WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following hearings and direct consultation with foster youth with lived experience, the Ways and Means Committee recently unveiled bipartisan reforms to modernize the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (“Chafee”) and improve outcomes for the nearly 16,000 foster youth who “age out” of foster care with no permanent connections to family.

These Chafee reforms will improve coordination across federal housing programs and child welfare agencies, strengthen educational support and workforce training opportunities, increase access to legal services, and enhance services for expectant and parenting youth. As part of her Fostering the Future initiative, First Lady Melania Trump joined Committee Members and foster youth leaders earlier this month for a bipartisan roundtable to discuss the Committee’s legislation and need for reform.

More than 150 national, state, and local organizations championing foster youth have endorsed the reforms, as well as 420 foster youth, former foster youth, and caregivers.

Think Of Us

“We are grateful to members of the Ways and Means Committee for listening to what young people say they need and for working together across the aisle to develop these six bills. Each of these bills is an important step toward a system that is comprehensive, well-resourced, and driven by the voices of young people who have experienced it…we applaud the Committee for demonstrating that bipartisan progress is possible when we start by listening to them, and we look forward to continuing to work together on their behalf.” – Sixto Cancel, Founder & CEO, Think of Us

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption 

“This historic, comprehensive package proposal represents a meaningful step forward in addressing the complex and interconnected challenges faced by young people transitioning out of foster care… Navigating an increasingly complex world as a young adult without the safety net of a permanent family can be daunting at best and, too often, results in negative outcomes for many youth. By advancing policies grounded in evidence, best practices and compassion, you are helping to ensure that youth transitioning from foster care are significantly better equipped to thrive and succeed as adults” – Rita L. Soronen, President, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

National Center for Housing & Child Welfare 

“Your solutions are meaningful, pragmatic, elegantly straightforward, and will have an immediate, measurable impact upon your constituents. The Committee adds additional flexibility and directs professionals to be forthcoming, transparent, and to use resources predictably to close the gaps through which youth fall unnecessarily into homelessness and human trafficking.” – Ruth White, Executive Director, NCHCW 

FosterClub

“These bills respond directly to what young people have said they face when the relationships and resources aren’t in place: homelessness, parenting without support, legal barriers, limited education and work pathways, and leaving care without lifelong connections. Critically, these bills don’t just identify solutions — they require meaningful partnership with young people who have lived this experience to put changes into practice. That commitment, reflected in subcommittee meetings and direct youth testimony, is exactly the approach that works.” – Celeste Bodner, Executive Director, FosterClub

iFoster

“On behalf of the 40,000 transition-age foster youth we serve nationwide, we enthusiastically support the package of bipartisan bills to modernize the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program and expand access to critical resources for foster youth.” – Serita Cox, CEO and Co-Founder, iFoster

Journey to Success

“We applaud the committee’s leadership to strengthen federal supports for young people in – and transitioning from – foster care. By tackling real-world barriers and promoting stable relationships, education, employment, and housing – these bipartisan proposals help put more young people on a path to thrive.” – Hope Cooper, Campaign Manager, Journey to Success

Voice for Adoption

“These bipartisan bills strengthen outcomes for young people with lived experience in foster care and reflect what we know from research and practice: when systems are aligned and youth are supported holistically, outcomes improve.” – Shania Pride, Executive Director, Voice for Adoption

Foster Family Treatment Association 

“The legislative package introduced by members of the Ways and Means Committee represents the most significant update to the Chafee program since its creation in 1999. These proposals reflect bipartisan collaboration and a shared commitment to ensuring that young people leaving care have meaningful opportunities to thrive… These proposals align closely with what FFTA members see every day in communities across the country…modernizing the Chafee program in these ways will better align federal policy with the realities young people face today and strengthen outcomes for thousands of youth each year.” – Treva R. Johnson, Director of Public Policy & State Partnerships, FFTA

Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

“Taken together, this package highlights a thoughtful focus on the interconnected systems that shape outcomes for young people and underscores a shared commitment to promoting long-term stability, well-being, and opportunity.” – Kate McLean, Executive Director, CCAI

National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Guardians ad Litem (GAL) Association

“The National CASA/GAL Association, on behalf of 890 CASA/GAL state organizations and local programs across the country, commends the House Ways and Means Committee for its bipartisan efforts to strengthen the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood. Young people transitioning from foster care continue to face significant barriers to housing stability, education and workforce opportunities, and lasting supportive relationships. These legislative efforts reflect important steps toward updating the Chafee program to better respond to those challenges, and we support continued bipartisan engagement to improve outcomes for youth as they transition into adulthood.” – National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Guardians ad Litem (GAL) Association

American Academy of Pediatrics

“For years, pediatricians have advocated to improve child welfare policies to better address the needs of children, youth, and families, guided by the critical precepts of safety, permanency, and well-being that support the healthy development of our patients. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly supports these six bills, which would make needed reforms for young people transitioning out of foster care, by increasing access to housing, education, legal aid, job preparation, and overall life skills services to support their ability to thrive.” – AAP President Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, FAAP.