A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
H.R. 9878, known as the Help Grandfamilies Prevent Child Abuse Act, amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The bill focuses on providing better protections and support for children raised in kinship families, or grandfamilies, outside of the traditional foster care system. It updates the Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect to include kinship organizations, birth parents, kinship caregivers, and foster care alumni. The legislation also directs the National Clearinghouse for Information Relating to Child Abuse to coordinate with the Grandfamilies and Kinship Support Network. Additionally, it adjusts state and community-based grant programs to prioritize kinship placements, support unique needs, and offer targeted training.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Would children be better off under this?
The bill improves protections and support for children in kinship placements.
- Scored +5
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill supports grandparents who are frequently the primary caregivers in kinship families.
- Scored +5
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The bill increases training for kinship caregivers to handle mental health challenges.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 3(a) adds organizations providing services to kinship families, birth parents, kinship caregivers, and foster care alumni to the Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. This is positive because it gives a direct voice to individuals and groups with lived experience and specialized knowledge in the decision-making process.
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Section 3(b) requires the National Clearinghouse to coordinate with the Grandfamilies and Kinship Support Network to share evidence-based practices for supporting children in kinship families. This is a positive step because it helps share valuable information on how to properly care for children both inside and outside the child welfare system.
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Section 3(c) mandates that grant-funded procedures reflect equity for children placed with kin, prioritize kin as the first placement option, and support permanent families and community networks. This is beneficial because it helps keep children with relatives who already know and love them rather than placing them with strangers.
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Section 3(e) updates community-based grants and local programs to support the unique needs of kinship families, including training caregivers on how to handle behavioral health challenges and understand substance use disorders. This is a positive provision because it equips everyday grandparents and relatives with the knowledge and skills needed to care for traumatized or vulnerable children.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not contain any explicit sections or provisions outlining negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill improves protections and support for children in kinship placements. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill supports grandparents who are frequently the primary caregivers in kinship families. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — It provides additional resources and navigation for families in vulnerable situations. Would retired people be better off under this? — The bill provides support for grandparents acting as caregivers.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill increases training for kinship caregivers to handle mental health challenges. Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill includes training for caregivers to understand substance use disorders.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make child care cost less? — The bill provides better training and support for kinship caregivers raising children.
- 8/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/22/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Gwen MooreDemocrat · Wisconsin
Glenn ThompsonRepublican · Pennsylvania