Youth and Family Engagement in Child Welfare Act (H.R. 8815)

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

Starting October 1, 2026, state child welfare agencies must demonstrate they have actively engaged people with lived experience in their program planning to receive federal approval for their state plans.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

State child welfare agencies

These agencies must change their planning processes to include specific consultations and public reporting requirements.

Youth and parents with lived experience in the child welfare system

These individuals are designated as required participants in the state child welfare program planning process.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Background

The Social Security Act provides the legal framework for federal funding of state child welfare programs, including foster care and family support services. context

Summary

This bill requires states to consult with youth and parents who have personal experience in the child welfare system when developing their state child welfare plans. It also mandates that states publish a report online detailing how they have incorporated feedback from these individuals.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

Starting October 1, 2026, state child welfare agencies must demonstrate they have actively engaged people with lived experience in their program planning to receive federal approval for their state plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who must states consult under this bill?

States must consult with public and nonprofit agencies, community-based organizations, parents with child welfare experience (including foster and adoptive parents), and youth with experience in the child welfare system.

What happens if this bill passes?

States will be required to document and publicly report how they have incorporated feedback from youth and families with lived experience into their child welfare planning to maintain federal plan approval.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Related Legislation

Federal Bill

Congress moves to rename Olney, Maryland post office for Edward L. Ramsey

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility at 3570 Olney Laytonsville Road in Olney, Maryland, as the 'Edward L. Ramsey Olney Post

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Mandatory Lived Experience Integration

The bill moves from optional or recommended stakeholder engagement to a mandatory requirement for federal plan approval.

Social Security Act

Connected Entities

bill_numberH.R. 8815“Bill number”Map →

dateJune 25, 2024“Date the bill was introduced”Map →

personMs. Moore of Wisconsin“Co-sponsored the bill”Map →

bill_number42 U.S.C. 629b(b)(1)“Section of the Social Security Act”Map →

dateOctober 1, 2026“Date the amendment takes effect”Map →

bill_numberSocial Security Act“The Act amends this Act”Map →

personMr. Smith of Nebraska“Introduced the bill”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy15
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level