Congress Passes Bill to Help Find Missing and Runaway Foster Youth

The House passed legislation (S. 1146) on September 18 that would bolster state efforts to track missing and runaway foster youth. According to the bill sponsors, such youth are at increased risk of experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, and other exploitation. The legislation – formally entitled the “Find and Protect Foster Youth Act” – directs HHS to evaluate the effectiveness of current search procedures and to provide states with technical assistance, including with screening for sex trafficking. The bill, which has been passed in both chambers of Congress, is awaiting a presidential signature before it becomes law.