DC
District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0260

District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0260 Compare Versions

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1- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
2-1
31
42
3+________________________________ ________________________________ 1
4+Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 2
5+ 3
6+ 4
7+________________________________ ________________________________ 5
8+Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 6
9+ 7
10+ 8
11+________________________________ ________________________________ 9
12+Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 10
13+ 11
14+ 12
15+________________________________ ________________________________ 13
16+Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Christina Henderson 14
17+ 15
18+ 16
19+ ________________________________ 17
20+ Councilmember Anita Bonds 18
21+ 19
22+ 20
23+A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 21
24+ 22
25+_______________ 23
26+ 24
27+ 25
28+IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 26
29+ 27
30+_______________ 28
31+ 29
32+ 30
33+To recognize the importance of kinship families in the District of Columbia and the many 31
34+benefits kinship caregivers bestow on the children in their care as well as the many 32
35+challenges they face when raising these children, and to declare the month of September 33
36+2024 as “Kinship Care Month” in the District of Columbia. 34
37+ 35
38+WHEREAS, the DC Council seeks to proclaim September 2024 as Kinship Care Month 36
39+in the District of Columbia; 37
40+ 38
41+WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month is observed to recognize children in kinship families, 39
42+and the grandparents, other relatives, and family friends who raise them, ensuring their safety, 40
43+promoting their well-being, and establishing a safe and stable home for these young people; 41
44+ 42
45+WHEREAS, in kinship families, a caregiver cares for a child or children who were 43
46+biologically born to another family member or close friend because the biological parents are 44
47+unable to raise them; 45
48+ 46
549
6-A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
7-
8-25-260
9-IN THE COUNC IL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
10-
11-October 1, 2024
12-
13-To recognize the importance of kinship families in the District of Columbia and the many
14-benefits kinship caregivers bestow on the children in their care as well as the many
15-challenges they face when raising these children, and to declare the month of September
16-2024 as “Kinship Care Month” in the District of Columbia.
17-
18-WHEREAS, the DC Council seeks to proclaim September 2024 as Kinship Care Month
19-in the District of Columbia;
20-
21-WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month is observed to recognize children in kinship families,
22-and the grandparents, other relatives, and family friends who raise them, ensuring their safety,
23-promoting their well-being, and establishing a safe and stable home for these young people;
24-
25-WHEREAS, in kinship families, a caregiver cares for a child or children who were
26-biologically born to another family member or close friend because the biological parents are
27-unable to raise them;
28-
29-WHEREAS, nationally, approximately 2.7 million children are living with grandparents
30-and other relatives in kinship care; more than 22,000 of these young people reside in the District
31-of Columbia, with fewer than 120 of them in foster care;
32-
33-WHEREAS, one in 11 of all children, and one in five African- American children, will
34-live within a kinship family sometime during their childhood;
35-
36-WHEREAS, kinship caregivers report tremendous satisfaction in caring for and raising
37-children but face substantial challenges in accessing the resources they need to care for their
38-families;
39-
40-WHEREAS, many kinship caregivers live at or below the margins of financial stability
41-themselves even before they agree to take a child into their homes, while others may give up
42-their retirement years to assume parenting duties for these children;
43-
44-WHEREAS, many children come to live with kinship caregivers after allegations of ENROLLED ORIGINAL
45-2
46-
47-
48-
49- parental abuse or neglect;
50-
51-WHEREAS, children in kinship care frequently have mental health conditions from
52-trauma experienced in their homes and communities;
53-
54-WHEREAS, kinship caregivers offer a refuge, as well as love, nurturing and care, for
55-these children;
56-
57-WHEREAS, research shows that kinship care helps maintain family, sibling and
58-community ties, improves behavioral and mental health outcomes, and promotes permanency for
59-children who cannot live with their parents;
60-
61-WHEREAS, it is vitally important the public grow in awareness of the challenges faced
62-by children, grandparents and other relatives in kinship families; so as to ensure there are
63-services and supports available and accessible to enable kinship youth to grow and thrive; and
64-
65-WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month honors the priceless role these grandparents and other
66-kinship caregivers play in the lives of the children they love.
67-
68-RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
69-resolution may be cited as the “Kinship Care Month Recognition Resolution of 2024”.
70-
71-Sec. 2. The Council recognizes the contributions of kinship families raising children in
72-the District of Columbia, and declares the month of September 2024 as “Kinship Care Month”,
73-as a confirmation of the District’s continued support to kinship caregivers for stepping up in
74-times of crisis to provide loving homes for children in the District.
75-
76-Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
50+WHEREAS, nationally, approximately 2.7 million children are living with grandparents 47
51+and other relatives or fictive kin in kinship care; more than 22,000 of these young people reside 48
52+in the District of Columbia, with fewer than 120 of them in foster care; 49
53+ 50
54+WHEREAS, one in 1 of all children, and one in five African-American children, will 51
55+live within a kinship family sometime during their childhood; 52
56+ 53
57+WHEREAS, kinship caregivers report tremendous satisfaction in caring for and raising 54
58+children but face substantial challenges in accessing the resources they need to care for their 55
59+families; 56
60+ 57
61+WHEREAS, many kinship caregivers live at or below the margins of financial stability 58
62+themselves even before they agree to take a child into their homes, while others may give up 59
63+their retirement years to assume parenting duties for these children; 60
64+ 61
65+WHEREAS, many children come to live with kinship caregivers after allegations of 62
66+parental abuse or neglect; 63
67+ 64
68+WHEREAS, children in kinship care frequently have mental health conditions from 65
69+trauma experienced in their homes and communities; 66
70+ 67
71+WHEREAS, kinship caregivers offer a refuge, as well as love, nurturing and care, for 68
72+these children; 69
73+ 70
74+WHEREAS, research shows that kinship care helps maintain family, sibling and 71
75+community ties, improves behavioral and mental health outcomes, and promotes permanency for 72
76+children who cannot live with their parents; 73
77+ 74
78+WHEREAS, it is vitally important the public grow in awareness of the challenges faced 75
79+by children, grandparents and other relatives in kinship families; so as to ensure there are 76
80+services and supports available and accessible to enable kinship youth to grow and thrive; and 77
81+ 78
82+WHEREAS, Kinship Care Month honors the priceless role these grandparents and other 79
83+kinship caregivers play in the lives of the children they love. 80
84+ 81
85+RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 82
86+resolution may be cited as the “Kinship Care Month Recognition Resolution of 2024”. 83
87+ 84
88+Sec. 2. The Council recognizes the contributions of kinship families raising children in 85
89+the District of Columbia, and declares the month of September 2024 as “Kinship Care Month”, 86
90+as a confirmation of the District’s continued support to kinship caregivers for stepping up in 87
91+times of crisis to provide loving homes for children in the District. 88
92+ 89
93+Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 90