Legislative Updates

Bill: SB52 (2026 Regular Session)

Senator Stewart Cathey, Jr. (Republican)

• Focus: Ensures foster children retain access to their federal survivor and disability benefits, preventing the state from using those funds for general care costs.
• Initiative Opportunity: Advocate for transparent tracking, reporting, and family/caregiver education about these benefits. Develop outreach to ensure eligible children and kin caregivers receive entitled resources.

Bill: SB33 (2026 Regular Session)

Senator Patrick McMath (Republican)

• Focus: Addresses issues related to children in foster care, including placement stability and pathways to permanency (reunification, guardianship, adoption).
• Initiative Opportunity: Promote best practices for placement stability, kinship navigation, and wraparound support. Consider pilot projects or resource mapping for family preservation and reunification services.

Bill: HB223 (2026 Regular Session)

Representative Dustin Miller (Democrat)

• Focus: Re-creates and updates the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), with implications for program administration and service delivery.
• Initiative Opportunity: Evaluate how changes to DCFS structure impact family stability and resource access. Propose recommendations for reducing administrative barriers and improving family engagement in service planning.