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Index of Federal Child Welfare Laws

Since 1974, many laws have been passed by the U.S. Congress that impact children and families and the agencies that serve them. Below is a list of selected Acts.

The public law (PL) numbers link to bill summaries and status provided by Thomas.gov, a service of the Library of Congress. In some cases Information Gateway has provided relevant portions of legislation for easy access. Laws are listed in chronological order.

P.L. 109-288—Child and Family Services Act of 2006

Reauthorizes the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program through FY2011, and increases set-asides for Indian tribes. The Act reserves funds for States to develop activities designed to improve caseworker retention, recruitment, training, and ability to access the benefits of technology, as well as to support monthly caseworker visits to children in foster care.

Summary as of 7/25/2006.

P.L. 109-248—Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006

Acts to protect children from sexual exploitation and violent crime, to prevent child abuse and child pornography, and to promote Internet safety. Title I, Subtitle C requires national criminal background and child abuse registry checks before approval of any foster or adoptive placement. Title VI, Subtitle C requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a national registry of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect.

Relevant text from Title I and Title VI.

P.L. 109-239—Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2006

Requires each State plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that the State shall have procedures for orderly and timely interstate placement of children; complete home studies requested by another State within a specified period; and accept home studies received from another State.

Summary as of 5/24/2006.

P.L. 109-171—Deficit Reduction Act of 2005

Title VII, Subtitle D provides for new court improvement grants for improved data collection and training for judges, attorneys, and other legal personnel in child welfare cases; requires collaboration between courts and agencies; provides for the use of child welfare records in State court proceedings; authorizes appropriations for FY2006 for safe and stable families programs; and revises eligibility requirements for foster care maintenance payments and adoption assistance.

Relevant text from Title VII, Subtitle D.

P.L. 109-113—Fair Access Foster Care Act of 2005

Amends title IV-E of the Social Security Act to provide for the making of foster care maintenance payments to private for-profit agencies.

Summary as of 11/22/2005.

P.L. 108-145—Adoption Promotion Act of 2003

Reauthorizes the adoption incentive program under Title IV-E; provides additional incentives for adoption of older children (age 9 and older) from foster care.

Summary as of 11/14/2003.

P.L. 108-36—Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003

Extends and amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act; the Adoption Opportunities Act; the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act; and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.

Summary as of 3/26/2003.

PL 108-21 — PROTECT Act (Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003)

Creates a national Amber alert system, and provides for enhanced penalties for child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and child pornography.

Summary as of 4/30/2003.

PL 107-133 — Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001

Extends and amends the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program; amends the Foster Care Independent Living program.

Summary as of 11/13/2001.

PL 107-16 — Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001

Title II includes provisions to extend permanently the adoption credit; increase the maximum credit to $10,000 per eligible child; and increase to $150,000 the beginning of point of the income phase-out range.

Relevant text from Title II.

PL 106-395 — Child Citizenship Act of 2000

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to confer United States citizenship automatically and retroactively to certain foreign-born children adopted by citizens of the United States.

Full text of the legislation.

PL 106-314 — Strengthening Abuse and Neglect Courts Act of 2000

Seeks to improve the administrative efficiency and effectiveness of the Nation's abuse and neglect courts and for other purposes consistent with the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.

Relevant text from Section 1.

PL 106-310 — Children's Health Act of 2000

Title XII of this Act authorizes funding for adoption awareness activities and public awareness campaigns for adoption of infants and children with special needs.

Text of Title XII.

PL 106-279 — Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000

Provides for implementation of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption by the United States.

Summary as of 9/18/2000.

PL 106-177 — Child Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Act

Seeks to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect through law enforcement initiatives and prevention activities.

Full text of the legislation.

PL 106-169 — Foster Care Independence Act

Amends title IV-E of the Social Security Act to provide States with more funding and greater flexibility in carrying out programs designed to help children make the transition from foster care to self-sufficiency.

Summary as of 11/18/1999.

PL 105-200 — Child Support Performance and Incentive Act

Title III of the Act amends title IV-E of the Social Security Act (Adoption and Foster Care Assistance).

Full text of Title III.

PL 105-89 — Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997

Seeks to promote the safety, permanency and well-being of children in foster care; accelerate the permanent placement of children in care; and increase the accountability of the child welfare system.

Full text of legislation.

PL 105-73 — Immigration Vaccine Act

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from specified vaccination requirements a child, ten years old or younger, who is seeking U.S. admission as an orphan being adopted (or already adopted) by U.S. parents, subject to the parents' affidavit that the child will be vaccinated within 30 days after admission or at the earliest medically appropriate time.

Full text of legislation.

PL 105-17 — Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Reauthorizes and amends the Act.

Summary as of 5/13/1997.

PL 104-235 — Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1996

Reauthorized and amended the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act; The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act; and the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act.

