ACF Prin. Dep. Asst. Sec. Jeff Held to Highlight New Foster Care Rule
Published on June 18, 2024
Allegheny County Department of Human Services and Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation to Discuss Lessons Learned to Support LGBTQIA2S+ Foster Youth
PITTSBURGH – On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Jeff Hild, and Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Rebecca Jones Gaston will visit Allegheny County to highlight the new Foster Care Rule of Designated Placement Requirements for LGBTQIA2S+ children and their caregivers. They will join local government leaders and partners during a roundtable discussion to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to ensure each child in foster care receives “safe and proper” care and has a case plan that addresses the specific needs of the child while in foster care to support their health and wellbeing.
The Allegheny County Department of Human Services, through a contract with the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, provides training and support to parents, foster parents, kin, and other caregivers to better support and uplift LGBTQIA2S+ children in their care; they also provide supportive services such as Youth AFFIRM directly to LGBTQIA2S+ children and youth in foster care. The new ACF rule will require all state child welfare agencies to ensure that LGBTQIA2S+ children in foster care have access to placements with a provider trained to support their identity and meet their needs, as well as access to age-appropriate services that are supportive of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.
The visit will include a roundtable discussion between ACF’s Jeff Hild, Rebecca Jones Gaston, leaders from Allegheny County Department of Human Services and the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation. The conversation topic will be Allegheny County Lessons Learned: How can states, tribes, and Title IV-E and IV-B agencies prepare to implement the requirements of the ACF Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Children Final Rule?
The event will also provide media availability and a celebration of the services Allegheny County has been championing and leading for LGBTQIA2S+ children and youth and their caregivers. Refreshments will be provided.
WHO:
- Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, Jeff Hild (he/him)
- Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Rebecca Jones Gaston (she/her)
- Allegheny County Executive, Sara Innamorato (she/her)
- Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation Executive Director, Sarah Rosso (they/she)
- LGBTQIA2S+ Foster Care Lived Experience Leader
- Foster / Foster to Adopt Parent of an LGBTQIA2S+ Youth
WHEN: Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Address upon RSVP
RSVP to Claudia Alarco Alarco at Claudia.AlarcoAlarco@acf.hhs.gov
Media inquiries may be directed to media@acf.hhs.gov or by phone at 240-205-0719.