The Quality Foster Care Services Act – legislation to address the important issue of mental health

This morning the H.E.L.P. (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee held a hearing to examine mental health treatment options and trends of children and youth.
 
As part of this important conversation around mental health, Senator Baldwin highlighted the importance of therapeutic foster care (TFC) as a healthier alternative to institutionalization and overmedication of at-risk youth.

The Quality Foster Care Services Act, introduced by Senator Baldwin and Republican Senator Portman, improves TFC services across the country by establishing a federal Medicaid definition for TFC. Through this simple change, this legislation promotes accountability for states offering TFC, identifies federal financing options, and drives personnel training and standards. It also increases access to TFC for some of our most vulnerable youth and improves the quality of TFC nationwide.  

Last week, 265 national and state organizations wrote to Senate and House leadership, expressing strong support for the Quality Foster Care Services Act and the bill’s adoption. The list of support includes some of the following national leaders - the Alliance for Children and Families, Child Welfare League of America, Children’s Defense Fund, First Focus, Foster Family-based Treatment Association, Easter Seals, Mental Health America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Council for Community Behavioral Health, National Foster Care Coalition, and Voice for Adoption.
 
We are proud to have the support of these national leaders, as well as these Wisconsin TFC agencies and children’s organizations - Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Anu Family Services, Family Works, Inc., Wisconsin Association of Family & Children’s Agencies, and Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan, Inc.
 
For the future of our nation’s children and youth, the Quality Foster Care Services Act deserves the chance to move forward to further address the important issue of mental health in this county.

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For more information about the Quality Foster Care Services Act, check out our post about Tammy’s visit to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin – a leader in TFC and strong advocate for youth, children and families in Wisconsin.