{"id":79197,"date":"2017-03-27T04:18:23","date_gmt":"2017-03-27T08:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=79197"},"modified":"2017-03-26T17:22:40","modified_gmt":"2017-03-26T21:22:40","slug":"gillibrand-lankford-huffman-and-russell-introduce-bill-to-improve-adoption-foster-care-standards-nationwide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=79197","title":{"rendered":"Gillibrand, Lankford, Huffman and Russell introduce bill to improve adoption, foster care standards nationwide"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Kirsten Gillibrand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and James Lankford (R-OK) and U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Steve Russell (R-OK) today introduced the \u201cNational Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act,\u201d legislation that builds on successes in states like California to improve the matching of children and families in foster care and adoptions in the United States, including the advancement of home study standards. This bill would create a national standard and database to achieve greater uniformity and transparency to ensure that the needs of children are put first no matter where they live.<\/p>\n

\u201cThousands of children enter New York\u2019s child welfare system and wait to be placed with a foster or for adoptive family every year, but our outdated child welfare system can\u2019t keep up with the need and ends up preventing many children from finding loving and stable families to welcome them in,\u201d said Senator Gillibrand. \u201cThe National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act would update our child welfare system, so that these children can be better matched to families who will meet their needs, take care of them, and protect them. Boys and girls who live in the child welfare system are some of the most vulnerable among us, and Congress has a responsibility to help them grow up and reach their potential just like any other child has the opportunity to do. I am proud to work with Senator Lankford and Representatives Huffman, Russell, and Bass on this bipartisan bill, and I urge all of my colleagues to join us in trying to pass it as quickly as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFoster children go through a lot of instability, disappointment and even trauma, so we must step up and better care for the thousands of kids in our foster system,\u201d said Senator James Lankford. \u201cI\u2019m glad to work with these foster advocates, and join this bill to help encourage successful standards, and provide greater uniformity and transparency in the foster care system. To address many of the poor outcomes associated with the foster care experience, and to prevent the \u2018age out\u2019 crisis, we must work together to provide permanency and families for these children. Government leaders must be committed to making sure that all foster children have a stable environment to grow and thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur nation\u2019s children deserve a lot better than the countless, heart-wrenching stories I\u2019ve heard of these children being bounced from family to family, without ever having the chance to settle down with one caring family who can truly provide for all of their needs,\u201d said Rep. Huffman. \u201cEven just one child falling through the cracks of our adoption system is inexcusable and we must do a better job to match these children with families who are prepared to take care of them. With more than 110,000 children currently waiting in foster care limbo, there is an immediate and urgent need to create a database with uniform reports and ratings so that social workers across states and jurisdictions can better match and prioritize children\u2019s needs. The \u2018National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act\u2019 is a vital step forward in ensuring that all prospective adoptive families are properly vetted and measure up to high and thorough standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need more programs that help reduce the number of children waiting for foster care or adoptive placement and this comprehensive, evidence-based home study assessment standard is a step in that direction,\u201d said Rep. Bass. \u201cThis bill will help the more than 14,000 Californian children waiting to be adopted by allowing social workers to best assist the child welfare system. The goal is to find quality, loving homes that create good outcomes for our nation\u2019s foster youth and allow them to have stability in a safe and supportive environment. I am proud to co-sponsor this fine piece of legislation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cConsortium for Children and the SAFE Home Study Program strongly supports the creation of National Home Study standards and a home study database,\u201d said Kate Cleary, Executive Director of Consortium for Children, which is based in San Rafael, California. \u201cThe current lack of national standards in the evaluation of families who want to foster or adopt is placing traumatized children in further jeopardy. While millions of dollars have been and continue to be spent on the recruitment of adoptive families, thousands of families who have been approved for adoption by public agencies still await placement.\u00a0 Rather than recruit new families who will require training and a home study, an effort should be made to place children who desperately need adoptive parents now with families who are already approved and awaiting placement.\u00a0 A home study database could speed permanence for those children. For the above reasons we strongly support the National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act.\u00a0 We are enormously grateful to sponsors, Representatives Jaren Huffman, Steve Russell, Karen Bass, and Senators Gillibrand and Lankford for their leadership on this important issue and one that is so essential to protecting children.<\/p>\n

Specifically the bill amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, directing that Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a voluntary national home study standard and database within the Adoption Opportunities Program, including:<\/p>\n