A new rule will require states to collect and report more detailed data on how the Indian Child Welfare Act is being applied in foster care cases. The move builds on years’ worth of updates to foster care reporting regulations.
The rule’s goals center on responding to concerns about the overrepresentation of American Indian and Alaska Native children in foster care. Officials say they want to achieve a better understanding of those kids’ experiences and ensure culturally appropriate care.
To do that, the federal Department of Health and Human Services says it’ll leverage the more detailed data it’s asking state child welfare agencies to report.
Last year, some states raised concerns about the cost and burden of updating systems to collect the new data, especially given some already ongoing upgrades.
But federal officials pointed to overall support for the rule and the benefits of better data as outweighing those challenges. The rule is set to take effect in February 2025, with some parts delayed until late 2028.
