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West Virginia Appropriations Requests
October 8, 2008
ROCKEFELLER CELEBRATES SIGNING OF MAJOR ADOPTION LEGISLATION INTO LAW
Washington, D.C. – Major adoption legislation championed by Senator Jay Rockefeller is now the law of the land. The bill renews and expands a number of federal adoption incentives that over the last decade helped double the number of adoptions of foster children nationwide and in West Virginia – in fact, more than 3,600 West Virginian children have moved from foster care to a permanent family.
“As a parent and grandparent, I know how important it is for a child to have a safe, stable and healthy home. This is a great day for all those caring and compassionate West Virginia families who want to share their homes and abundance of love with foster children or adopted children,” Rockefeller said. “Throughout the state, I’ve met some of the most incredible families and caregivers who have taken into their hearts children who simply want the chance to experience a loving and nurturing home environment. They’re inspirational and truly represent the better angels of our nature, and this new law will help even more children. I will never stop fighting to make our national adoption laws fairer – because these children, and the families who love them, deserve the very best.”
The recently enacted law contains a number of policies championed by Senator Rockefeller over the years. These include updating state incentives to encourage permanency for children in foster care through adoption. The legislation also promotes adoption assistance for all special needs children, phasing in the program starting with the oldest foster children and those children in foster care over 5 years.
Under the new law, relatives may serve as guardians as long as they pass the same safety standards as foster parents, and the placement with the relative is in the child’s best interest. And, to promote even more placements, the legislation permits child welfare agencies to access data from the Federal Parent Locater Service – a national database that contains information on relatives who could be eligible foster parents.
The law also benefits 18-year-olds as they transition out of foster care. Additionally, the law would help states who want to allow teens to stay in foster care for a few more years to maintain their support, access to health insurance through Medicaid and their educational benefits so that they can finish high school, college or job training programs. The measure also would require states to set up a 90-day transition plan to help those teenagers moving out of foster care to outline their options for education, housing, insurance and other issues.
Senator Rockefeller is a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, and serves as Chairman of the panel’s Subcommittee on Health Care.
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