H.R. 9994 — Family Poverty is Not Child Neglect Act

This section requires state plans for child welfare services to assure that no child is separated from a parent or guardian solely on the basis of poverty and to develop or improve services and benefits to keep families in poverty safely together, such as assistance for housing insecurity or unemployment of parents or guardians.

This section requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit a report within 2 years after enactment to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee on the effects of poverty on child welfare contacts, investigations, allegations of neglect or abuse, removals from the home, and placements in foster or kinship care. The report must also include recommendations for legislation to collect such data and to prevent poverty-related family separations.