Adoption 2002

1. Adoption 2002 • Adoption 2002 • Presented by Sarah Sargent, Director of Legal Services, Kansas Children’s Service League • Email: SarahS@kcsl.org • 2 September 2002 • ACWA Conference-What Works?! Evidence Based Practice in Child and Family Services • Bondi Beach, NSW

2. What Is “Adoption 2002”? • “Adoption 2002” issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) February 1997 in response to Presidential Memorandum • Presidential Memorandum challenged HHS to identify strategies to: 1. Increase the number of children adopted or permanently placed from public child welfare system 2. Move children more rapidly from foster care to permanent homes

3. Adoption 2002 • “Adoption 2002” takes its name from goal of doubling, by the year 2002, the number of children adopted from the public child welfare system • Increase adoptions from 28,000 per year to 56,000 per year • Significant portions of “Adoption 2002” are incorporated into the Adoptions and Safe Families Act (PL 105-89) • Adoptions and Safe Families Act signed into law 19 November 1997

4. Adoption 2002: Strategies for Increasing Adoptions As Part of ASFA Three strategies for increasing adoptions: 1. Shorten time frames for termination of parental rights once it has been determined a child cannot be reunified with parents 2. System of financial bonuses to increase adoptions 3. Creation of an internet photo listing of children available for adoption

5. Who are children waiting to be adopted? • 525,000 children in foster care system • 3 out of 4 will reunify with family • Of children waiting to be adopted: • 35% are teenagers • 33% in care for 2+ years • 30% in care 5+ years • 48% African American • 11% Hispanic • 30% Caucasian

6. Strategy # 1: Shortened Time Frames to Termination of Parental Rights File petition to terminate parental rights if child has been in care for 15 of the most recent 22 months unless one of three exceptions applies Exceptions • Child in stable placement with fit and willing relative • Necessary services not provided • Documented compelling reason why it is not in the best interest of child to sever parental rights

7. Strategy # 2: System of Financial Bonuses for Increased Adoptions • $4,000 per child, $6,000 per special needs child adopted over baseline amount for each state • Bonuses available from FY 1998-2003 • One year remains for funding under original legislation

8. Examples of State Baseline/Bonus Calculation

9. Results of Financial Bonuses First bonuses paid 24 September 1999 • $20 million paid to 35 states • 36,000 children adopted, compared to 31,000 in previous year Second bonuses paid 20 September 2000 • $20 million paid to 42 States, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico • 46,000 children adopted, ahead of targeted amount of 41,000 Third bonuses paid 10 September 2001 • $11 million paid to 35 states • 50,000 children adopted

10. Strategy # 3: Internet Photo Listing November 1998 --- President Clinton issued memorandum directing HHS to develop a plan for the appropriate use of the Internet as a tool to find homes for children waiting to be adopted from the public child welfare system

11. www.adoptUSkids.org • October 2000 --- National Adoption Center entered into a cooperative agreement with the Children’s Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services to create a new website • 23 July 2002 --- President Bush announced creation of federal website that will focus on reducing barrier and waiting time needed to connect children across the US with adoptive families

12. What Caused Dramatic Increase in Adoptions? Strategy # 1: Shortened Time Frames to Termination of Parental Rights • Shortened time frames for termination of parental rights – but no timeframe to move child to adoption following termination • Increased attention to permanency by development of permanency hearings to be held every 12 months while child is in care

13. What Caused Dramatic Increase in Adoptions? Strategy # 2: System of Financial Bonuses for Increased Adoptions Effectiveness in Adoption Incentive Bonus in Increasing Adoptions “A Carrot Among the Sticks: The Adoption Incentive Bonus” by Cornerstone Consulting Group, Inc. • Reports on the experience states have with the adoption bonus

14. Major Findings of Cornerstone Consulting • Many states were already in the process of changing their adoption systems at the time ASFA was enacted • Most states report that they did not change adoption practices solely as a result of the bonus • Bonus seen as “extra incentive”, not motivation for improved policy and practice • Benefit of bonus: better data systems and stronger collaborations with the court system

15. Cornerstones’ Findings Questions raised about adoption bonuses • Why was adoption the only permanency option with a financial incentive? What about guardianship? • What about incentives in other areas including: • Improved court processes • Adoption within one year of termination of parental rights • Funding for post adoption services • Research in the area of services for adolescents

16. What Caused Dramatic Increase in Adoptions? Strategy # 3: Internet Photo Listing • Cannot yet assess the impact of national photo listing website as it has only just been announced

17. Universal Permanency Increase • Study of Illinois guardianship program showed an increase in all types of permanency when the new program of subsidized guardianship was offered • No study has been done as to why adoption increased in the US after ASFA was implemented

18. Consequences of Increased Adoptions What is needed in response to increased adoptions? • Focus on the effects of the increased adoptions which have resulted in adoption of children that would not have previously been considered adoptable • Study of adoption dissolution rates and causes of dissolution • Study of what post adoption supports are successful and critical to maintaining an adoption

19. What is less permanent than a disrupted adoption?