Summary as of 9/25/1996.

PL 104-193 — Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

Limits eligibility for Federal foster care and adoption assistance payments to children in families that would have been eligible for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Requires States to consider giving preference to adult relatives over non-relative caregivers when choosing a placement for a child.

Full text of relevant portions of the Act.

(Note: The AFDC program was replaced by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The Office of Family Assistance offers more information on the TANF program.)

PL 104-191 — Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

Seeks to improve portability and continuity of health insurance coverage; includes adopted children as covered persons.

Summary as of 7/31/1996.

PL 104-188 — Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996

Title I, Subtitle H, amends the tax code to provide for adoption assistance through tax credits. Section 1808 of this subtitle contains the Removal of Barriers to Interethnic Adoption (IEP) provisions, which amends the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994.

Text of Title I.

PL 103-382 — Improving America's Schools Act of 1994

Title V (Miscellaneous Provisions) of the Act contains the provisions of the Multiethnic Placement Act.

Full text of Title V.

PL 103-66 — Omnibus Budget and Reconciliation Act of 1993

Title XIII, Chapter 2, Subchapter C, Part 1 authorized funding for the family preservation and support services program through fiscal year 1998.

Title XIII, Chapter 2, Subchapter C, Part 1.

PL 103-3 — Family and Medical Leave Act

Grants family and temporary medical leave for employees, including civil service employees, under certain circumstances, including the birth or adoption of a child.

Summary as of 2/4/1993.

PL 102-295 — Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Adoption and Family Services Act of 1992

Reauthorized through fiscal year 1995 and amended the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act; the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act; and the Adoption Opportunities program.

Summary as of 4/7/1992.

PL 102-190 — National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1992 and 1993

Title VI, Part E, of the Act made provision for reimbursement of adoption expenses for military personnel.

Title VI, Part E.

PL 101-508 — Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990

Title V, Subtitle A, Chapter 4 and 5 excludes foster care or adoption assistance payments when determining a family's eligibility for AFDC assistance; requires State agencies to report known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child receiving aid; and allows States to receive reimbursement for child placement services.

Title V, Subtitle A, Chapter 4 and 5.

PL 101-381 — Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act

Provides grants to improve the quality and availability of care for individuals and families with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Summary as of 7/31/1990.

PL 101-336 — Americans with Disabilities Act

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.

Summary as of 7/12/1990.

For the Acts listed below, only the summary is available.

PL 100-505 — Abandoned Infants Assistance Act

Funded for fiscal years 1989 through 1991 demonstration projects to provide respite home and other assistance for infants abandoned in hospitals.

Summary as of 9/13/1988.

PL 100-485 — Family Support Act of 1988

Amended the AFDC program with a new Family Support Program to provide for enhanced enforcement of child support orders.

Summary as of 9/28/1988.

PL 100-294 — Child Abuse Prevention, Adoption and Family Services Act of 1988

Reauthorized through fiscal year 1991 and amended the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978, and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.

Summary as of 3/30/1988.

PL 99-509 — Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

Title IX, Subtitle E, Part 5 of this Act mandated the establishment of National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Summary of Title IX, Subtitle E, Part 5.

PL 99-457 — Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986

Reauthorized for fiscal year 1987 through 1991 certain programs under the Education of the Handicapped Act. Authorized an early intervention program for handicapped infants.

Summary as of 9/22/1986.

PL 98-473 — A joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1985, and for other purposes.

Title II, Division II of this Act makes provision for coordination of all Federally funded missing children programs.

Summary as of 10/10/1984.

PL 98-457 — Child Abuse Amendments of 1984

Reauthorized through fiscal year 1987 the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

Summary as of 9/19/1984.

PL 96-272 — Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980

Authorized appropriations for adoption and foster care assistance to the States. Required States to provide adoption assistance to parents who adopt a child who is AFDC-eligible and is a child with special needs. For foster care assistance, States are required to make reasonable efforts were made to prevent placement or to reunify children with their families.

Summary as of 4/23/1980.

PL 95-608 — Indian Child Welfare Act

Established standards for the placement of Indian child in foster or adoptive homes.

Summary as of 10/14/1978.

The National Indian Child Welfare Association offers full text and other resources.

PL 95-266 — Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978

Reauthorized through fiscal year 1981 and amended the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act; funded the Adoption Opportunities program to facilitate the adoption of children with special needs.

Summary as of 4/10/1978.

PL 94-142— Education for All Handicapped Children Act

Reauthorized, through fiscal year 1977, and extended the provisions of the program.

Summary as of 11/14/1975.

PL 93-247 — Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act

Established the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect; authorized funding for fiscal years 1974 through 1977 for demonstration projects on the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect.

Summary (as revised).

Updated on May 14, 2008