Finding Permanent Homes for Adoptable Children - Pepperdine ...

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esources to pull funding from permanent sources, such as adoption or foster care, it provides agencies a type of autonomy not provided by federalization. There is, however, no guarantee that the federal funding offered by option one will actually reach the ICPC process. Finally, the amendment process to change the compact is tedious. A unanimous decision in the AAICPC is necessary to pass an amendment of the compact, and this must occur in 52 jurisdictions and legislatures. During the 30 years of the compact’s existence, little changed, and this implies that the process is not amenable to restructuring. Conclusion of Restructuring Option: The revisions will focus on increasing the homogeneity of the system while capitalizing on the aspects of the ICPC process that currently do function well. If the amendments are successful, it will not result in an additional level of complication, but rather clear up previous discrepancies. Under a federal system, more funding will likely be spent on an inefficient system. The current funding structure will achieve success when an incentive framework is introduced that harnesses the abilities of ICPC personnel. The revisions are dedicated to increasing the communication and accessibility of information between caseworkers, administrators, judges, lawyers, and even the possible adoptive familie s. Restructuring the ICPC offers the opportunity to maintain the current level of federal bureaucracy and even decrease it, while improving the process. Increasing federal control brings minimum results, while the system already in place has the ability to make the necessary changes in order to create a better environment for interstate adoptions. Upon reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of both options, it is clear that the enhancement and revision of the ICPC is the most viable course of action. With a vision for reforming the existing ICPC framework standing as the recommendation, the analysis will focus on the specific reforms necessary to address the challenges facing the current framework, as well as a detailed assessment of the manner by which to implement these reforms. 26
Chapter 4. Making the Necessary Changes in the ICPC Framework The elements of implementing the ICPC restructuring include long-term and short-term strategies. The long-term strategy exists to achieve political passage. The most significant challenge to this process is that it requires the legislative approval of 52 jurisdictions in order to make the final changes to the interstate compact. Due to this timely obstacle, the short-term strategy, composed of elements not requiring far reaching political passage, creates positive changes in the interim. The long-term elements involve changes to the actual ICPC, including specific language alterations that will significantly improve the system, better accommodate interstate adoptions, and will meet the best interests of children. A discussion of the short-term goals precedes the discussion of the long-term changes necessary to permanently achieve success. Short-Term Goals and Actions There are interim improvements that states will implement while awaiting actualization of the long-term strategy. These initial goals and actions involve: • The use of an agency, such as the I-JAC, as a model. • The initiation of training and education for caseworkers, judges, administrators, and lawyers. • The provision of checklists stipulating requirements for home studies to lessen confusion. • The specialization of some caseworkers to complete only ICPC cases. Create an Interjurisdictional Taskforce The Inter-Jurisdictional Adoption Clearinghouse (I-JAC) currently acts, under the mandate and fiscal tutelage of the ASFA 35 , as a mediator and support system for California, Washington, Nevada, and Oregon. It is their responsibility to assess individual needs and develop better methods with which each state may accomplish more inter-jurisdictional placements. The I-JAC helps break down the communication barriers between social workers, compact administrators, and judges that currently confuse the process and prevent much improvement in the areas of efficiency, consistency, and timely placements. The ability to have one team whose job it is to listen, assess, and eliminate unnecessary 35 The Adoption and Safe Families Act was signed into law 1997 under President Clinton. 27
Page 1: Finding Permanent Homes for Adoptab
Page 4 and 5: Executive Summary There are few soc
Page 6 and 7: Although federalization of a statut
Page 8 and 9: Literature Cited...................
Page 10 and 11: About the Authors Benjamin Barker -
Page 12 and 13: Recognizing that improvements have
Page 14 and 15: Similarly, large families, with thr
Page 16 and 17: SOURCE: HHS Office of the Inspector
Page 18 and 19: Chapter 2. What Are Challenges Redu
Page 20 and 21: These agreements may be entered int
Page 22 and 23: Perhaps the most valuable resource
Page 24 and 25: 4. Jurisdictional Uncertainty and I
Page 26 and 27: Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction
Page 28 and 29: ules. Currently, the ICPC has no su
Page 30 and 31: Options for Reforming the ICPC With
Page 32 and 33: Funding is another advantage that a
Page 34 and 35: Conclusions: Federalizing Does Not
Page 38 and 39: ottlenecks through revised procedur
Page 40 and 41: order to gauge the best interest of
Page 42 and 43: • The numbers of children success
Page 44 and 45: Literature Cited AdoptionStatistics
Page 46: The U.S. Department of Health and H
Page 50 and 51: The Lengths of Stay for the Childre
Page 52 and 53: The Race and Ethnicity of Children
Page 54 and 55: The Outcomes of Children Exiting Fo
Page 56 and 57: The Age of Waiting Children When Re
Page 58 and 59: Appendix B. The Cost of an Adoption
Page 60 and 61: Appendix C. The Interstate Compact
Page 62 and 63: another location and custody pursua
Page 64 and 65: 14-5-104. Agreements with other par
Page 66 and 67: Sec. 202. Adoptions across State an
Page 68 and 69: (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 4
Page 70 and 71: giving priority to children for who
Page 72 and 73: TITLE II--INCENTIVES FOR PROVIDING
Page 74 and 75: `(B) with respect to any subsequent
Page 76 and 77: (ii) concerning the procedures to g
Page 78 and 79: (c) AUTHORITY TO EXTEND DURATION OF
Page 80 and 81: (A) in subsection (c), by striking
Page 82 and 83: (3) by adding at the end the follow
Page 84 and 85: `(I) the unadjusted net payment to

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