Focusing on National Reunification Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to coanchor this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour, along with my distinguished colleague, Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.

As we commence this CBC Special Order hour, we will dedicate the next 60 minutes to National Reunification Month, focusing on a deeply concerning issue, the disproportionate separation of Black families by foster care and welfare services. This critical issue is not just of concern to the Congressional Black Caucus or Congress but a matter of significance for all Americans. Let us shed light on these unsettling realities and provide solutions and champion the reunification of families across our Nation.

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Cherfilus- McCormick for her great words.

Moore).

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Gwen Moore from Wisconsin, who so eloquently and passionately articulated the plight of reunification and the challenges that lie before us.

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Donald Payne, Jr., from the State of New Jersey for those eloquent words.

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, June is National Reunification Month, an important designation that remains unknown to many, but one that warrants wider understanding and greater attention. In the grand tapestry of life, one universal truth weaves its thread throughout-- that none of us can journey far or aim high without some form of familial structure to ground us. Family, in its various forms and definitions, provides the anchors we all need.

As we turn our attention to the realities underscored by the data from fiscal year 2021, a stark and uncomfortable picture emerges that further emphasizes the urgency of the matter at hand.

Over the year, investigations of maltreatment involved a staggering 587,330 children in the United States.

Each of these represents a unique story, a child who has faced abuse or neglect severe enough that allegations of maltreatment were substantiated, and a life irrevocably scarred by these experiences.

Moreover, this vast number doesn't tell the complete story. Over 200,000 children were placed into the foster care system in that same year, a heartrending reflection of the urgency and complexity of the issues that we confront. While these numbers are staggering on their own, the statistics take on an even darker shade when viewed through the lens of racial disparities.

The overrepresentation of African-American children in the foster care system is a disturbing trend that we can no longer ignore.

Despite representing only 14 percent of the general population, African-American children accounted for 20 percent of the children entering the foster care system in fiscal year 2021. This disproportionate representation extends to multiracial children as well, revealing a systemic bias that must be addressed.

In certain States, this disproportionality is even more pronounced, spotlighting a deeply rooted racial bias that is pervasive and detrimental. The repercussions of these disparities stretch far beyond the immediate impact, creating a ripple effect that touches every aspect of these children's lives, from their education and mental health to their future economic opportunities.

Taking a broader perspective, if we look back over the span from 2005 to 2021, the data paints an even more troubling picture. During this period, an alarming one out of every 125 children identifying as Black or African American found themselves in foster care at any given point in time. This points to a deep-seated systemic issue that transcends temporal and geographical boundaries, further underscoring the urgent need for reform.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today not just as an elected Representative, but as a living testament to this profound truth. I am an embodiment of the power of familial support and a witness to the transformative impact it can have on a child's life. It is within the secure confines of a loving family that a child can break free from the constraints of financial, existential, and emotional insecurity, daring to dream bigger, reach higher, and grow more fully.

A grim reality, however, casts a long shadow over our Nation--the practice of unnecessary family separations. This is not a side issue or a minor concern, but a grave matter that demands serious attention and conscious action from each of us.

The current system as it stands is marred by prejudice and arbitrariness, permitting the removal of children from their families without the absolute justification of immediate harm. This is a practice that we must challenge, question, and ultimately transform.

The era must come to an end when social workers and others were permitted to pass judgment on a family's worthiness based on race, economic status, or cultural and religious beliefs. A family's integrity should not be a matter for prejudiced scrutiny but respected as the bedrock of our society.

It is crucial to emphatically state that Black children, like all children, need the nurturing care of their parents. They need to experience life's joys and challenges within the safety net of their own families, enriching their identity and strengthening their roots.

There exists a blatant contradiction when some claim to champion the cause of families while simultaneously supporting policies that splinter their very familial structures.

How can one profess commitment to family values while advocating for policies that fundamentally undermine the very foundation of families?

Every family, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or geographical origin, has an undeniable right to raise their children in an environment free from undue governmental interference and unwarranted judgment from uninvested bureaucrats. Be they Black, Hispanic, indigenous, Asian, from the Appalachia, or from the South Side of Chicago, every family deserves this opportunity.

