Help Grandfamilies Prevent Child Abuse Act

Section 3(a) adds organizations providing services to kinship families, birth parents, kinship caregivers, and foster care alumni to the Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. This is positive because it gives a direct voice to individuals and groups with lived experience and specialized knowledge in the decision-making process.

Section 3(b) requires the National Clearinghouse to coordinate with the Grandfamilies and Kinship Support Network to share evidence-based practices for supporting children in kinship families. This is a positive step because it helps share valuable information on how to properly care for children both inside and outside the child welfare system.

Section 3(c) mandates that grant-funded procedures reflect equity for children placed with kin, prioritize kin as the first placement option, and support permanent families and community networks. This is beneficial because it helps keep children with relatives who already know and love them rather than placing them with strangers.

Section 3(e) updates community-based grants and local programs to support the unique needs of kinship families, including training caregivers on how to handle behavioral health challenges and understand substance use disorders. This is a positive provision because it equips everyday grandparents and relatives with the knowledge and skills needed to care for traumatized or vulnerable children.