Federal grants fund mentoring for foster youth, with rigorous safeguards.
H.R. 4769 — Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 2025 · Filed by Mary Scanlon (D-PA) · 23 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 25, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill authorizes federal grants to nonprofits, state agencies, schools, tribes, and faith-based organizations to establish or expand mentoring programs for children and youth in foster care. The grants fund mentor recruitment, training, screening, and program operations, with mentors receiving compensation. The bill requires mentors to undergo background checks, intensive training on trauma and child development, and structured matching with youth for at least one year.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a straightforward federal grant program to fund mentoring services for a vulnerable population. It is a direct public investment in child welfare with no hidden carve-outs or immunity provisions.
What the text implies
- Mentors are compensated, which may create employment pathways for transition-aged foster youth themselves (peer mentors), potentially addressing both mentoring gaps and youth employment simultaneously.
- The bill requires programs to consult foster youth in program design, embedding youth voice in governance—a structural shift toward participatory accountability in child welfare.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
nonprofit mentoring organizations; state child welfare agencies; local educational agencies