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| HHS
Press Release on Adoption Awards |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 24, 1998
Contact: ACF Press Office (202) 401-9152
PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCES
EXPANSION OF THE INTERNET
TO INCREASE ADOPTIONS
Today, the President will issue a new
directive to the Department of Health and Human Services to expand the
use of the Internet as a tool to find homes for children waiting to
be adopted from foster care. The President will make the announcement
with the First Lady at a White House ceremony marking National Adoption
Month and celebrating new adoptions in the District of Columbia.
Creating an Internet Registry to
Meet the President's Goals for Adoption. In 1996, President Clinton
set a goal of doubling, by the year 2002, adoptions and other permanent
placements from the public child welfare system. Since then, adoptions
have increased; from 1996 to 1997 alone, adoptions increased by over
10 percent, from 28,000 to 31,000. Today, the President is directing
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a plan
to expand use of the Internet to share information about children who
are legally free for adoption in order to shorten the time needed to
find them adoptive families. HHS estimates that approximately 100,000
children in our nation's foster care system cannot return to their birth
families and need families to adopt them. An effective national registry
will help to break down geographic barriers to adoption and assist in
meeting the President's adoption goal. HHS Secretary Donna Shalala will
report to the President within 60 days on a plan to work with the States
and other leaders to carry out this effort.
Building on a Strong Record.
Today's announcement builds on a deep commitment by the President, the
First Lady, and the Administration to facilitate adoptions and improve
the child welfare system. Since taking office, President Clinton has
championed efforts to make foster care work better for the children
it serves, to find and assist adoptive families, and to break down barriers,
including high adoption costs and complex regulations:
Achieving Landmark Legislative Reform.
On November 19, 1997, the President signed the Adoption and Safe Families
Act, reforming our nation's child welfare system and making it clear
that the health and safety of children must be the paramount concerns
of state child welfare services. This landmark legislation was based
in large part on the recommendations of the Clinton Administration's
Adoption 2002 report, which the President requested by executive
memorandum on December 14, 1996, to meet his goals of doubling adoptions
and permanent placements by the year 2002 and moving children more quickly
from foster care to permanent homes. The Act tightened time frames for
making permanent placement decisions for children, and ensured health
insurance coverage for all special needs children in subsidized adoptions.
Also, it created new financial incentives for States to increase adoptions,
and continued funding for services to keep families together when it
is appropriate and safe.
Making Adoption Affordable for Families.
In 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Small Business Job
Protection Act of 1996, which provides a $5,000 tax credit to families
adopting children, and a $6,000 tax credit for families adopting children
with special needs. This provision has alleviated a significant barrier
to adoption, helping middle class families for whom adoption may be
prohibitively expensive and making it easier for families to adopt children
with special needs. Since President Clinton took office, the number
of children with special needs who were adopted with Federal adoption
assistance has risen by over 60 percent. In the Balanced Budget Act
of 1997, President Clinton ensured more support for families who adopt
children with the $500 per-child tax credit.
Giving States Flexibility and Support.
To test innovative strategies to improve State child welfare systems,
the Clinton Administration has granted waivers to 18 States, giving
them more flexibility in tailoring services to meet the needs of children
and families. In addition, the Administration has provided States with
enhanced technical support and helped improve court operations. The
President secured $10 million in FY 1999 in new funds to support State
efforts to implement the new adoption law, and has, through the Adoption
Opportunities program, supported State and local innovative demonstration
projects to promote adoption, provide post-adoptive services, and build
new public-private partnerships. To prevent children from entering foster
care in the first place, in 1993 the Clinton Administration enacted
and secured federal funding for the Family Preservation and Support
Program to help States, local governments, and service providers develop
effective programs to serve children and families at risk.
Breaking Down Racial and Ethnic Barriers
to Adoption. New inter-ethnic adoption provisions, passed as a part
of the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, ensure that the adoption
process is free from discrimination and delays on the basis of race,
culture and ethnicity by strengthening the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act
which the President signed in 1994.
Providing Supports for Child Protection
and Adoption. In 1993, President Clinton signed into law the Family
and Medical Leave Act, enabling parents to take time off to adopt a
child without losing their jobs or health insurance. In addition, the
welfare reform legislation signed by the President maintained the guarantee
of child protection and adoption, and did not reduce funds for child
welfare, child abuse, and foster care and adoption services.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets
and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
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October 22, 2003
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