"Child Welfare Outcomes 2002-2005: Report to Congress" (Child Welfare Outcomes Report) is the seventh in a series of annual reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the Department). The reports are developed in accordance with section 479A of the Social Security Act (as amended by the Adoption and Safe Families Act…

Examines 1992 Suter versus Artist M. decision of U.S. Supreme Court, in which the court ruled that private individuals could not sue to enforce the provisions of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980. The act requires that reasonable efforts be made to preserve and strengthen families by preventing placements and reuniting placed…

This report presents information on Wisconsin state legislation dealing with mental health issues. Part I provides descriptions of key provisions of four 1987 state senate bills. Part II reviews the activities of the Wisconsin State Legislative Council's Special Committee on Mental Health Issues. Parts III, IV, V, and VI describe the background…

Provides historical background on federal policies related to Indian family rights and child welfare and on legislation leading up to the Indian Child Welfare Act. Interprets the act with regard to jurisdiction and standards for child placement for foster care and adoption. Discusses federal funding of the act and monitoring of state compliance.…

Yields information from an American Bar Associaton study of child welfare agencies and courts, concerning practices that are effective in implementing the "reasonable efforts" requirement of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-272). (Author/BB)

Describes development of guidelines to expand understanding of and compliance with both the reasonable efforts requirement of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act 1980 (P.L. 96-272) and active efforts requirement of the Indian Child Welfare Act 1978 (P.L. 95-608) to help keep Indian families together. (Author/BB)

Recent reports have documented how some parents choose to place their children in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems in order to obtain the mental health services that their children need. Senators Susan Collins and Joseph Lieberman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs asked the General Accounting Office (GAO) to testify on:…

In this report, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs reports favorably on Senate Bill 569 to amend the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 and recommends its passage with an amendment. In enacting ICWA, Congress sought to: (1) protect the relationship between Indian children and their parents; (2) affirm the tribal right to participate…

This document contains witnesses' testimonies and prepared statements from the Congressional hearing called to examine the living conditions of children in state care. Parents, youth workers, legal advocates, program administrators and state officials discuss the cost effectiveness of community-based services and the effectiveness of various…

This hearing transcript presents testimony exploring how the well-being of abused and neglected children can be improved through an amendment clarifying the "reasonable efforts" requirement of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (1980) to allow the child's health and safety to take precedence over parents' rights. Testimony…

There is national concern for the estimated 100,000 "special needs" children who are not quickly adopted because of age, race, ethnic background, sibling relationship, medical condition, or physical, mental or emotional handicaps. That concern has been translated into concrete recommendations in the form of a model act written by the…