these grandparents and other~~
64		-	~~kinship caregivers play in the lives of the children they love.~~
	16	+	________________________________
	17	+	Councilmember Christina Henderson
65	18
66		-	RESOLVED, BY THE COUNC IL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
67		-	resolution may be cited as the “Kinship Care Month Recognition Resolution of 2023”.
68	19
69		-	Sec. 2. The Council recognizes the contributions of kinship families raising children in the
70		-	District of Columbia, and declares the month of September 2023 as “Kinship Care Month”, as a
71		-	confirmation of the District’s continued support to kinship caregivers for stepping up in times of
72		-	crisis to provide loving homes for children in the District.
73	20
74		-	Sec. 3. T his resolution shall take effect imme diately.
	21	+	A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 1
	22	+	2
	23	+	_______ 3
	24	+	4
	25	+	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 5
	26	+	6
	27	+	_______________ 7
	28	+	8
	29	+	To recognize the importance of kinship families in the District of Columbia and the many benefits 9
	30	+	kinship caregivers bestow on the children in their care as well as the many challenges they 10
	31	+	face when raising these children, and to declare the month of September 2023 as “Kinship 11
	32	+	Care Month” in the District of Columbia. 12
	33	+	13
	34	+	WHEREAS, the DC Council seeks to proclaim September 2023 as Kinship Care Month in 14
	35	+	the District of Columbia; and 15
	36	+	16
	37	+	WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month is observed to recognize children in kinship families, and 17
	38	+	the grandparents, other relatives, and family friends who raise them, ensuring their safety, 18
	39	+	promoting their well-being, and establishing a safe and stable home for these young people; and 19
	40	+	20
	41	+	WHEREAS, in kinship families, a caregiver cares for a child or children who were 21
	42	+	biologically born to another family member or close friend because the biological parents are 22
	43	+	unable to raise them; and 23
	44	+	24
	45	+	WHEREAS, nationally, approximately 2.7 million children are living with grandparents 25
	46	+	and other relatives or fictive kin in kinship care; more than 22,000 of these young people reside in 26
	47	+	the District of Columbia, with fewer than 125 of them in foster care; and 27
	48	+	28
	49	+	WHEREAS, one in 11 of all children, and one in five African-American children, will live 29
	50	+	2
	51	+	within a kinship family sometime during their childhood; and 30
	52	+	31
	53	+	WHEREAS, kinship caregivers report tremendous satisfaction in caring for and raising 32
	54	+	children but face substantial challenges in accessing the resources they need to care for their 33
	55	+	families; and 34
	56	+	35
	57	+	WHEREAS, many kinship caregivers live at or below the margins of financial stability 36
	58	+	themselves even before they agree to take a child into their homes, while others may give up their 37
	59	+	retirement years to assume parenting duties for these children; and 38
	60	+	39
	61	+	WHEREAS, many children come to live with kinship caregivers after allegations of 40
	62	+	parental abuse or neglect; and 41
	63	+	42
	64	+	WHEREAS, children in kinship care frequently have mental health conditions from trauma 43
	65	+	experienced in their homes and communities; and 44
	66	+	45
	67	+	WHEREAS, kinship caregivers offer a refuge, as well as love, nurturing and care, for these 46
	68	+	children; and 47
	69	+	48
	70	+	WHEREAS, research shows that kinship care helps maintain family, sibling and 49
	71	+	community ties, improves behavioral and mental health outcomes, and promotes permanency for 50
	72	+	children who cannot live with their parents; and 51
	73	+	52
	74	+	WHEREAS, it is vitally important the public grow in awareness of the challenges faced by 53
	75	+	children, grandparents and other relatives in kinship families; so as to ensure there are services and 54
	76	+	supports available and accessible to enable kinship youth to grow and thrive; and 55
	77	+	56
	78	+	WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month honors the priceless role these grandparents and other 57
	79	+	kinship caregivers play in the lives of the children they love. 58
	80	+	59
	81	+	RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 60
	82	+	resolution may be cited as the “Kinship Care Month Recognition Resolution of 2023”. 61
	83	+	62
	84	+	Sec. 2. The Council recognizes the contributions of kinship families raising children in the 63
	85	+	District of Columbia, and declares the month of September 2023 as “Kinship Care Month”, as a 64
	86	+	confirmation of the District’s continued support to kinship caregivers for stepping up in times of 65
	87	+	crisis to provide loving homes for children in the District. 66
	88	+	67
	89	+	Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in 68
	90	+	the District of Columbia Register. 69