FOSTER Act

Bill Number

H.R. 6283

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-11-21: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2026-05-14T08:07:47Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The FOSTER Act (H.R. 6283) aims to expand federal support for state and local agencies responsible for child services, helping them address the opioid abuse crisis. It focuses on providing resources to caregivers, kinship families (relatives caring for children), and those involved in foster or adoptive care, building on existing efforts to combat opioid misuse.

Key Provisions

• Grants for Opioid Services: Amends the 21st Century Cures Act to include new funding uses for grants. These grants will support state and local child services agencies in delivering opioid prevention and treatment services to children, caregivers, kinship care families, and kinship caregivers.
• Specific supports include:
• Recruiting and training workers in child services.
• Providing health care services related to opioid treatment.
• Recruiting and training foster and adoptive parents.
• Definitions: Introduces clear definitions for key terms:
• Kinship care family: A family headed by a kinship caregiver.
• Kinship caregiver: A relative (by blood, marriage, or adoption) who lives with and primarily cares for a child because the child's biological or adoptive parent cannot or will not, either formally through legal means or informally.
• Funding Authorization: Allocates $255 million annually for fiscal years 2028 through 2033 to fund these opioid-related grants under the 21st Century Cures Act.
• Set-Aside Requirement: Reserves 1% of annual grant funds specifically for the new provisions supporting child services in opioid response.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands the scope of grants under Section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act (which originally focused on broader opioid initiatives) by adding a dedicated category for child welfare services affected by opioids.
• Introduces new definitions to clarify eligibility for kinship-based care, which was not explicitly detailed before.
• Increases overall appropriations beyond 2027 and mandates a specific funding set-aside (1%) for these child-focused opioid services, shifting some priority from general opioid programs to family and caregiver support.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: State and local child services agencies (e.g., those handling foster care and family support) will gain access to targeted federal funding, potentially improving their capacity to handle opioid-related cases without straining budgets. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which administers these grants, may see increased administrative responsibilities for oversight.
• On Citizens: Families affected by the opioid crisis, particularly children in kinship or foster care, could benefit from better access to training, health services, and support, reducing risks like family separation or inadequate care. Kinship caregivers—often grandparents or other relatives—may receive more resources to manage caregiving challenges.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill is focused on domestic U.S. child welfare and opioid response.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• State and Local Child Services Agencies: Primary recipients of grants for workforce and service expansion.
• Kinship Caregivers and Families: Relatives stepping in to care for children impacted by parental opioid use, gaining support for training and health services.
• Children and Youth: Those in foster, adoptive, or kinship arrangements due to family opioid issues, benefiting from enhanced prevention and treatment.
• Foster and Adoptive Parents: Supported through recruitment and training programs.
• Federal Agencies: HHS and related offices, responsible for grant distribution and compliance.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens the framework of the 21st Century Cures Act by integrating child welfare into opioid policy, potentially setting a precedent for linking public health crises with family support laws. No conflicts with existing statutes are evident, but it requires agencies to prioritize kinship care, which could influence how child custody cases are handled under state laws.
• Constitutional: Aligns with federal spending powers under the Constitution (Article I, Section 8) for public health and welfare, without raising privacy, due process, or equal protection concerns.
• Political: Bipartisan introduction (by Reps. Strickland and Fitzpatrick) highlights cross-party consensus on the opioid crisis's family impacts. It could encourage similar state-level policies but may face debates over funding allocation amid broader budget constraints.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

Cosponsors (4)

Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]

Recent Actions

• 2025-11-21: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-11-21: Introduced in House
• 2025-11-21: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Furthering Opioid Services, Training, and Education Resources Act — issued 2025-11-21 — PDF (4 pages)