Harrisburg, PA – January 29, 2025 − Members of the Democratic Caucus have introduced a package of bills designed to tackle systemic issues within Pennsylvania’s foster care and child protection systems. The proposed legislation prioritizes the well-being of children, families and caseworkers by advancing equity and accessibility in foster and adoption services.
The sponsors of the bill package, State Senators Maria Collett, Judy Schwank, Carolyn Comitta and Patty Kim, worked diligently to craft legislation that addresses the urgent needs of Pennsylvania’s foster care and child protection systems.
“As an attorney who advocated for children’s rights, I know how important it is that those entering the child protection system can access the services and supports they need – and that government inefficiencies aren’t hindering their wellbeing,” said Collett, Democratic Chair of Aging & Youth. “By establishing the Children’s Cabinet and reforming the county licensing process, my legislation will ensure our state and county agencies work more collaboratively and effectively to protect Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable population.”
Schwank added, “Kin care is a safe alternative to foster care that takes pressure off the foster care system and provides children with a familiar, supportive living arrangement. To improve foster care in Pennsylvania, making commonsense changes to remove non-safety-related barriers family members must navigate before getting kinship care certified is a necessary and important step.”
The package features five key bills:
- Creation of a Children’s Cabinet (Collett, Maria): This legislation establishes a Children’s Cabinet to ensure collaboration across departments and align priorities to improve outcomes for children and families.
- Licensing of County Child Welfare Agencies (Collett, Maria): Another bill from Sen. Collett focuses on improving collaboration between the Department of Human Services (DHS) and counties by reforming the licensing process to reflect federal outcomes such as timely investigations and enhanced family engagement.
- Kin Care Support Policy (Schwank, Judy): To expand kinship care opportunities, this bill reduces barriers for relatives to become certified foster parents and allows young adults, ages 18 and older, to care for related children in need.
- Protections for LGBTQ Foster and Adoptive Parents (Comitta, Carolyn): This legislation prohibits discrimination against foster and adoptive parents based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, ensuring a fair and inclusive system for all.
- Addressing Staffing Shortages in Child Welfare (Kim, Patty): To address critical workforce shortages, this bill introduces student loan forgiveness for social workers.
“Thousands of Pennsylvania children who are in foster care or awaiting adoption deserve access to a system that works efficiently, effectively, and fairly in placing them in safe, supportive, and loving homes,” said Comitta. “For their sake, all qualified and eligible individuals deserve to be considered as potential foster and adoption parents regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or other factors.”
“Child welfare workers play a vital role in supporting our youth that may be in a vulnerable and often life-threatening situation,” Kim said. “Our case workers are the backbone and often the last resort in addressing foster youths’ safety concerns and in helping connect families with resources. Through their thankless work, lives are changed for the better. One of my priorities is to support the workers who support our communities, and I am proud to be part of this critical effort to help sustain and grow our child welfare workforce.”
The Democratic Caucus remains committed in its mission to ensure that every child in Pennsylvania has access to a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. These bills address critical gaps in the current system, providing the tools necessary to support children and the families who care for them.
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