Sullivan Seeks to Expand Military Families’ Access to Foster Care Opportunities

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), today introduced legislation to establish foster care liaison officers through existing programs at the Department of Defense (DOD) to increase military family awareness of and participation in foster care opportunities. Military families face significant barriers in fostering and adopting children due to limited resources, lack of centralized support, and a complex state-by-state process.
“Our men and women in uniform are, by the very nature of their calling, selfless and service-oriented, which is why they make such ideal foster parents and mentors to young people,”said Sen. Sullivan. “Our country, and Alaska in particular, is in serious need of foster parents, but regulatory barriers, the challenge of duty station changes, and a general lack of awareness often prevent military service members from taking advantage of adoption and fostering opportunities. Today, I’m introducing legislation today to help our military families understand and navigate complex foster programs and to give our foster youth greater access to stable, loving families that can put them on a path to success when they become adults.”
Leveraging existing DOD infrastructure, Sen. Sullivan’s legislation would:
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