Title IV-B Reauthorization: Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act

Empowering Children and Families

Last month, a bipartisan vote of 405 to 10 in the U.S. House marked a monumental victory for children and families nationwide with the passage of the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act (Title IV-B reauthorization). The collective advocacy from voices across the country emphasized the critical importance of this legislation, underscoring the power of unity in championing for our most vulnerable. This is a game-changer for C.A.S.E.

Title IV-B funds crucial programs for family support, adoption assistance, and post-adoption services, all at the heart of C.A.S.E.’s mission. The bill ensures that resources continue to be available to strengthen children’s and families’ mental health and well-being, a key focus of C.A.S.E.’s work in providing adoption-competent mental health services.

The increased funding opens exciting possibilities for C.A.S.E., allowing our organization to expand its reach, enhance the quality of its adoption-competent mental health services, and support more adoptive, foster, and kinship families. This legislation also highlights the importance of mental health within child welfare, perfectly aligning with C.A.S.E.’s ongoing advocacy for specialized, trauma-informed care for children and families. Moreover, the passage of this bill paves the way for a national commitment to improve services for vulnerable children and families.

In this area, C.A.S.E. is already a trailblazer, providing essential adoption-competent support and advocating for the mental health needs of those impacted by foster care, kinship, and adoption. While this House vote is a significant step forward, the journey isn’t over. The bill still needs to pass the U.S. Senate, and ongoing support from advocates remains critical. If enacted, this legislation will enable C.A.S.E. to broaden its impact, ensuring that adoptive and foster families have access to the mental health resources they need, and that the welfare of children remains a top priority.