July 2026 Public Policy Recap
Federal Developments Impacting Children, Families, and Communities
Each week, FFTA members receive timely policy updates, resources, and analysis designed to help organizations navigate a rapidly changing child and family serving landscape. Below are a few of the key developments highlighted during July.
All 50 States Join A Home for Every Child
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced that all 50 states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, are now participating in A Home for Every Child. Launched following the President's Fostering the Future Executive Order, the initiative supports states in strengthening foster home recruitment, retention, and support while expanding family-based placement capacity through technical assistance, implementation resources, data tools, and funding opportunities.
ACF Launches National Fostering the Future Accounts Advancement Center
Building on the June announcement of Fostering the Future Accounts, ACF launched the National Fostering the Future Accounts Advancement Center to help states, territories, and Tribes implement the new initiative. The Center will provide technical assistance, training, and implementation support as jurisdictions establish savings and investment accounts designed to improve long-term financial stability for eligible youth with foster care experience.
Children's Bureau Announces New Child Welfare Funding Opportunities
Throughout July, the Children's Bureau released a number of competitive funding opportunities supporting innovation across the child welfare continuum. New opportunities included the Foster Parents Network Analytics Hub, Title IV-E Prevention Accelerator Grants, Technology-Enhanced Adoptive Family Recruiting and Matching Innovation Hubs, Kinship Navigator grants, and several forecasted opportunities focused on adoption, prevention, Tribal programs, and system improvement. Together, these investments reflect the Administration's continued emphasis on strengthening child welfare infrastructure and expanding evidence-based services.
Federal Investment Planned for Fingerprint Modernization
Among the funding opportunities announced this month was a forecasted Notice of Funding Opportunity to modernize fingerprinting infrastructure within child welfare systems. The initiative is expected to support improvements that streamline background check processes while helping agencies strengthen workforce recruitment, hiring, and child safety through more efficient technology.
Administration Begins Process to Rescind 2024 Foster Care Placement Rule
ACF announced that it has initiated the federal rulemaking process to rescind the 2024 foster care placement rule issued by the previous administration. The rule, which addressed designated foster care placements for LGBTQ+ youth, never took effect after being vacated by a federal district court. According to ACF, rescinding the rule will remove the remaining regulatory language from the Code of Federal Regulations and align federal regulations with the rule's current legal status.
ACF Releases Tribal Consultation Report on the Supporting America's Children and Families Act
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Children's Bureau released the Supporting America's Children and Families Act Tribal Summative Consultation Report, summarizing feedback from 20 Tribes and Tribal organizations as implementation of the law moves forward. The report highlights Tribal recommendations on issues including implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), reducing administrative burden, strengthening Title IV-B planning, supporting Tribal courts, expanding culturally grounded prevention services, and protecting Tribal data sovereignty. In response, ACF outlined several implementation priorities, including enhanced technical assistance, stronger government-to-government collaboration, streamlined reporting requirements, and continued work through the Children's Bureau Tribal Cross-Functional Team.
Stay Informed
These highlights represent only a portion of the policy developments covered in FFTA's weekly member policy alerts. Members receive regular updates on federal and state policy, funding opportunities, emerging initiatives, legislative developments, and resources impacting children, families, and communities nationwide.
Writer: Treva Johnson, FFTA
