42 U.S.C. § 624 — Payment to States

Page 2220 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 624 1968, 81 Stat. 913, and amended, which related to pay- ment to States, was renumbered section 424 of act Aug. 14, 1935, by Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(b)(2), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1244, and transferred to section 624 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2025—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 118–258, § 107(a)(1)(B), sub- stituted ‘‘for each fiscal year, the sum appropriated pursuant to section 625 of this title remaining after ap- plying section 628(a) of this title’’ for ‘‘the sum appro- priated pursuant to section 625 of this title for each fis- cal year’’. Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 118–258, § 103(d), inserted ‘‘, not to exceed $10,000,000’’ before ‘‘; and’’. 2023—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–348 designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, substituted ‘‘Subject to paragraph (2), the sum appropriated’’ for ‘‘The sum appropriated’’, and added par. (2). 2011—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–34, which directed sub- stitution of ‘‘percent’’ for ‘‘per centum’’ wherever ap- pearing, was not executed due to prior amendment by Pub. L. 109–288, § 11(a)(1)(A). See 2006 Amendment note below. 2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–288, § 11(a)(1)(B), sub- stituted ‘‘The Secretary’’ for ‘‘He’’. Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(d)(1), inserted heading and sub- stituted ‘‘section 625’’ for ‘‘section 620’’. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–288, § 11(a)(1)(A), which di- rected amendment of section by substituting ‘‘percent’’ for ‘‘per centum’’, was executed by making the substi- tution wherever appearing in subsec. (b), to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(d)(2), inserted heading. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(d)(3), inserted heading. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(d)(4), inserted heading and substituted ‘‘50’’ for ‘‘fifty’’. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(d)(5), added subsec. (e). 1987—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–203 substituted ‘‘Guam, and American Samoa’’ for ‘‘and Guam’’. 1980—Pub. L. 96–272 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsecs. (b) to (d). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2025 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 118–258 effective Oct. 1, 2025, and applicable to payments under this part for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, with delay permitted if either State legislation or tribal action is required to meet additional requirements, see section 117 of Pub. L. 118–258, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2011 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 112–34 effective Oct. 1, 2011, and applicable to payments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, without regard to whether imple- menting regulations have been promulgated, and with delay permitted if State legislation is required to meet additional requirements, see section 107 of Pub. L. 112–34, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2006 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 109–288 effective Oct. 1, 2006, and applicable to payments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, without regard to whether imple- menting regulations have been promulgated, and with delay permitted if State legislation is required to meet additional requirements, see section 12(a), (b) of Pub. L. 109–288, set out as a note under section 621 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1987 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, § 9135(c), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–315, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 1301 and 1397b of this title] shall apply with respect to fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 1988.’’ § 624. Payment to States (a) Payment schedule From the sums appropriated therefor and the allotment under this subpart, subject to the con- ditions set forth in this section, the Secretary shall from time to time pay to each State that has a plan developed in accordance with section 622 of this title an amount equal to 75 percent of the total sum expended under the plan (includ- ing the cost of administration of the plan) in meeting the costs of State, district, county, or other local child welfare services. (b) Computation and method of payment The method of computing and making pay- ments under this section shall be as follows: (1) The Secretary shall, prior to the begin- ning of each period for which a payment is to be made, estimate the amount to be paid to the State for such period under the provisions of this section. (2) From the allotment available therefor, the Secretary shall pay the amount so esti- mated, reduced or increased, as the case may be, by any sum (not previously adjusted under this section) by which he finds that his esti- mate of the amount to be paid the State for any prior period under this section was greater or less than the amount which should have been paid to the State for such prior period under this section. (c) Limitation on use of Federal funds for child care, foster care maintenance payments, or adoption assistance payments The total amount of Federal payments under this subpart for a fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2007, that may be used by a State for expenditures for child care, foster care main- tenance payments, or adoption assistance pay- ments shall not exceed the total amount of such payments for fiscal year 2005 that were so used by the State. (d) Limitation on use by States of non-Federal funds for foster care maintenance payments to match Federal funds For any fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2007, State expenditures of non-Federal funds for foster care maintenance payments shall not be considered to be expenditures under the State plan developed under this subpart for the fiscal year to the extent that the total of such expend- itures for the fiscal year exceeds the total of such expenditures under the State plan devel- oped under this subpart for fiscal year 2005. (e) Limitation on reimbursement for administra- tive costs A payment may not be made to a State under this section with respect to expenditures during a fiscal year for administrative costs, to the ex- tent that the total amount of the expenditures exceeds 10 percent of the total expenditures of the State during the fiscal year for activities funded from amounts provided under this sub- part. (f) Child visitation by caseworkers (1)(A) Each State shall take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the total number of visits made by