FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 6, 2009

Contact: Kate Cyrul/Bergen Kenny (Harkin) 202-224-3254

               Jodi Seth (Kerry) 202-224-4159

               Jess McIntosh (Franken) 202-224-1868

               Aaron Saunders (Landrieu) 202-224-0098

               Erin Sayago (Martinez) 202-224-3041

Washington, D.C. – Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Al Franken (D-MN), with Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Mel Martinez (R-FL) have introduced the Safe Babies Act of 2009 (S. 1554), bi-partisan legislation that aims to reduce the recurrence of abuse and neglect and improve the health and well-being of maltreated infants and toddlers.

From birth to age five, children develop more rapidly than at any other time in life, making early relationships and experiences pivotal for future development. The importance of early childhood puts maltreated babies at great risk for developing problems later in life.  Young children are six times more likely than the general population to have developmental delays that can lead to substance abuse, welfare dependence, academic failure, and developmental disabilities.

The Safe Babies Act of 2009 builds on innovative work already being done across the country to address these issues.  These programs bring together legal and child development professionals within the child welfare system, helping them make better informed decisions and promote stability for these children. 

“Caring for our children is one of our greatest responsibilities,” said Senator Harkin.  “The goal of the Safe Babies Act is to help safeguard kids during their pivotal development years.  It requires screening infants and toddlers within the foster system for developmental delays and chronic health problems, and allows children to achieve safe permanency with their parents or other loving adults.”

“I believe in supporting programs with a strong return on investment, and there is no greater investment we can make than in the safety of our children,” said Senator Franken.  “The Safe Babies Act not only protects children at the most critical time in their development, it gives them a chance to grow up into healthy teenagers – capable of excelling in school, in social relationships, and eventually in a 21^st Century workplace.”

“We’ve got the 29^th highest infant mortality rating in the world and that statistic is as shocking as it is unacceptable,” Senator Kerry said.  “This legislation will help ensure that our children are kept safe and given the best care possible especially during their critical developmental stage.  I’m proud to partner with Senator Harkin in this important effort.” 

“Taking care of America’s children while they are young gives them the best shot at becoming successful adults and the Safe Babies Act will help those children who need the most attention,” said Schumer.  “By pinpointing developmental delays and chronic health problems early in life, parents and medical personnel can help maltreated infants and toddlers grow into strong and healthy kids and teenagers.  All children deserve the best life can offer and this legislation helps us give them that future.”

“There is no doubt that our child welfare system is not working for our children in the way it was intended,” said Sen. Landrieu. “Rather than spending too much time trying to fix a broken system, we need to focus on families together. A key element is ensuring that communities have the proper resources to make better decisions to promote permanency and stability for foster children. This bill helps achieve that by establishing Court Teams, which are trained to monitor cases and develop specialized plans to meet the needs of every child and family. Louisiana is one of several states that has already implemented a Court Team pilot program to improve the lives of maltreated children and prevent future juvenile delinquency. It is important to now spread similar programs to states from coast to coast.”

“Watching over our nation’s most vulnerable infants and toddlers is a responsibility we must meet,” said Senator Martinez.  “Children placed within the protection of the state must have their needs met to ensure they are prepared for a better future.  Doing this will help these important children and our overall society.”

THE LEGISLATION:

• Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 for the development of local Court Teams and for the creation of a National Court Teams Resource Center to assist such Court Teams. 

• A Court Team will be led by a judge with jurisdiction over children in foster care; have a local Community Coordinator who is responsible for day-to-day operation of the project; and include key stakeholders from the community involved in the care of maltreated infants and toddlers (for example, court officials, child welfare staff, attorneys, CASAs, pediatrician, mental health professionals, substance abuse treatment providers, and early childhood service providers)

• A Court Team will screen infants and toddlers for developmental delays and chronic health problems, and will engage in an intensive approach to parent/child intervention with the goal of allowing children to achieve safe permanency with their parents or other loving adults, thereby reducing the numbers of very young children in foster care.

• A Court Team will be required to conduct monthly case reviews; implement best practices; incorporate child-focused services into case plans (including medical, developmental, and mental health interventions); improve access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for parents and children; and organize training for Court Team members.

The National Court Teams Resource Center will be responsible for developing materials and providing training for members of local Court Teams.  The bill also provides for an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of local Court Teams in improving access to services, reducing the recurrence of abuse and neglect, providing permanent placements, and reducing costs through system improvements.