Federal laws have a significant impact on how States fund and deliver child protection, child welfare, and adoption programs and services. This section includes publications and resources on Federal laws and policies related to child abuse and neglect, child welfare, and adoption.

About CAPTA: A Legislative History

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
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Download (PDF - 612KB)
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Year Published
2019
Summarizes the legislative history and purpose of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), the key Federal legislation addressing child abuse and neglect. CAPTA was originally enacted in P.L. 93-247 and was most recently amended on January 7, 2019, by the Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-424).

About the Affordable Care Act
HealthCare.gov
Describes key provisions of the law, presents a timeline of changes, and offers resources to help individuals understand how the law affects them.

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Children's Bureau (2017)
Presents the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), which provides guidance to States about child protection, as amended by Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016. It offers an overview of CAPTA programs, adoption opportunities, and the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act.

A Complete Guide to the Family First Prevention Services Act
Kelly (2018)
The Imprint
Provides guidance on the new funding structure emphasizing preventative child welfare measures over out-of-home care services as enacted through the Families First Act.

FamilyFirstAct.Org
Provides an overview of the Family First Act, resources on topics related to the legislation, communication tools for promoting the website, and a calendar with upcoming related webinars and conference calls.

Index of Federal Child Welfare Laws
Child Welfare Information Gateway
A list of selected legislation that has impacted children, families, and the agencies that serve them.

Laws and Policies
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Provides links to Children's Bureau policy issuances; Federal, State, and Tribal laws; and other resources.

Legal Information Institute
Cornell University Law School
A source of the U.S. Code, Rules of Evidence, and many other legal resources in searchable databases.

Congress.gov
Library of Congress
Searchable databases of full-text Federal legislative information, legislative histories, and committee reports.

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