Nikolas Hughey SAFE Homes for Kids Act

The Nikolas Hughey SAFE Homes for Kids Act would require the Department of Defense to strengthen support for military families by improving access to foster care information and counseling. Specifically, it would mandate that counselors assigned to the Family Advocacy Program or Military and Family Life Program at U.S. military installations be trained on each state’s foster care requirements and resources, and that these trained counselors be designated as “foster care liaisons.” It would also require Military OneSource to provide a clear path for families to obtain state-specific foster care information, and would press the Department to collaborate with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families to obtain relevant resources and training curricula. In short, the bill aims to make foster care options and state rules more visible and easier to navigate for military families, through standardized counselor training, a dedicated information channel, and interagency coordination.