Help Grandfamilies Prevent Child Abuse Act

The Help Grandfamilies Prevent Child Abuse Act amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to better support children raised by relatives (kinship families) and their caregivers, primarily grandparents. It requires states to prioritize placing children with relatives as the first option, provide training for kinship caregivers on child behavioral health and trauma, and create community networks to support these families. The bill also mandates that federal grants for child welfare programs include specific plans for engaging kinship caregivers and tracking children placed with relatives outside foster care. These provisions directly affect over 2.4 million children in kinship families and the state systems that serve them.