Outcome 2: Faster Permanency
Context of Measure
In September 1999, ACS adopted a set of Permanency Principles that articulated its philosophy toward serving families and children. These principles are tools that offer the agency a framework for directing policy, formulating practice guidelines and protocols, and developing staff training.
The central tenets of ACS's Permanency Principles state that all children deserve safe, nurturing permanent families who can provide an unconditional, lasting commitment to them, and that children and families deserve services that meet their needs. To this end, effort is made to keep foster children's families engaged in planning for services so that children can return safely to their homes as soon as possible. The agency also commits substantial resources toward expediting the adoption process so as to achieve timely, permanent homes for children whose parents cannot provide a safe and stable environment. The goal of permanency now infuses all service interventions that make up the New York City child welfare system.
Furthermore, the Federal Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) provides additional impetus to ACS's permanency efforts. ASFA was passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by the President in 1997 to reflect a growing concern that there are too many foster children who linger in care. The law requires agencies to act much more quickly to make sure that children either return to their parents or relatives or are adopted. Pursuant to ASFA the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services now evaluates the states on certain key permanency-related outcomes. In addition to being responsive to its own Permanency Principles and outcome indicators, ACS must be responsive to the dictates of ASFA in managing its permanency initiatives.
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