Perhaps it is time to look inward and address the root issues that plague our society. If we ensured a living wage for our workers, would we not see a reduction in the number of children entering the foster care system?

If we treated the root causes of addiction, would we not see fewer children that would need to be separated from their families?

Moreover, if we could cease making assumptions based on racial stereotypes about families different from our very own view, we might prevent the stigmatization of countless children. We might stop reducing them to mere cogs in the machinery of systemic racism and bigotry and instead acknowledge their individuality, their potential, and their dreams.

Today, I implore each and every one of us and you to present this to the House and to lend your ears to the voices that often go unheard. Listen to the stories of children and young people in the foster care system, their struggles, their hopes, and their dreams. Remember the dedicated caretakers who selflessly serve these children. Children who have been placed in the foster care system, for reasons reckless or legitimate, must never be rendered invisible or forgotten.

We must always remember that their lives matter. Their dreams are of critical importance to the tapestry of our future. Their spiritual, psychological, and emotional well-being is an essential cornerstone of the America we aspire to become.

A child living with criticism--we have heard--learns to condemn. A child exposed to hostility learns to fight. A child steeped in shame learns guilt. However, if we raise a child in an environment filled with encouragement, fairness, and approval, then they learn to be confident, just, and to love themselves.

Our government's paramount responsibility is to the welfare of our children. This responsibility outweighs any issues of national security or economic superiority. It is the heart and soul of representative government. Our constituents did not elect us to represent their vested interests but to defend and advance policies that secure a brighter and better future for their children.

Nobody sent us here to indulge in meaningless squabbles. We were not elected to be rulers of insignificant territories. We were chosen to represent their hopes and dreams and to make the task of raising and keeping families together easier.

As we recently celebrated Juneteenth, we remember what formerly enslaved Africans did after their emancipation. History bears witness that they walked great distances in search of family members who had been sold away and taken from them. They traversed the length and breadth of the South, driven by an indomitable spirit and an unwavering resolve to reunite their families. This is the spirit we should embody as we observe National Reunification Month.

The Congressional Black Caucus members will not stand by and watch families be torn apart in America again. No child should be thrust into a system unless they are in immediate danger. This is our pledge, and this is our solemn promise.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the life of my grandmother, Gertrude Brown, who was a foster child who was orphaned at the age of 14. I represent her indomitable spirit.

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick for her remarks.

Mr. Speaker, you have heard from my distinguished colleagues about family reunification.

I thank the Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Mr. Steve Horsford. I thank the Honorable Gwen Moore. I thank the Honorable Donald Payne, Jr. I thank my honorable colleagues who joined us today on all issues of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, our constituents, Congress, and all Americans tonight.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, June 2023 marks National Reunification Month, honoring those who work tirelessly to keep families together across the nation.

Here we are, recognizing the individuals and continuing initiatives that support keeping families together.

The topic for this year's reunification is ``Shifting Power and Reconnecting Families All Year Long.''

The three important themes during Reunification Month include:

1. The fact that we should celebrate parents and children who have successfully reunited and understand how challenging an accomplishment it may be.

2. Celebrate child welfare professionals, kin caregivers, and resource families who helped make reunification a reality for parents and children. And lastly . . .

3. Inspire parents and professionals who are currently involved in child welfare to see that Reunification Matters and Reunification Happens.

It is also a good time to commit once more to supporting, enhancing, and intensifying these initiatives all year long.

By definition, the child welfare system is a collection of programs and services aimed at optimizing children's well-being by ensuring their safety, establishing durability, and aiding their families.

The operation and provision of child welfare services may vary from state to state, but all states are accountable for adhering to federal and state laws.

And yet, the stress of involvement in the child welfare system and foster care placement instability can contribute to or exacerbate mental health problems, and a child's unmet physical and mental health requirements have been related to placement instability.

I want to acknowledge that there are too many, particularly Black and African American children, unnecessarily taken from their homes and placed in foster care.

Not only are child protective agencies more likely to investigate Black homes, remove their children, and place them in foster care, but Black children are prone to spend more time in foster care and are less likely to be reunified with their families.

