[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 145 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           STRENGTHENING ABUSE AND NEGLECT COURTS ACT OF 1998

  Mr. DeWine. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill that will 
help protect America's abused children. The bill is called the 
Strengthening Abuse and Neglect Courts Act of 1998. I am very proud to 
be joined in this effort by Senators Rockefeller, Landrieu, and Chafee. 
I realize that time is running very short in this Congress, so my 
cosponsors and I will look to move this legislation during the next 
Congress.
  Mr. President, last year Congress passed a historic piece of 
legislation called the Adoption and Safe Families Act. The purpose of 
that bill was to encourage safe and permanent family placements for 
abused and neglected children--and to decrease the amount of time they 
have to stay in the foster care system.
  One of the requirements of that new law is more timely decisionmaking 
by the courts with regard to adoption and other permanent placements 
for children. The time-lines instituted by the Adoption and Safe 
Families Act, however, have increased the pressure on already 
overburdened courts that deal with abused and neglected children.
  If we provide assistance to the courts--so that administrative 
efficiency and effectiveness are improved--the goals of last year's 
important legislation will be more readily achieved. Improved courts 
will help more children find permanent homes more quickly.
  That is the purpose of the bill I am introducing today. While 
acknowledging that abuse and neglect courts are already committed to 
quality administration of justice, this bill would further strengthen 
the efficiency and effectiveness of the courts in the following five 
areas:
  (1) Grants to State courts and local courts to automate data 
collection and tracking of proceedings in abuse and neglect courts. 
This would improve administrative efficiency and help evaluate overall 
performance--and it would also develop computer systems that can be 
replicated in other jurisdictions.
  (2) Grants to reduce pending backlogs of abuse and neglect cases. 
These grants will go to courts in order to reduce and hopefully 
eliminate the backlog of cases awaiting disposition. The courts are 
given the flexibility to determine what method to use to reduce their 
backlog, but suggestions include establishing night court sessions, 
hiring additional court personnel or extending the courts operating 
hours.
  (3) Development of ``good practice'' standards for agency attorneys. 
This would improve the quality of representation for children in the 
abuse and neglect system to ensure that their best interests are 
considered.
  (4) Improved training (and cross-trainings) for judges, abuse and 
neglect attorneys, and court personnel. In this, as in so many areas, 
it's crucial that people with a special task receive special training. 
This bill would partially reimburse States for training of judges, 
judicial personnel, agency attorney's and attorneys representing 
children and parents in abuse and neglect proceedings. It would also 
help fund cross-training between court and agency.
  (5) Technical assistance for the development of and education on 
``good practice'' standards for attorneys practicing in abuse and 
neglect proceedings. The bill authorizes technical assistance funding 
to support abuse and neglect courts in the implementation of the 
Adoption and Safe Families Act.
  (5) Expansion of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program 
into underserved areas. The CASA Program has proven to be effective in 
ensuring that children in the foster care system are protected and 
receive appropriate services. This bill would help CASA expand its 
programs in the 15 largest urban areas and develop multi-jurisdictional 
programs in under-served rural areas, so that more children receive the 
benefit of their services.
  When we passed the Adoption and Safe Families Act last year, I said 
that the bill is a good start, but that Congress will have to do more 
to make sure that every child has the opportunity to live in a safe, 
stable, loving and permanent home. One of the essential ingredients in 
this process is an efficiently operating court system. After all, 
that's where a lot of delays occur--for children who need permanent 
homes. The courts have been neglected throughout the years and while 
other areas of child welfare have been emphasized and funded, the 
courts have been left out of the process almost entirely.
  It is my hope that with the introduction of this bill, we will start 
to change that syndrome--and make sure that courts will finally receive 
the funding and training they need to make a positive difference in the 
lives of some of America's most at-risk young people.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is reminded of the 5-minute rule.
  Mr. DeWINE. I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.

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