    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [December 14, 1996]
    [Pages 2209-2211]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Adoption and Alternate Permanent Placement of Children in
    the Public Child Welfare System
    December 14, 1996

    Memorandum for the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary
    of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Commerce, the
    Director of the Office of Personnel Management

    Subject: Steps to Increase Adoptions and Alternate Permanent Placement
    for Waiting Children in the Public Child Welfare System

        During this Holiday Season, as we reflect on the importance of
    family in our own lives, let us remember the tens of thousands of our
    Nation's children in the public child welfare system who live without
    permanent and caring families. Foster care provides temporary shelter
    and relief for children who have been abused or neglected.
        I am committed to giving the children waiting in our Nation's foster
    care system what every child in America deserves--loving parents and a
    healthy, stable home. The goal for every child in our Nation's public
    welfare system is permanency in a safe and stable home, whether it be
    returning home, adoption, legal guardianship, or another permanent
    placement. While the great majority of children in foster care will
    return home, for about one in five, returning home is not an option, and
    they will need another home, one that is caring and safe. These children
    wait far too long--typically over 3 years, but for many children much
    longer--to be placed in permanent homes. Each year, State child welfare
    agencies secure homes for less than one-third of the children whose goal
    is adoption or an alternate permanent placement. I know we can do
    better.
        I believe we should increase the number of children who are adopted
    or permanently placed from the public foster care system each year
    toward the goal of at least doubling that number by the year 2002.
    Returning home is not an option for about 100,000 of the over 450,000
    children in the Nation's foster care system, yet only approximately
    20,000 were adopted last year and approximately 7,000 were permanently
    placed in legal guardianships. While the number of adoptions each year
    has been constant for many years, I believe that by working with States
    to identify and break down barriers to permanent placements, setting
    annual numerical targets, rewarding successful performance, and raising
    public awareness, we can meet the target of at least 54,000 children
    adopted or permanently placed from the public foster care system by the
    year 2002.
        Today, therefore, I direct the Secretary of Health and Human
    Services, in consultation with State and civic leaders, to report to me
    within 60 days on actions to be taken to move

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    children more rapidly from foster care to permanent homes and at least
    to double, by the year 2002, the number of children in foster care who
    are adopted or permanently placed out of the public foster care system.

            I.  To increase the number of children who are adopted or
                permanently placed each year, this report should include,
                but should not necessarily be limited to, recommendations in
                the following areas:
           (a)  Plans to work with States on setting and reaching State
                specific numerical targets, using the technical assistance
                of the Department of Health and Human Services National
                Resource Centers to make information on best practices
                available to States and to engage community leaders,
                parents, and the business and faith communities;
           (b)  Proposals to provide per child financial incentives to
                States for increases in the number of adoptions from the
                public welfare system. Options considered should have little
                to no net costs, as increases in the number of adoptions
                from the public system will reduce foster care costs,
                thereby offsetting much if not all of the incentive
                payments;
           (c)  A proposal to ensure continued aggressive implementation of
                the Multi-ethnic Placement Act, as amended by the Inter-
                ethnic Adoption Provision of the Small Business Job
                Protection Act;
           (d)  Plans to compile and publish an annual State-by-State report
                on success in meeting the numerical targets; and
           (e)  Plans to recognize successful States.

           II.  To move children more rapidly from foster care to permanent
                homes, the report shall also recommend changes to Federal
                law and regulations and other actions needed to emphasize
                the importance of planning for permanency as soon as a child
                enters the foster care system. The Secretary's report should
                include, but should not necessarily be limited to,
                recommendations in the following areas:
           (a)  Plans to provide States with funding to identify barriers to
                permanency and to develop targeted strategies to find
                permanent homes for children who have been in foster care a
                particularly long time;
           (b)  Proposals to shorten the period of time between a child's
                placement in foster care and his or her initial hearing at
                which a permanency determination is made;
           (c)  A proposal to clarify that the purpose of ``dispositional
                hearings'' is to plan for permanency and, as appropriate, to
                consider referrals for family mediation, termination of
                parental rights, adoption, legal guardianship, or other
                permanent placements;
           (d)  A proposal to clarify the ``reasonable efforts'' requirement
                and other Federal policy as it relates to permanency and
                safety;
           (e)  Plans to ensure that States give appropriate weight to
                permanency planning by establishing standards for securing
                permanency through adoption or guardianship, once a decision
                has been made that a child cannot be returned home; and
           (f)  Plans to examine alternative permanency arrangements, such
                as guardianship, when adoption is not possible.

        Last month, I signed a proclamation designating November as National
    Adoption Month--a time to increase awareness about the tens of thousands
    of children waiting for families and to encourage all Americans to
    consider the rewards and responsibilities of adoption. However, adoption
    must be a national concern throughout the year. Therefore, I direct:

           (a)  The Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and
                lead a public awareness effort including use of public
                service announcements, print materials, and the Internet;
           (b)  The Secretaries of Health and Human Services and the
                Treasury in consultation with State, civic, and private
                sector leaders to develop and disseminate information about
                the new adoption tax credits and other adoption benefits;
           (c)  The Secretaries of Labor and Commerce, in consultation with
                State and civic leaders, to identify and recognize companies
                in the private sector with model policies to encourage and
                ease adoption among employees; and
           (d)  The Director of the Office of Personnel Management to direct
                all Federal agencies to provide information and support to

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                Federal employees who are prospective adoptive parents.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: The National Adoption Month proclamation of October 29 is listed
    in Appendix D at the end of this volume.