Bill · H.R. 579· House(119-HR-579)
Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/21/2025
- Last activity
- 3/5/2025 — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Randy Feenstra
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 1
- Introduced
- Passed House
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025 aims to improve the recruitment and retention of foster and adoptive families. It requires states to develop and implement a family partnership plan to identify, support, and retain these families. These plans must be created in consultation with various stakeholders, including birth families and youth with lived experience. The bill mandates the use of data to improve placement stability and increase kinship placements. Additionally, the act requires states to report on their family capacity and the specific challenges faced during the recruitment process. Finally, it updates the annual report to Congress to include more detailed information regarding foster and adoptive families.
Yes· 3 of 5
Would children be better off under this?+7
The bill mandates child-specific recruitment plans and requires authentic engagement of youth in the foster care process.
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?+5
The bill requires states to analyze and report on barriers to recruiting families that reflect the racial and ethnic backgrounds of children in care.
Would Black Americans be better off under this?+3
The bill focuses on recruiting families that reflect the racial and ethnic backgrounds of children in care to improve placement outcomes.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Family Support and Recruitment: States must develop a family partnership plan to assist with the identification, recruitment, screening, licensing, support, and retention of foster and adoptive families (Section 2(a)).
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Increased Inclusion of Stakeholder Voices: The plan requires consultation with birth, kinship, foster, and adoptive families, as well as community providers and youth with lived experience (Section 2(a)(2)(1)).
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Child-Specific Planning: The bill requires states to develop and implement child-specific recruitment plans for every child in or entering foster care who needs a family (Section 2(a)(2)(2)(B)).
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Engagement of Youth: The plan mandates ways to authentically engage children and youth in recruitment efforts on their own behalf (Section 2(a)(2)(2)(C)).
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Focus on Stability and Kinship: The use of data is intended to increase permanency, improve placement stability, and increase the rate of kinship placements (Section 2(a)(2)(2)(D)).
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Addressing Racial and Ethnic Barriers: States must analyze and report on challenges in recruiting families that reflect the racial and ethnic background of children in care, along with efforts to overcome these barriers (Section 2(a)(2)(5) and Section 2(a)(2)(6)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- State Legislative Delays: If a state requires new legislation to meet these new requirements, there may be a delay in compliance until after the first regular session of the State legislature begins (Section 2(b)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+7Good For African Americans+3Good For Hispanic Americans+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+5Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- 3/5/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 3/4/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H962-963)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H962-963)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 579.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H962-964)
- Mr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 3/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/21/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Brendan BoyleDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Zachary NunnRepublican · Iowa