Other planned permanent living arrangement (OPPLA), also known as another planned permanent living arrangement (APPLA), is a term created by the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 to replace the term "long-term foster care." With OPPLA, the child welfare agency maintains care and custody of the youth and arranges a living situation in which the youth is expected to remain until adulthood. OPPLA or APPLA is a permanency option only when other options such as reunification, relative placement, adoption, or legal guardianship have been ruled out.
Find information and resources about the use of OPPLA or APPLA as a permanency option for youth in foster care, including State and local examples.
Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997
Children's Bureau, Administration for Children & Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Provides the text of the ASFA of 1997
Intentions and Results: A Look Back at the Adoption and Safe Families Act
Notkin, Weber, Golden, & Macomber (2009)
Center for the Study of Social Policy & Urban Institute
Examines the intended and unintended consequences of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) for children, families, and the child welfare system twelve years after the law was enacted.
Issue Brief: The Role of the Court in Implementing the Older Youth Provisions of the Strengthening Families Act (PDF - 650 KB)
American Bar Association (2016)
Provides information on how courts can successfully implement the provisions of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act that relate to older youth, including the changes to the use of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement.
Mama S and Papa M: Making APPLAs Work for Youth
Gerstenzang (2010)
Fostering Families Today, 10(2)
View Abstract
Stresses the legal and moral obligations of a caseworker to make sure that a foster youth leaves care connected to a responsible adult, and explains how child welfare professionals can support APPLA for youth when other options are not pursued.
Pathways to Permanency: Collaborating on the APPLA Provisions of P.L. 113-183 [Infographic] (PDF - 167 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States & Center for Courts (2016)
Describes how agencies and courts can work together to effectively use "another planned permanent living arrangements" (APPLA) within Federal statutory mandates and guidelines, including describing the circumstances that must be documented by agencies and found by courts when APPLA is used.
Pathways to Permanency: Expanding on Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) Provisions and Youth Engagement to Improve Permanency (PDF - 225 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2017)
Defines child welfare agency and court responsibilities related to the APPLA provisions of P.L. 113–183 and provides background information on the purpose of APPLA and the importance of youth engagement and voice in permanency planning.
Permanency Planning
Better Care Network
Provides a variety of articles on the process of preparing children and youth for out-of-home placements.
Permanency Planning Goal
Lawyers for Children
Outlines expectations for youth leaving foster care and making a permanency plan.
Youth Transitioning from Foster Care
American Bar Association
Outlines the ABA's legislation and policy recommendations to support foster youth transitioning to adult independence.
State and local examples
Permanency Roundtables
Casey Family Programs
Provides information and resources about two permanency roundtables projects, the Georgia Permanency Roundtable Project that focused primarily on children under a federal consent decree in Fulton and DeKalb counties and the Multi-Site Accelerated Permanency Project that focuses primarily on youth age 12 or older who have APPLA/OPLA as their case goal in eleven counties across Alabama, Colorado, Florida, and Ohio.