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In the mid-1990s, some children languished in temporary foster care while prolonged attempts were made to reunify them with their families. In response to concerns about the length of time children were spending in foster care, the Congress enacted the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA). ASFA contained two key provisions that were intended to help states more quickly move the more than 800,000 children estimated to spend some time in foster care each year to safe and permanent homes. One of these provisions, referred to as “fast track,” allows states to by pass efforts to reunify families in certain egregious situations. The other provision, informally called “15 of 22,” requires states to file a petition to terminate parental rights (TPR) when a child has been in foster care for 15 of the most recent 22 months. In addition, ASFA emphasized the importance of adoption when foster children cannot safely and quickly return to the care of their families. Toward that end, ASFA established incentive payments for states that increase their adoptions. In addition, the law provided a new source of funds for states to use to promote and support adoptions through the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program. (GAO Report available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d02585.pdf).
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