THE House of Representatives on Friday unanimously passed House Bill 22-15, which proposes to establish a foster care sponsorship program under the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs-Division of Youth Services.
Authored by Rep. Joseph Leepan Guerrero, H.B. 22-15 now goes to the Senate.
According to the proposed legislation, “financial resources are scarce and funds are continuously needed to help our children and youths through foster care.”
It also stated that the current program continues to experience longer placements in foster or kinship homes due to multiple factors preventing such reunification in many cases.
H.B. 22-15 would allow DYS, which supports the bill, to provide children age 17 years or younger and under the direct care and supervision of the DCCA-DYS Child Protective Services with additional social and other services, financial support and supplies necessary for their care and welfare.
The bill authorizes the foster care sponsorship program to “accept and use a variety of funds and resources, including but not limited to legislative appropriation, DCCA funding, federal grants, CNMI grants, community donations, private and volunteer resources, in-kind, community investments, and others to provide basic necessities and additional social and other services, financial support and supplies necessary for the care and welfare of the foster children.”
Rep. Joseph Leepan T. Guerrero reviews a document during a short break from Friday’s House session.
