January 2025 Policy Updates

NACC Joined a Sign-On Letter

NACC joined a sign-on letter to the House and Senate urging them to pass a final Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations bill by the end of 2024. The letter encouraged robust investments in federal programs that reconnect opportunity youth to the education and workforce system.

Title IV-B Reauthorization Passes

On December 21, H.R. 9076 (the Supporting America’s Children and Families Act) passed the Senate by unanimous consent, after previously passing the House in September. NACC previously joined partners to support this effort and now to thank congressional champions. The act contains several provisions applicable to the courts, including enhancements to the Court Improvement Program and a new requirement that state agencies inform children and their parents, guardians, and custodians about available independent legal representation.

Eyes on Counsel for Kids Policy Development

The 2025 state legislative sessions are now underway. The Counsel for Kids campaign will track and provide supportive advocacy for legislation that would establish or expand the right to counsel and/or improve the quality of legal representation for children in neglect and abuse proceedings. State stakeholders anticipate relevant legislation in Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and South Carolina. Each month updates on C4K legislation will be provided in The Advocate. If you are in a state seeking to advance or improve children’s right to counsel, the Counsel for Kids campaign may be able to support your efforts throughout the policy reform process. Visit our technical assistance page to learn more.

December 2024 Policy Updates

NACC Joined a Sign-On Letter

NACC signaled support for the Protecting Foster Youth Resources Act which protects the benefits of foster youth by preventing child welfare entities from using a youth’s benefits to pay for their costs of care.

NACC Submitted a Comment

NACC submitted a comment to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration in response to the request for information regarding Use and Conservation of Social Security Benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments That Representative Payees Receive for Beneficiaries Residing in Foster Care.

November 2024 Policy Updates

NACC Joined Sign-On Letters

NACC signaled support for the Child Tax Credit by signing onto a letter sent to the Ways and Means Republican 2025 Tax Team.

NACC joined a sign-on letter to the Senate Finance Committee to express support for the bipartisan Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act.

NACC signed onto a letter sent to the Senate Finance Committee in support of the Recruiting Families Using Data Act.

NACC joined a sign-on letter to Senator Cornyn and Senator Ossoff, the bipartisan co-sponsors of the Foster Care Placement Transparency Act, to highlight concerns about hidden foster care and signal support for the Act.

Advocacy Letter

NACC submitted comments to the Bureau of Justice Statistics regarding the proposed information collection tool for the Department of Justice’s Census of Public Defender Offices. NACC recommended modest additions to the tool.

October 2024 Policy Updates

August 2024 Policy Updates

NACC Supports Reauthorization of Title IV-B NACC signed onto a letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means to show support for the Reauthorization of Title IV-B of the Social Security Act.  NACC Tells Congress Legal Representation Matters NACC wrote a letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means to signal support for H.R. 8810: Ensuring Legal Representation for Child Welfare Act. NACC wrote letters to the Senate Finance Committee to highlight how legal representation for every youth and parent in foster care will support the qualified residential treatment placement (QRTP) provisions of the Family First Act as well as the oversight of residential treatment settings. Amicus Brief MD v. Abbott: NACC joined an amicus brief arguing that Texas violates children’s Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process right to be free from an unreasonable risk of harm while in foster care.  New Tipsheet NACC joined Youth Law Center to create a tipsheet on Leveraging Title IV-E to Advance High-Quality Legal Representation & Training. Counsel for Kids Victory in New Hampshire On July 26 Governor Sununu signed into law Senate Bill 463-FN that guarantees legal representation to youth placed in any group home, child care institution, or state operated residential treatment facility. Implementation of the bill will occur in phases according to a child’s age with full implementation by July 31, 2026 for children in facilities within New England. All children in facilities outside of New England shall be entitled to counsel by July 31, 2025. We applaud the work of an array of state advocates and legislative champions Representatives Pat Long and Mark Pearson for their fierce defense of children’s legal rights. The New Hampshire General Court has taken the first critical step in expanding access to justice for youth in foster care.

July 2024 Policy Updates