Adoption and Safe Family Act of 1997

Addressing Geographic Barriers to Adoption:

States are required to assure that the state will develop plans for the effective use of cross-jurisdictional resources to facilitate timely permanent placements of children waiting adoption. The state’s Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance funding is conditioned on the state not denying or delaying a child’s adoptive placement, when an approved family is available outside of the jurisdiction with responsibility for the child. Funding is also conditioned upon the state granting opportunities for fair hearings for allegations of violations of the requirements. The U.S. General Accounting Office must study and report to Congress on how to improve procedures and policies to facilitate timely adoptions across state and county lines.

Section 11: Foster Care and Adoption Assistance -- Includes

• Interethnic and Interjurisdictional Adoption Provisions
• State Performance Reports
• Child Welfare Performance outcomes and related measures

Child Welfare League of America: Summary of The Adoption And Safe Families Act

The most common question Families Like Ours is asked deals with "cross state" (interstate) placements, which is why we have included the federal statement here. For more resources check out our Resource Library.