Senator Clinton welcomes support for her Adoption Improvement Act of 2008

July 13, 2008 - PRLog -- Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today welcomed the introduction of companion legislation in the House of Representatives of her bill to make the process of adopting children from foster care more efficient and family friendly. Representatives Chaka Fattah (D-PA) and Mark Souder (R-IN) announced introduction of the Adoption Improvement Act in the House. Senator Clinton introduced the bill in the Senate in November 2007.

“I am delighted that Congressmen Fattah and Souder have introduced the Adoption Improvement Act in the House of Representatives,” Senator Clinton said. “While we have made great progress in increasing foster care adoptions in recent years, 129,000 children in foster care are still awaiting permanent homes. That is why I introduced this legislation in the Senate and why I continue to call for greater support for our most vulnerable children.”

“Every child needs a loving family and a place to call home,” said Congressman Fattah. “Tens of thousands of children linger in foster care for years waiting for the security that a stable home offers. This legislation brings their dream of feeling part of a permanent family just a little bit closer,” Fattah added.

The Adoption Improvement Act of 2008 will assist child welfare agencies in their mission to find permanent homes for children in foster care. The legislation establishes a demonstration project to help child welfare agencies retain prospective adoptive parents throughout the complicated adoption process. Agencies will design programs based on recommendations from child welfare research and include components such as an adoption hotline; specialized professionals to answer adoption inquiries proficiently and sensitively; detailed information about the adoption process; and participation from parents who have successfully adopted children from foster care.

A recent study conducted by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, Harvard University, and the Urban Institute found that, although there is generally considerable public interest in adopting children from foster care, there are institutional barriers within the child welfare system that prevent waiting children from finding permanent, loving homes. The study showed that due to challenges in navigating the adoption process, only a fraction of prospective parents follow through to adopt. Of the 240,000 prospective parents who inquire annually about becoming adoptive parents, only 6 percent complete the home study component, which is a requirement leading to adoption.

Senator Clinton has long been an advocate for increasing and improving the adoption of children from foster care. As First Lady, Senator Clinton worked with Congress to establish the Adoption Incentives program, and in the Senate she has fought to increase the adoption tax credit, and has co-sponsored legislation aimed at increasing adoptions of foster children with special needs.

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A Native of New York, Rena writes as a freelance speech writer, ghost writer, journalist, and poet. She has been represented by the Hearst Corporation, Conde Nast, and Random House.