Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2023

The Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2023 requires states receiving federal foster care funds to create and annually update a "Family Partnership Plan" focused on improving recruitment and retention of foster and adoptive families. The plan must use data to address racial/ethnic matching, reduce unnecessary group care placements, and include strategies for engaging children, youth, and relatives in recruitment. States must collect and report annual data on foster family capacity, unused family slots, barriers reported by foster parents, and challenges in recruiting families that reflect children’s racial/ethnic backgrounds. This bill also mandates that states include these specific data points in their annual child welfare reports to Congress starting in 2025.