caseworkers on a monthly basis Page 2221 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 624 to children in foster care under the responsi- bility of the State during a fiscal year is not less than 90 percent (or, in the case of fiscal year 2015 or thereafter, 95 percent) of the total number of such visits that would occur during the fiscal year if each such child were so visited once every month while in such care. (B) If the Secretary determines that a State has failed to comply with subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, then the percentage that would oth- erwise apply for purposes of subsection (a) for the fiscal year shall be reduced by— (i) 1, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short of the percentage specified in subparagraph (A) is less than 10; (ii) 3, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less than 10 and less than 20; or (iii) 5, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short, as de- scribed in clause (i), is not less than 20. (2)(A) Each State shall take such steps as are necessary to ensure that not less than 50 percent of the total number of visits made by case- workers to children in foster care under the re- sponsibility of the State during a fiscal year occur in the residence of the child involved. (B) If the Secretary determines that a State has failed to comply with subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, then the percentage that would oth- erwise apply for purposes of subsection (a) for the fiscal year shall be reduced by— (i) 1, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short of the percentage specified in subparagraph (A) is less than 10; (ii) 3, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short, as described in clause (i), is not less than 10 and less than 20; or (iii) 5, if the number of full percentage points by which the State fell short, as de- scribed in clause (i), is not less than 20. (Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 424, formerly § 423, as added Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 240(c), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 913; amended Pub. L. 94–273, § 22, Apr. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 379; Pub. L. 96–272, title I, § 103(a), June 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 518; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13711(b)(2), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 655; Pub. L. 103–432, title II, § 202(d)(1), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4454; renumbered § 424 and amended Pub. L. 109–288, §§ 6(b)(2), (e)(1), (2)(A), 7(b), 11(a)(2), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1244, 1246–1248, 1255; Pub. L. 112–34, title I, § 101(c), Sept. 30, 2011, 125 Stat. 370; Pub. L. 118–258, title I, § 112(d), Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2963.) AMENDMENT OF SUBSECTION (f) Pub. L. 118–258, title I, §§ 112(d), 117, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2963, 2969, provided that, effec- tive Oct. 1, 2025, and applicable to payments under this part for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, with delay permitted if ei- ther State legislation or tribal action is required to meet additional requirements, subsection (f) of this section is amended by striking ‘‘(1)(A)’’ and by striking paragraphs (1)(B) and (2). See 2025 Amendment note below. Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was formerly classified to section 623 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 109–288. PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 624, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 424, as added Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 240(c), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 914; amended Pub. L. 96–272, title I, § 103(a), June 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 519; Pub. L. 103–432, title II, § 202(b), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4454; Pub. L. 105–33, title V, § 5592(a)(1)(B), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 644, related to reallotment, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109–288, §§ 6(b)(1), 12(a), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1244, 1255, effec- tive Oct. 1, 2006, and applicable to payments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date. See section 623(e) of this title. AMENDMENTS 2025—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–258 struck out par. (1)(A) designation before ‘‘Each State’’ and struck out pars. (1)(B) and (2) which related to reduction in allotment of funds to a State for failure to comply with child visita- tion requirements. 2011—Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 112–34 added subsec. (f) and struck out subsec. (e) relating to caseworker visi- tation standard. 2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–288, § 11(a)(2), sub- stituted ‘‘percent’’ for ‘‘per centum’’. Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(e)(1), added sub- secs. (c) and (d) struck out former subsecs. (c) and (d) which related to prohibited payments and minimum State expenditures, respectively. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–288, § 7(b), added subsec. (e) re- lating to caseworker visitation standard. Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(e)(2)(A), added subsec. (e) relating to limitation on reimbursement for administrative costs. 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–432 struck out ‘‘and in section 627 of this title’’ after ‘‘set forth in this sec- tion’’. 1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–66 substituted ‘‘under this subpart’’ for ‘‘under this part’’. 1980—Pub. L. 96–272 substituted provisions covering payments to States for provisions relating to allotment percentages and Federal share. 1976—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–273 substituted ‘‘Octo- ber’’ for ‘‘July’’ wherever appearing and ‘‘November 30’’ for ‘‘August 31’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2025 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 118–258 effective Oct. 1, 2025, and applicable to payments under this part for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, with delay permitted if either State legislation or tribal action is required to meet additional requirements, see section 117 of Pub. L. 118–258, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2011 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 112–34 effective Oct. 1, 2011, and applicable to payments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, without regard to whether imple- menting regulations have been promulgated, and with delay permitted if State legislation is required to meet additional requirements, see section 107 of Pub. L. 112–34, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2006 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(e)(2)(B), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1247, provided that: ‘‘The amendment made by subpara- graph (A) [amending this section] shall apply to ex- penditures made on or after October 1, 2007.’’ Page 2222 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 625 Amendment by Pub. L. 109–288 effective Oct. 1, 2006, except as otherwise provided, and applicable to pay- ments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, without regard to whether implementing regulations have been promulgated, and with delay permitted if State legislation is required to meet additional require- ments, see section 12(a), (b) of Pub. L. 109–288, set out as a note under section 621 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1994 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 103–432 effective with respect to fiscal years beginning on or after Apr. 1, 1996, see section 202(e) of Pub. L. 103–432, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1993 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 103–66 effective with respect to calendar quarters beginning on or after Oct. 1, 1993, see section 13711(c) of Pub. L. 103–66, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. § 625. Limitations on authorization of appropria- tions To carry out this subpart (other than sections 626, 627, and 628b of this title), there are author- ized to be appropriated to the Secretary not more than $325,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2023. (Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 425, as added Pub. L. 109–288, § 6(a), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1244; amended Pub. L. 110–351, title I, § 102(b), Oct. 7, 2008, 122 Stat. 3956; Pub. L. 112–34, title I, § 101(a), Sept. 30, 2011, 125 Stat. 369; Pub. L. 115–123, div. E, title VII, § 50752(a), Feb. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 263; Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title VI, § 6103(b)(1), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5965; Pub. L. 118–258, title I, § 103(a), Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2948.) AMENDMENT OF SECTION Pub. L. 118–258, title I, §§ 103(a), 117, 138 Stat. 2948, 2969, provided that, effective Oct. 1, 2025, and applicable to payments under this part for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, with delay permitted if either State legis- lation or tribal action is required to meet addi- tional requirements, this section is amended by striking ‘‘2017 through 2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2025 through 2029’’. See 2025 Amendment note below. Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 625, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 425, as added Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 240(c), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 914; amended Pub. L. 96–272, title I, § 103(a), June 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 519; Pub. L. 103–432, title II, § 202(d)(2), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4454; Pub. L. 105–33, title V, § 5592(a)(1)(B), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 644, defined terms for purposes of this subchapter, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109–288, §§ 6(a), 12(a), Sept. 28, 2006, 120 Stat. 1244, 1255, effective Oct. 1, 2006, and applicable to pay- ments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date. AMENDMENTS 2025—Pub. L. 118–258 substituted ‘‘2025 through 2029’’ for ‘‘2017 through 2023’’. 2022—Pub. L. 117–328 substituted ‘‘2023’’ for ‘‘2021’’. 2018—Pub. L. 115–123 substituted ‘‘2017 through 2021’’ for ‘‘2012 through 2016’’. 2011—Pub. L. 112–34 substituted ‘‘2012 through 2016’’ for ‘‘2007 through 2011’’. 2008—Pub. L. 110–351 inserted ‘‘(other than sections 626, 627, and 628b of this title)’’ after ‘‘this subpart’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2025 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 118–258 effective Oct. 1, 2025, and applicable to payments under this part for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, with delay permitted if either State legislation or tribal action is required to meet additional requirements, see section 117 of Pub. L. 118–258, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2011 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 112–34 effective Oct. 1, 2011, and applicable to payments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, without regard to whether imple- menting regulations have been promulgated, and with delay permitted if State legislation is required to meet additional requirements, see section 107 of Pub. L. 112–34, set out as a note under section 622 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2008 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 110–351 effective Oct. 7, 2008, and applicable to payments under this part and part E of this subchapter for quarters beginning on or after such date, with delay permitted if State legislation is required to meet additional requirements, see section 601 of Pub. L. 110–351, set out as a note under section 671 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Oct. 1, 2006, and applicable to pay- ments under this part and part E of this subchapter for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, without regard to whether implementing regulations have been promulgated, and with delay permitted if State legislation is required to meet additional require- ments, see section 12(a), (b) of Pub. L. 109–288, set out as an Effective Date of 2006 Amendment note under sec- tion 621 of this title. § 626. Research, training, or demonstration projects (a) Authorization of appropriations There are hereby authorized to be appro- priated for each fiscal year such sums as the Congress may determine— (1) for grants by the Secretary— (A) to public or other nonprofit institu- tions of higher learning, and to public or other nonprofit agencies and organizations engaged in research or child-welfare activi- ties, for special research or demonstration projects in the field of child welfare which are of regional or national significance and for special projects for the demonstration of new methods or facilities which show prom- ise of substantial contribution to the ad- vancement of child welfare; (B) to State or local public agencies re- sponsible for administering, or supervising the administration of, the plan under this part, for projects for the demonstration of the utilization of research (including find- ings resulting therefrom) in the field of child welfare in order to encourage experimental and special types of welfare services; and (C) to public or other nonprofit institu- tions of higher learning for special projects for training personnel for work in the field of child welfare, including traineeships de-