Sponsors (5)
The bill directs a small dedicated share of existing grant funds to expand prevention, treatment, workforce, and caregiver supports for children and families affected by opioids, trading reduced flexibility and modest funding cuts to other grant activities plus added administrative burden — with risk that the 1% set‑aside will be inadequate in high‑need states.
Children and kinship caregivers gain targeted access to opioid prevention and treatment services through a dedicated 1% set‑aside.
State and local agencies receive funding for workforce recruitment and training, expanding capacity to identify and treat families affected by opioid misuse.
Support for foster and adoptive parent recruitment and training may improve care options and stability for children impacted by parental opioid misuse.
Redirecting a 1% set‑aside reduces funds available for other 21st Century Cures grant activities in the affected fiscal year, shrinking resources for competing priorities.
A 1% set‑aside may be insufficient to meet needs in high‑need states, leaving children and kinship caregivers underserved where the opioid burden is greatest.
New reporting and administrative requirements for states and local agencies will increase compliance costs and program complexity.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs 1% of an existing 21st Century Cures Act grant program to fund opioid prevention/treatment services, workforce training, and foster/adoptive recruitment for children, caregivers, and kinship families.
Official title: To amend the 21st Century Cures Act to support State and local agencies with responsibility for children services in their response to the opioid abuse crisis, and for other purposes.
Introduced November 21, 2025 by Marilyn Strickland · Last progress November 21, 2025
Adds a targeted grant authority within the existing 21st Century Cures Act program to fund opioid prevention and treatment services for children, caregivers, kinship care families, and kinship caregivers; funds workforce recruitment and training and foster/adoptive parent recruitment and training; defines “kinship care family” and “kinship caregiver”; and reserves 1 percent of the program’s annual funding amount for these new activities.