Bipartisan bill would promote peer mentorship to help parents & caregivers of children receiving child welfare services, foster parents & adoptive parents

Dwight Evans (D-PA) has introduced a bipartisan bill that promotes peer mentorship across the child welfare system to help parents and caregivers of youth receiving services, foster parents, and adoptive parents.

- Dwight Evans

The House Ways and Means Committee approved substantially similar legislation.

Evans, a member of the committee, introduced the PEER (Parents Engaging with Experienced Resilient) Mentors Act (H.R. 9041) with four co-lead sponsors: Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Ways and Means colleagues Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Gwen Moore (D-WI); and Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA). The legislation also has the support of several stakeholder groups.

Evans said, "This would help more parents of vulnerable young people to get vital assistance, and I believe that starting out with bipartisan support increases the chance of passing this type of legislation in the full House. I want to thank all four co-lead sponsors for coming together to help parents and kids!"

"Navigating the child welfare system as a foster care parent can be challenging," said Rep. Bacon. "Stability in a safe-loving environment is critical for children who have been in the foster care system. The PEER Mentors Act will help provide support for new foster care parents as they step up to care for kids in foster care."