Nancy L. Johnson: “the strengthening Abuse and neglect Courts Act of 2000 will build on the success of the Adoption and Safe Families Act…”

“the strengthening Abuse and neglect Courts Act of 2000 will build on the success of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) which required states to shorten the length of time that children remain in foster care by filing termination of parental rights petitions at 15 months. Implementation of ASFA has resulted in an unprecedented 64 percent increase in adoptions out of foster care since 1996. As a direct result of ASFA, developed by the Committee on Ways and means, new pressures have been put on state courts to hold permanency hearings, implement permanency plans, make judicial findings and finalize adoptions cases involving abused and neglected children in a timely fashion. The Strengthening Abuse and Neglect Courts Act of 2000 will increase the efficiency and capacity of the nation's abuse and neglect courts by providing funds to state courts to computerize a data collection and case tracking system. This system will allow judges to track the number of children under judicial care to monitor how these children are faring. A case tracking system will allow judges to keep a running account of the number and type of services offered to the family and the results of these interventions. This information is critical to keeping children safe and promoting permanency. This Act will enable state and local courts to reduce existing backlogs of children awaiting termination of parental rights or finalization of adoption.”