Inhofe Secures Victory for Foster Care Parents and Children

Press Release

INHOFE SECURES VICTORY FOR FOSTER CARE PARENTS AND CHILDREN

Senator James M. Inhofe today celebrated the passage of the Fair Access Foster Care Act of 2005 (S.1894). The bill allows all therapeutic foster care agencies to receive federal funding from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The bill passed unanimously in the Senate.

"The federal government was arbitrarily discriminating against the for-profit business model that is used to benefit 62% of the therapeutic foster care children in Oklahoma," Inhofe said. "This discrimination penalized the child-placing agencies, children and parents, and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. My bill helps maintain the availability of care for these children."

Therapeutic foster care is foster care for children with special medical, psychological, emotional, and social needs. In Oklahoma, agencies contract with the state government to place the children in appropriate homes and support families after the placement. These agencies receive funding from Medicaid and Title IV-E maintenance payments from HHS.

Recently, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services realized that federal funds could only be distributed to nonprofit therapeutic foster care agencies. An amendment to the 1996 Welfare Reauthorization Act sought to end this discrimination, but the work remained incomplete. Inhofe's bill brings an end to this discrimination, allowing all licensed therapeutic foster care agencies nation-wide to receive appropriate funding.

Over 1100 children reside in therapeutic foster care homes in Oklahoma. 536 of those children are cared for by for-profit therapeutic foster care agencies.

Congressman Tom Cole (R-Okla) has introduced similar legislation in the House, H.R. 3008. Inhofe's S.1894 has been referred the House Ways and Means Committee.

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