FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 1998
Contact: Michael Kharfen, (202) 401-9215
HHS APPROVES CHILD WELFARE DEMONSTRATIONS
FOR CONNECTICUT AND NEW JERSEY
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today announced approval of innovative child welfare
demonstration projects for Connecticut and New Jersey aimed at improving protection of children.
"The Clinton administration sought and gained approval by the Congress to give states more
flexibility to test ground breaking programs to help children grow up in permanent homes," said
Secretary Shalala. "We're very impressed by the promising Connecticut and New Jersey projects to
advance the well-being of their most vulnerable children."
Connecticut will use federal foster care funds to provide comprehensive services to youth ages 7
to 15 with behavioral problems who have been referred to residential or group homes. Under this
project, all required services, including case management, group care, home-based services, outpatient
services and aftercare will be provided from a single point of contact, which will coordinate all aspects of
treatment. Success will be measured by increases in treatment options, decreases in the length of stay in
restrictive settings, and improvements in outcomes for children and families.
New Jersey will use its federal adoption funds to encourage adoptions and help children make
smoother transitions from foster care to adoption. A special unit within the state's Adoption Resource
Centers will begin the groundwork for kinship placement or adoption at the same time a foster care plan
is being developed, thereby avoiding long delays and repetitive actions.
The state will also recruit and prepare families that can provide both foster care and adoptive homes to these youth on short notice. Legal and substance abuse services will also be available.
New Jersey's project grew out of an Adoption Opportunities grant HHS awarded two years ago. New Jersey will now establish the successful aspects of the project on a more permanent basis. The project will begin in Essex County the first year, expand to seven additional counties the second year, and become statewide the third year.
"Connecticut has a very new and exciting project to meet the challenging and often overlooked needs of older children with behavioral problems," said Olivia A. Golden, assistant secretary for children and families. "We're very pleased that New Jersey will build on a successful project funded earlier by HHS to increase adoptions which is critical as we aim to meet the president's goal of doubling the number of adoptions from foster care."
Prior to the Adoption and Safe Families Act, Congress had given authority to HHS to grant up to 10 demonstration projects to states. Ten states were approved, though many more were interested. The new law allows HHS to approve up to 10 more demonstrations each year for the next five years. HHS has encouraged states to develop projects in several key areas: increasing adoptions of special needs children, promoting community-based services to prevent child abuse and neglect, improving the access to needed health and mental health services, and projects to meet the needs of American Indian children.
Both Connecticut's and New Jersey's projects are for five years, will be cost-neutral, and will include a rigorous evaluation.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are
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