SenateS. 4556119th Congress
Informed Foster Youth Act of 2026
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4556 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4556
To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to modify case
plan requirements for children in foster care, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 18, 2026
Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Lujan) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to modify case
plan requirements for children in foster care, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Informed Foster Youth Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. CASE PLAN REQUIREMENTS.
(a) In General.--Section 475 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
675) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(D), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``, including any services that meet the child's
needs and are available to the child under the State program
carried out pursuant to section 477.''; and
(2) in paragraph (5)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the
following:
``(D) a child's health and education record (as
described in paragraph (1)(C)) is reviewed and updated,
and a copy of the record is supplied to the foster
parent or foster care provider with whom the child is
placed, at the time of each placement of the child in
foster care, and is supplied, free of cost, to--
``(i) the foster parent or foster care
provider with whom the child is placed, at the
time of each placement of the child in foster
care;
``(ii) the child, if the child has attained
14 years of age, at the time of each placement
of the child in foster care or not less often
than once every 12 months; and
``(iii) the child at the time the child
leaves foster care if the child is leaving
foster care by reason of having attained the
age of majority under State law;'';
(B) in subparagraph (H)--
(i) by striking ``that is personalized''
and all that follows through ``; and''; and
inserting `that--
``(i) is personalized at the direction of
the child, includes specific options on
housing, health insurance, education, local
opportunities for mentors and continuing
support services, and work force supports and
employment services;
``(ii) includes information about--
``(I) the eligibility of former
foster children for medical assistance
under title XIX and on how to enroll in
a State plan or waiver under such title
for such assistance and on how to
obtain assistance with enrolling in
such plan or waiver; and
``(II) the importance of
designating another individual to make
health care treatment decisions on
behalf of the child if the child
becomes unable to participate in such
decisions and the child does not have,
or does not want, a relative who would
otherwise be authorized under State law
to make such decisions; and
``(iii) provides the child with the option
to execute a health care power of attorney,
health care proxy, or other similar document
recognized under State law, and is as detailed
as the child may elect; and''; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (I) and inserting the
following:
``(I) each child in foster care under the
responsibility of the State who--
``(i) has attained 14 years of age--
``(I) is informed in an age-
appropriate way of services available
to the child under the State program
carried out pursuant to section 477,
including in every meeting between a
caseworker and the child and at every
court or administrative hearing held
with respect to the child that requires
the attendance of the child; and
``(II) receives without cost--
``(aa) a copy of any
consumer report (as defined in
section 603(d) of the Fair
Credit Reporting Act)
pertaining to the child, each
year until the child is
discharged from care, and
assistance (including, when
feasible, from any court-
appointed advocate for the
child) in interpreting and
resolving any inaccuracies in
the consumer report;
``(bb) if the child is
eligible to receive such
document, an official or
certified copy of the United
States birth certificate of the
child and a Social Security
card issued by the Commissioner
of Social Security, except that
the child may request that 1 or
both of such documents be
safely retained by the State
for any length of time while
the child remains in foster
care under the responsibility
of the State;
``(cc) if the child is
eligible to receive such a
document, a driver's license or
identification card issued by a
State in accordance with the
requirements of section 202 of
the REAL ID Act of 2005, or
assistance with obtaining such
license or card; and
``(dd) official
documentation necessary to
prove the child is in foster
care; and
``(ii) is leaving foster care by reason of
having attained 18 years of age or such greater
age as the State has elected under paragraph
(8) is not discharged from care without being
provided with, at no cost to the child--
``(I) a copy of any consumer report
(as defined in section 603(d) of the
Fair Credit Reporting Act) pertaining
to the child and assistance (including,
when feasible, from any court-appointed
advocate for the child) in interpreting
and resolving any inaccuracies in the
consumer report;
``(II) if the child is eligible to
receive such document, an official or
certified copy of the United States
birth certificate of the child;
``(III) if the child is eligible to
receive such document, a social
security card issued by the
Commissioner of Social Security;
``(IV) if the child is eligible to
receive such document, a driver's
license or identification card issued
by a State in accordance with the
requirements of section 202 of the REAL
ID Act of 2005;
``(V) information on health
insurance available to the child (as
described in subparagraph (H)(ii));
``(VI) copies of the child's health
and education records (as described in
paragraph (1)(C)); and
``(VII) official documentation
necessary to prove that the child was
previously in foster care.''.
(b) List of Rights.--Section 475A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 675a) is
amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b) List of Rights.--The case plan for any child in foster care
under the responsibility of the State who has attained 14 years of age
shall include--
``(1) a document that describes the rights of the child--
``(A) with respect to education, health care,
visitation, court participation, and consultation on
case planning, development of a permanency plan, and
determining transition services;
``(B) to be informed, in accordance with section
475(5)(I)(i)(I), of services available to the child
under the State program carried out pursuant to section
477;
``(C) to be provided with the documents specified
in clauses (i)(II) and (ii) of section 475(5)(I) in
accordance with that section;
``(D) to stay safe and avoid exploitation;
``(E) to seek redress for a violation of a right of
the child under this section; and
``(2) for each year that the child remains in foster care
under the responsibility of the State, a signed and dated
acknowledgment by the child that--
``(A) the child has been provided with a copy of
the document described in paragraph (1);
``(B) the rights contained in such document have
been explained to the child in an age-appropriate way;
and
``(C) the child has been provided with a separate
written description of any requirements necessary to
receive the documents specified in clauses (i)(II) and
(ii) of section 475(5)(I), along with notice of any
assistance available to the child to meet such
requirements.''.
(c) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
amendments made by this section shall take effect on the 1st
day of the 1st fiscal year beginning on or after the date of
enactment of this Act and shall apply to payments under part E
of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.)
for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date.
(2) Delay permitted if state legislation required.--If the
Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that State
legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) is
required in order for any State plan approved under part E of
title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the additional
requirements imposed by the amendments made by this section,
the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet any of the
additional requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar
quarter beginning after the 1st regular session of the State
legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this
Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, if the State has a
2-year legislative session, each year of the session is deemed
to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
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