Sponsors (2)
The bill directs federal attention, training, and an evidence-based report to reduce harms from unregulated custody transfers and improve adoption supports, trading off increased scrutiny and potential costs or administrative burdens for families, states, and taxpayers.
Children and youth at risk of unregulated custody transfers will receive stronger federal attention and guidance to help prevent abandonment and improve permanency outcomes.
Prospective adoptive families will get clearer information on pre- and post-adoption supports, which can reduce adoption disruptions and improve placement stability.
State, local, and Tribal child welfare workers will gain educational materials and technical assistance to better identify and respond to unregulated custody transfers, improving frontline practice.
Families using informal custody arrangements may face increased scrutiny or reduced flexibility if states or agencies tighten rules in response to federal attention.
State and local governments may face additional expectations to change laws or practices in response to federal recommendations, creating administrative and compliance burdens.
Taxpayers may bear increased administrative costs for expanded federal guidance and outreach, with no guaranteed reduction in the incidence of unregulated custody transfers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs HHS and other federal agencies to expand education, technical assistance, and federal resources on unregulated custody transfers and requires a congressional report within two years.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Amy Klobuchar · Last progress February 13, 2025
Creates a new federal provision to address harms from so-called “unregulated custody transfers” of children by defining the term, excluding State safe-haven infant surrenders, and directing HHS (with other Federal agencies) to expand education, technical assistance, and public resources for child welfare workers and prospective adoptive families. It also requires a report to Congress within two years analyzing causes, prevalence by State, recommended legal and practice changes, public information strategies, and actions taken under the technical assistance work. The Act also makes a minor cross-reference update and establishes a short title.