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Federal Laws

• The Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act: Including Adoption Opportunities and the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act as amended by The Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003. This booklet presents CAPTA as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003. The booklet also contains the Adoption Opportunities program and Abandoned Infants Assistance Act, as amended.
  HTML or PDF (300 KB)

• Compilation of Titles IV-B, IV-E and Related Sections of the Social Security Act (Revised 12/03)
  HTML or PDF (253 KB)

• Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994
  HTML

• Interethnic Adoption Provisions of the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996
  HTML

• Federal Legislation - Recent acts of importance to the field.

  • The Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003 (102 KB)
  • Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001 (66 KB)
  • Strengthening Abuse and Neglect Courts Act of 2000 (216 KB)
  • Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (127 KB)
  • Child Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Act, 2000 (189 KB)
  • Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (153 KB)
  • Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (233 KB)
  • Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, as Amended, 1996
  
  
  

• Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews and Child and Family Services State Plan Reviews:

  Executive Summary
  ACF Press Release

  Final Rule    HTML     PDF   (428 KB)

• Code of Federal Regulations (maintained by the Government Printing Office)

  • 45 CFR 205.10 - Hearings
  • 45 CFR 205.50 - Safeguarding information for the financial assistance programs
  • 45 CFR 1355 - General
  • 45 CFR 1356 - Requirements Applicable to Title IV-E
  • 45 CFR 1357 - Requirements Applicable to Title IV-B
    
    

• THOMAS: Searchable database of full text Federal legislation (maintained by the Library of Congress)

State Laws

• Summaries of State Legislation Enacted in Response to the Adoption and Safe Family Act of 1997; and other Resources (maintained by the National Conference of State Legislatures)

Policy

• Child Welfare Policy Manual - The manual conveys mandatory policies that have their basis in Federal Law and/or program regulations. It also provides interpretations of Federal Statutes and program regulations initiated by inquiries from State Child Welfare agencies or ACF Regional Offices.

• Departmental Appeals Board Summary Reports - The Departmental Appeals Board (DAB) Summary Report is a compilation of State agencies' appeals of financial claim disallowances in the title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance program. The report is divided into two parts: Pending Cases and Dispositions. The first part addresses those cases pending before the DAB and the second part describes how cases previously on the DAB docket were resolved. The report is issued quarterly. A description of the DAB, the appeals process and the full text of DAB decisions can be accessed electronically at: http://www.hhs.gov/dab/.

• Federal Register Announcements

• Policy/Program Issuances - The Children's Bureau issues guidance to the States on the administration of State grant programs, in the following formats: Action Transmittals (AT), Information Memoranda (IM), Policy Guides and Manuals (PGM), Program Instructions (PI), and Program Regulations (PR).