The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (enacted as Public Law 110-351) was an Act of Congress in the United States signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 7, 2008.[1] It was previously unanimously passed in both the House of Representatives and in the Senate. The law made numerous changes to the child welfare system, mostly to Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, which covers federal payments to states for foster care and adoption assistance. According to child welfare experts and advocates, the law made the most significant federal improvements to the child welfare system in over a decade.[2]
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The new law made a number of changes to the child welfare system, which is primarily the responsibility of the states (the Federal government supports the states through funding and legislative initiatives). Major changes include:[3][4][5]
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the new law will reduce deficits by $12 million between 2009 and 2018, although it will initially increase direct spending by $323 million between 2009 and 2013. [6]
In the House, Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) and former Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) were active in the legislation’s drafting and eventual passage. In the Senate, Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) were leaders on the bill.
Notable organizations that were involved in various stages of drafting, and revising the statute, and lobbying Congress included:
Since its signing in 2008, states are moving to implement the various changes in the law and different states are at different stages in implementation.[9] A Fostering Connections Resource Center[10] was also created to help disseminate information about the law.