Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (2014): Normalcy, Missing Children, and Youth Voice in Foster Care

This bill is law. It was approved September 29, 2014, as Public Law 113-183 Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). Several of its requirements took effect one year later Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

The short answer

The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act changed the federal rules for state foster care programs Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). States must identify and report children at risk of sex trafficking Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014) and locate children missing from foster care Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). Caregivers use a reasonable and prudent parent standard to let foster children join everyday activities Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). Youth 14 and older help write their own case plans Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

Congress.gov lists the bill's final action as "Became Public Law No: 113-183" Congress.gov bill status for H.R. 4980 (113th Congress).

What it changes

Sex trafficking. The state agency must have policies, including caseworker training, to identify, document, and find services for children and youth who are, or are at risk of being, sex trafficking victims Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). This includes children with an open case who have not been removed from home Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). When a child is identified as a victim, the agency must tell law enforcement right away, and no later than 24 hours Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

Children missing from care. States must have protocols to locate any child missing from foster care quickly Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). They must report missing or abducted children to law enforcement for entry into the national NCIC database, and to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, within 24 hours Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

Normalcy. The Act defined the reasonable and prudent parent standard. It means "careful and sensible parental decisions" that protect a child's health, safety, and best interests while encouraging the child's emotional and developmental growth Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). A caregiver, meaning a foster parent or a designated official of a child care institution Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014), uses it to decide whether a child may take part in "extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities" Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). It was added to section 475 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 675 Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

Youth voice and permanency. For a child 14 or older, the case plan must be developed with the child Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). The child may pick up to two people for the planning team who are not the child's foster parent or caseworker Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). The plan must include a document explaining the child's rights about education, health, visitation, and court participation Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). Another planned permanent living arrangement is the option used when the agency has documented that return home, adoption, placement with a fit and willing relative, and legal guardianship are not in the child's best interests Public Law 105-89, 111 Stat. 2115 (1997). It may now be used only for youth 16 or older Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

Leaving care with documents. A youth aging out of care must not leave without key documents. These include a birth certificate, Social Security card, health insurance information, and medical records. This does not apply if the youth was in care less than 6 months Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

Siblings. Federal law lists relatives a state must notify. The Act added parents of the child's siblings who have legal custody of those siblings Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). This does not put foster or adoptive parents' rights below those of a sibling's parent Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014). The Act also extended the adoption incentives program through fiscal year 2016 Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).

How it relates to Texas

Texas law names DFPS as the state agency that cooperates with the federal government on programs under Parts B and E of Title IV of the Social Security Act Tex. Hum. Res. Code §§40.002, 40.043. Texas law also refers to this standard directly. It tells DFPS to balance child safety with "federal and state requirements related to normalcy and decision making under the reasonable and prudent parent standard prescribed by 42 U.S.C. Section 675" Tex. Hum. Res. Code §§40.002, 40.043.

If your child is in foster care, you can ask the caseworker or your lawyer how these everyday-activity decisions are made for your child.

Which laws it affects

• Sections 471 and 475 of the Social Security Act, at 42 U.S.C. 671 and 675 Public Law 113-183, 128 Stat. 1919 (2014).
• In Texas, Human Resources Code §§40.002 and 40.043 Tex. Hum. Res. Code §§40.002, 40.043.

Related

• Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980: Where the Federal "Reasonable Efforts" Rule Began
• Family First Prevention Services Act (2018): Federal Money for Prevention Services and Limits on Group Care
• Supporting America's Children and Families Act (2025): Title IV-B Child Welfare Programs Renewed Through 2029
• The Texas CPS Investigation Process, Step by Step (Family Code §§261.301–261.302)
• Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA): Child Safety First, and the 15-of-22-Months Rule