Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SCR57 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R16010 BPG-D
2	2	By: West S.C.R. No. 57
3	3
4	4
5	5	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
6	6	WHEREAS, Extended families have long played an important role
7	7	in raising children when parents are unable or unwilling to do so;
8	8	and
9	9	WHEREAS, The 2000 U.S. Census found that across the country,
10	10	more than six million children were living in a household headed by
11	11	grandparents or other relatives; studies have found that such
12	12	kinship care provides numerous benefits; kinship placements tend to
13	13	be more permanent than foster care, and children gain a greater
14	14	sense of stability when they are loved and cared for in a familiar
15	15	setting by people they know and trust; kinship caregivers help
16	16	sustain extended family connections, continue lifelong traditions
17	17	and memories, and reinforce a child's sense of cultural identity
18	18	and self-esteem; and
19	19	WHEREAS, Although kinship placements bring many advantages,
20	20	the caregivers tend to be single, as well as older and less well off
21	21	than foster parents; in addition, kinship guardians today receive
22	22	fewer services for themselves and the children in their care; the
23	23	lack of financial resources and support services can lead to
24	24	difficulties that send children back into paid foster care;
25	25	accordingly, kinship programs have been developed across the nation
26	26	to help relatives cope with the responsibilities of child rearing
27	27	by providing assistance similar to that received by foster parents;
28	28	and
29	29	WHEREAS, The 80th Texas Legislature showed its support for
30	30	kinship caregivers in Rider 31 in Article II of House Bill 1
31	31	(Appropriations Act), which directed the Department of Family and
32	32	Protective Services to maximize federal funding for kinship
33	33	guardianship programs by developing and submitting or applying for
34	34	a waiver that would allow the State of Texas to use Title IV-E of the
35	35	Social Security Act or any other federal funds available for such
36	36	programs; and
37	37	WHEREAS, In October 2008, Congress enacted the Fostering
38	38	Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, which provides
39	39	federal resources to support kinship care; states are permitted to
40	40	claim federal reimbursement under Title IV-E for a part of the cost
41	41	of providing kinship guardianship assistance to every eligible
42	42	child who leaves foster care for placement with a grandparent or
43	43	other relative who has chosen to become the legal guardian; by
44	44	taking advantage of this funding, the State of Texas can help
45	45	kinship caregivers provide loving homes where children can thrive;
46	46	and
47	47	WHEREAS, It is the intent of the legislature to take full
48	48	advantage of federal funds, including funds available for
49	49	subsidized guardianship programs for kinship caregivers as
50	50	provided by the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing
51	51	Adoptions Act (P.L. 110-351); now, therefore, be it
52	52	RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
53	53	hereby direct the Health and Human Services Commission to seek
54	54	federal funds available under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act
55	55	and to pursue all available funding for the support of kinship
56	56	caregivers; and, be it further
57	57	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
58	58	copies of this resolution to the executive commissioner of the
59	59	Health and Human Services Commission and to the commissioner of the
60	60	Department of Family and Protective Services.