This weekend the House of Representatives passed their version of the Health Care Reform bill.  This bill faces tough opposition in the Senate and a final bill is not expected for vote until the first of next year. 

Child welfare reform is not being ignored altogether, according to the staffers. Congress currently is focused on fully implementing the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act passed in 2008 and is anticipating Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) re-authorization next year. TANF is often used by states to help fund some child welfare activities--Georgia uses much of this funding for family supports and child care assistance.

The staffers also noted that a home visitation model which focuses on assuring healthy newborns in at-risk families is included in two of the Health Care reform bills working their way through Congress.

When Congress does get around to looking at child welfare and foster care financing reform, it will again consider getting rid of the "96 look-back" that ties children’s eligibility for federal foster care participation to 1996 era poverty standards.

There is also strong likelihood that Congress will consider expanding the scope of Title IV-E eligible activities to include placement prevention and "post permanency" services and support. Consideration of both policy items will be impacted, however, by growing Congressional sentiment to reign in the rapidly growing federal deficit.