Research tells us that Black children are less likely to be reunified than White and Hispanic children, older children are less likely to be reunified and children with health or mental health issues are less likely to be reunited.

In addition, more than 200,000 kids entered foster care, and 587,330 of those cases of maltreatment or neglect have been documented nationwide.

Every child deserves a village of support.

In Houston, there are well over 2,000 children currently in the foster care system.

Texas alone response times the hotline to report child abuse, neglect, or exploitation, increased by half a minute, with callers waiting on hold an average of 5.2 minutes, since the January 2022 report.

Furthermore, research on kinship care has indicated that children placed with relatives have better behavior, mental health, and well- being than children placed in non-relative foster care, and that children placed with family have higher placement stability.

Older foster youth have the same needs as younger children for a safe and loving family that will support them into maturity.

It is extremely unfair that youth who age out of foster care are more likely to encounter homelessness, unemployment, early parenthood, and substance abuse. That is why I congratulate the Hay Center for using Federal Block grant funds to build housing for aged out youth with wraparound services in Houston.

The needs, experiences, and voices of children and youth in foster care as well as their families and aretakers need to be lifted.

Everyone has a part to play in making communities and families stronger and lowering the need for foster care in a secure manner.

This year commemorates the fifth anniversary of the Family First Prevention Services Act's passage.

I am astounded that the passage of this law, that emphasis on the child alone was replaced with one that included the family as well.

Family First made financing available for a variety of authorized evidence-based prevention-focused programs, such as those to address mental health issues, substance use disorders, and to offer parental skills-building.

Family First prevention plans have been filed by 45 states including Texas and 4 tribes to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and several have already started putting them into practice.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the need for more innovative ways, like telehealth, to provide mental health services to children, youth, and their caretakers.

Several state child welfare agencies are co-designing techniques to design with individuals and communities rather than for them. This method elevates the voices and experiences of adolescents, parents, relatives, and foster parents.

The Harris County Plan of Safe Care Steering Committee is a cross- sector group of organizations from academia, child welfare, healthcare, justice, public safety, and substance use disorder prevention treatment.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services operates a ``Treatment Foster Family Care'' program to stabilize children at risk of placement in a congregate care setting or psychiatric hospital who experience emotional, behavioral, or mental health difficulties.

Transforming the child welfare system will require the development of new policies, practices, and infrastructures that prioritize prevention and the well-being of children and families.

As well as meaningful participation of those with lived experience in all stages of reform planning, development, and implementation.

Many people find the process of receiving assistance to be unnecessarily difficult.

Not to mention the overwhelmingly horrifying number of children who are placed in unlicensed homes.

It is illegal to place children overnight in unlicensed facilities, but because of mounting demand, children are sleeping in such places anyway.

The harm to faster children goes beyond loneliness and missed meals.

It saddens me to know foster children have been subjected to physical and sexual abuse in these temporary placements.

Children have gone missing while in state care and some have been groomed for sexual trafficking.

CPS workers--trained for case management, not therapeutic care--have their hands tied in how to respond.

We are talking about traumatized children who have been subjected to abuse and neglect.

Children who are now being housed in temporary residential treatment centers or temporary group homes under the supervision of CPS staff.

Placement into foster care is a significant and traumatic experience in the life of a child, and for their family.

That is why we need to work to support and strengthen families and prevent unnecessary removals of children from their homes.

Too often, the perspectives of children, youth, and families, have been silenced in debates about how communities may improve their approach to child and family well-being.

We should all believe in hope.

Hope is the belief by a family that despite the challenges they face, the strength and support of neighbors and others in the community will help them to overcome and thrive.

Childhood should be some of the most beautiful moments of your life.

No one person young or old should endure what many of our nation's people are experiencing.

No child left behind means exactly that.

Our children are the future, the past and most importantly the present.

Do not take your focus off of the important and what some may deem ``touchy'' subjects, because they are the most pivotal in the end.

They are all of our children and every one of us is needed to safeguard and protect them.

As co-chair of the Children's Caucus, I encourage all of us to continue to dig deeper, love more and reach out to children in need.

As Members of Congress, it is our duty to do even more to ensure all safeguards are in place and to uphold laws, and to create or amend laws where needed.

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