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Federal Laws Related to Foster Care Adoption

A number of Federal laws provide standards and guidance for State foster care adoption programs. The following resources provide links to and information about many of these laws.

• Information about Federal laws
• Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997 (PL 105-89)
• Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 (PL95-608)
• The Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) of 1994 as Amended by the Interethnic Provisions (IEP) of 1996 (PL104-88)
• Federal child welfare policy

Information about Federal laws

Index of Federal Laws
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Federal legislation that impacts children, families, and the agencies that serve them.

Major Federal Legislation Concerned With Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption

Series Title:	Factsheet
Author(s):	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability:	View Publication Printable Version (PDF - 302 KB)
Year Published:	2009 - 20 pages

Summarizes the major provisions of key Federal laws regarding child protection, child welfare, and adoption. Includes a timeline of Federal child welfare legislation.

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Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997 (PL 105-89)

The Adoption and Safe Families Act: What Does it Mean for Adoption?
Child Welfare League of America
Discusses several of the most important adoption provisions included in ASFA.

Foster Care: Recent Legislation Helps States Focus on Finding Permanent Homes for Children, but Long-Standing Barriers Remain (PDF - 440 KB)
U.S. General Accounting Office (2002)
Report on ASFA's impact on achieving permanency for children in foster care.

Summaries of State Legislation Enacted in Response to the Adoption and Safe Families Act
National Conference of State Legislatures
A searchable database of State laws passed in response to ASFA.

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Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 - P.L. 95-608
National Indian Child Welfare Association
Provides a link to the full text of the Act and other relevant resources.

The Indian Child Welfare Act: The Need for a Separate Law
American Bar Association (2001)
Includes a discussion on practice issues related to the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Indian Child Welfare Act; Receipt of Designated Tribal Agents for Service of Notice (PDF - 365 KB)
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior (2006)
This notice in the Federal Register lists the Designated Tribal Agents for service of notice under the Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 CFR 23.12.

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The Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA) as Amended by the Interethnic Provisions of 1996 (IEP)

A Guide to the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 as Amended by the Interethnic Provisions of 1996
Children's Bureau (1998)
Provisions, common questions, and checklists for implementation.

MEPA/Section 1808 Internal Evaluation Instrument
Office for Civil Rights (2003)
View Abstract
Developed to help States assess their compliance with the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 and the Interethnic Adoption Provisions of the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996.

Protection From Race, Color, and National Origin Discrimination in Adoption and Foster Care
Office for Civil Rights
An index of online resources related to MEPA.

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Federal child welfare policy

Child Welfare Policy Manual: Title IV-E
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Policy information on Title IV-E in an easy-to-use question and answer format.

Exemplary Title IV-B Recruitment Plan Elements
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1995)
Federal Program Instruction addressing recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families.

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Updated on December 7, 2007