What is the Adoption and Safe Families Act?

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) is a federal law passed in 1997 that works to help protect children by providing financial assistance and resources to support safe, permanent homes for children who cannot remain with their families. It also promotes adoption, rather than long-term foster care. In Hawai‘i, the law has been adopted and expanded upon to ensure the safety and well-being of all children. ASFA requires states to review the cases of all children in foster care and to make permanent placement decisions for those children as soon as possible. It also sets time limits for how long children can remain in foster care before a decision on their permanent placement must be made. In Hawai‘i, this decision must be made within two years of the child entering foster care. ASFA also requires that families who are unable to provide a safe and secure environment for their child must be offered services and supports to help them become better-equipped to care for the child. In Hawai‘i, the Department of Human Services is responsible for providing these services. Finally, ASFA encourages states to actively seek out adoptive families for children in foster care. In Hawai‘i, this is done through public awareness campaigns, as well as through partnerships between the state and private adoption agencies. Overall, the Adoption and Safe Families Act is an important law that works to ensure the safety and well-being of children who cannot remain with their families. This law is helping to make sure that Hawaii’s children get the care and support they need to have safe, healthy, and permanent homes.

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What is the Adoption and Safe Families Act?

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