House Committee votes to change fed policy on LGBTQ+…

The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee this month approved an amendment which would allow child-welfare agencies to refuse to work with LGBTQ adoptive parents. The amendment, proposed during debate over a federal spending bill July 11, passed largely along party lines, 29-23.

The spending bill awaits approval by the full House, and a similar spending bill in the U.S. Senate contains no such provision.

Federal policy currently allows states to prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual adoptive parents and foster parents. Ten states currently have laws allowing contracted children’s services agencies to refuse to work with prospective LGBTQ parents based on religious belief. Missouri is not one of these states; Kansas is.

Low-Hanging Fruit

Missouri currently has one of the highest per-capita rates of children in state custody — about 9 children per 1,000 people. The national average is about 5.4 children. In the last 10 years, we’ve seen dramatic growth of 31% among children in state custody at some point during the year between 2007 and 2017.

The crisis requires evidence-based, collaborative policy changes. To that end, the Missouri Children’s Division has worked with stakeholders — including child-welfare professionals, parents and children — to craft action for legislators during the current session. One bill in particular passed a milestone this week in that the Missouri House of Representatives “perfected” it — meaning no amendments can be made before it is passed by the full House and sent to the Senate. Read more “Low-Hanging Fruit” →