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The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 106–169 (text) (PDF), 113 Stat. 1882, enacted December 14, 1999) was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on December 14, 1999.[1]
Overview of the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999
General
the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 includes provisions relating to foster care and the OASDI and SSI programs. [2][3] The Act also assists World War II veterans by providing special cash benefits. Title II of the bill includes the Foster Care Provisions and Title I of the bill includes the provisions the OASDI and SSI provisions. [2][3]
Foster Care Provisions
The purpose of the Foster Care Independence Act is to provide States with flexible funding that will enable children likely to "age out" of foster care at age 18 to obtain employment, continue their education, accept personal responsibility, and prepare youth for making the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The program aims to help these children transition out of foster care by encouraging self-sufficiency through programs that include: [2]
- Assistance obtaining a high school diploma
- Career exploration
- Vocational training
- Job placement and retention
- Budgeting and financial management skills
- Training in activities of daily living
- Substance abuse prevention
- Preventative health; such as smoking cessation, nutrition, and pregnancy prevention
The bill also provides funding that will promote interactions with mentors and dedicated adults to provide personal and emotional support to foster youth. Program funding will be used for financial, housing, counseling, employment, education, and other support services to support youth making the transition out of foster care. [2]
Title I of the Bill increases health care options for youth aging out of foster care by making changes to the Medicaid law permitting states to provide Medicaid coverage to aged out youth between 18 and 21 years of age.[3] Provisions allow for low income former foster youth to be provided with Medicaid coverage. The bill also increases funding for adoption incentive payments,[3] which are bonuses to the States for increasing the number of children adopted from public foster care. Additional funding for adoption incentive payments will enable States to receive the full amount of the bonuses they have earned through outstanding performance.[4]
Use of Funds
OASDI and SSI Provisions
History
The Act supports provision of health insurance to former foster children, up to the age of 21, by way of states using Medicaid funds.[1] It permits such youths to have assets up to $10,000 without compromising their assistance.[1] It expands funds for these 18-to-21-year-olds to benefit from Independent living programs from $70 million to $140 million,[1][5] and broadens what these monies can be applied to.[1]
First Lady of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton was instrumental in passage of the bill, first holding on youth conference on the issues involved and then lobbying Congress in support of legislation.[5] It followed in the wake of her support for the earlier Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, which made it easier to adopt foster children;[6] the Foster Care Independence Act was intended to ease the transition into adulthood of foster children who did not get adopted.[6]
Implementation
References
- ^ a b c d e "President Clinton Signs H.R. 3443, The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999". Social Security Administration. 1999-12-17. Retrieved 2008-03-15. Cite error: The named reference "apa" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c d "United States Public Laws The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999" (PDF). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
- ^ a b c d Social Security Bulletin. 62 (4). 1999.
{{cite journal}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Statement on Congressional Action on the "Foster Care Independence Act of 1999"" (PDF). Administration on William J. Clinton, 1990. 1999-11-20. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
- ^ a b Somini Sengupta (2000-10-29). "Campaigns Soft-Pedal On Children and the Poor". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b "First Lady Biography: Hillary Clinton". National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved 2006-08-22.
External links
- Pub. L. 106–169 (text) (PDF), Foster Care Independence Act at Library of Congress
- Foster Care Independence Act at APA
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