Xavier's ACF Insights Hub

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

NEW: Elizabeth Mitchell at The Daily Signal reports on Operation Hope, a new HHS initiative focused on locating missing foster children and preventing trafficking.

Piloted in Mississippi with Attorney General Lynn Fitch, the operation located 87% of the state’s missing foster children in just 48 hours.

Read the exclusive: https://bit.ly/3RhIASW

05/23/2026

Last week, ACF, HHS Office of Inspector General, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch launched Operation Hope in Mississippi – a coordinated child welfare and law enforcement pilot to locate missing foster youth.

Within 48 hours, the operation recovered 13 of 15 missing youth.

To continue serving the best interests of children, Operation Hope will be replicated in other states to ensure we are not leaving any child behind.

MORE: https://attorneygenerallynnfitch.com/2026/05/18/ag-fitch-and-hhs-launch-pilot-operation-to-recover-missing-foster-children-may-18-2026/

05/23/2026

The Trump administration has just announced $7 million in performance-based awards for states with the best ratio of foster homes to children in care.

This competition is not about getting states to check a box, instead ACF hopes it will drive real results for children who need the safety and stability of a loving home, ACF Assistant Secretary Alex Adams tells National Review.

MORE: https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/a-new-national-push-for-innovation-and-objectivity-for-children-in-foster-care/

05/23/2026

Indiana is the latest state to end the “orphan tax.”

Federal survivor benefits that previously went to Indiana state coffers to help pay for the cost of caring for foster youth will now be preserved for the youth themselves thanks to the swift executive action of Governor Mike Braun.

Read more: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2026/05/13/brauns-order-will-reserve-federal-survivor-benefits-for-indiana-foster-youth/90062523007

05/23/2026

American families are facing rising child care costs and fewer options.

In a new op-ed, ACF Assistant Secretary Alex Adams outlines a better path: empower parents, expand choice, and reduce red tape that limits supply — because strong families build a strong nation.

MORE: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/americas-child-care-crisis-needs-parental-freedom-washington-control

05/23/2026

Indiana ended the “orphan tax” and became the 20th state to join “A Home for Every Child!”

Thanks to the leadership of Governor Mike Braun and Secretary Gloria Sachdev, Indiana is prioritizing and protecting the best interests of foster youth.

It’s a good day to be a Hoosier!

MORE: https://events.in.gov/event/gov-braun-protects-hoosier-foster-care-youth-indiana-families

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

In a new issue brief published by The Heritage Foundation, ACF Assistant Secretary Alex Adams overviews the policy premise of A Home for Every Child — that child welfare systems perform best when they align around child-centered measures versus compliance-driven activity.

Drawing on his success in Idaho, which has now been elevated to the nation stage, Assistant Secretary Adams explains how improving the ratio of foster homes to foster children sharpens priorities, stabilizes costs, and improves outcomes for children.

Read the brief: https://www.heritage.org/welfare/report/home-every-child-refocusing-the-nations-child-welfare-system