FOSTER Act

This bill amends the 21st Century Cures Act to support state and local child welfare agencies in responding to the opioid crisis by adding a new grant purpose and definitions, and by authorizing additional funding.

Sec. 2, Opioid grants to support caregivers, kinship care families, and kinship caregivers: The bill adds a new purpose for opioid grants under the 21st Century Cures Act, allowing funds to support opioid abuse prevention and treatment services provided by state and local child welfare agencies for children, caregivers, kinship care families, and kinship caregivers. These services include workforce recruitment and training, health care services, and foster and adoptive parent recruitment and training.

Sec. 2, Definitions: The bill adds definitions for "kinship care family" (a family with a kinship caregiver) and "kinship caregiver" (a relative of a child by blood, marriage, or adoption who lives with the child, is the primary caregiver because the biological or adoptive parent is unable or unwilling, and has a legal relationship or is raising the child informally).

Sec. 2, Authorization of appropriations: The bill authorizes an additional $255,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2033 for the opioid grant program.

Sec. 2, Set aside: The bill requires that 1 percent of the total amount appropriated for the opioid grant program in each fiscal year be set aside to carry out the new grant purpose for supporting children, caregivers, kinship care families, and kinship caregivers.