TABLE 1


STATES THAT REQUIRE A PERMANENCY HEARING EARLIER THAN THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENT OF 18 MONTHS (AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1996)
State Requirement for holding the permanency hearing a   Year law or policy was enacted State law citation State policy/regulation citation
Arizona 12 months 1995 Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann., section 8-515.C.(West Supp. 1996)
Colorado 6 and 18 months b   1994 Colo. Rev. Stat., section 19-3-702(1)(Supp. 1996)
Connecticut 12 months 1995 Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann., section 46b-129(d),(e) (West 1995)
Delaware 17 months 1987 Child Protective Service Directive Policy #3026
Georgia 12 months 1996 Ga. Code Ann., section 15-11-419 (j),(k)(1996)
Illinois 16 months 1993 705 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann., 405/2-22(5)(West Supp. 1996)
Indiana 12 months 1996 Ind. Code Ann., section 31-6-4-19(c)(Michie Supp. 1996)
Iowa 12 months 1987 Iowa Code Ann., section 232.104 (West 1994)
Kansas 12 months 1994 Kan. Stat. Ann., section 38-1565(b), (c)(1995)
Louisiana 12 months 1991 La. Ch. Code Ann., Arts. 702,710(West 1995)
Michigan 15 1/2 months c   1988 Mich. Stat. Ann., section 27.3178(598.19a) (Law Co-op Supp. 1996)
Minnesota 12 months 1993 Minn. Stat. Ann., section 260.191 Subd. 3b(West Supp. 1997)
Mississippi 12 months 1985 Miss. Code Ann., section 43-21-613 (3)(1993)
New Hampshire 12 months 1987 New Hampshire Court Rules Annotated, Abuse and Neglect, Guideline 39 (Permanency Planning Review) d  
New Mexico 6 months 1993 State official's statement e  
New York 12 months 1989 N.Y. Jud. Law, section 1055(b)(McKinney Supp. 1997)
Ohio 12 months 1989 Ohio Rev. Code Ann., sections 2151.353(F) 2151.415 9 (A) (Anderson 1994)
Pennsylvania 6 months 1986 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann., section 6351(e-g)(West Supp. 1996)
Rhode Island 12 months 1985 R.I. Gen. Laws, section 40-11-12.1(1990)
South Carolina 12 months 1983 S.C. Code Ann., section 20-7-766(Law. Co-op. Supp. 1996)
Utah 16 months 1995
Virginia 12 months f  1994 Va. Code Ann., section 16.1-282(Michie 1996)
Washington 12 and 18 months g  1994 Wash. Rev. Code Ann., section 13.34.145(3)(4) (West Supp. 1997)
West Virginia 12 months 1984
W. Va. Code sections 49-6-5, 49-6-8(1996)
Wisconsin 12 months 1981 Wis. Stat. Ann., sections 48.355(4); 48.38; 48.365(5)(West 1987)
Wyoming 12 months 1995 Wyo. Stat. Ann., section 14-6-229 (k)(Michie Supp. 1996)

 a  Generally, a permanency hearing must be held within the indicated number of months after the child enters foster care.
 b  Colorado law requires that for children under age 6, the permanency hearing be held within 6 months from when the child enters care. The timeframe to hold the permanency hearing was calculated by adding the days needed to conduct the adjudicatory, dispositional, and permanency planning hearings. This expedited procedures program will be implemented on a county-by-county basis and will be fully implemented in the state by June 30, 2004. For children aged 6 and older, the permanency hearing is held within 18 months of placement.
 c  Michigan's timeframe to hold the permanency hearing was calculated by adding the days needed to conduct the preliminary hearing, trial, dispositional hearing, and the permanency hearing.
 d  New Hampshire law is unclear regarding the timeframe to hold the permanency hearing; therefore, we relied on the New Hampshire Court Rules Annotated-Statutory Requirements and Guidelines for Abuse and Neglect, Guideline 39, which requires that a permanency hearing be held within 1 year of the child's placement in foster care.
 e  New Mexico law does not refer to permanency hearings. It does require that a dispositional hearing be conducted every 6 months to review the permanency plan of the child. During this review, a permanency decision for the child can be made, but this is not required.
 f  Virginia's timeframe to hold the permanency hearing was calculated by adding the number of months required to file the petition to hold the permanency hearing plus the number of days within which the court is required to schedule the hearing.
 g  Washington's law requires the permanency hearing to be held no later than 12 months after a child is placed in foster care for children 10 years old and under. For children over age 10, the permanency hearing must be held no later than 18 months after a child is placed in foster care.

















TABLE 2


Characteristics of Children in Foster Care, December 1994
Characteristic Percentage of total
AGE DISTRIBUTION:
Age <1 year 4.3
Age 1-5 years 30.7
Age 6-12 years 34.8
Age 13-18 years 28.6
Age 19 years and older 1.6
Total percentage 100.0
DISTRIBUTION BY RACE/ETHNICITY:
Hispanic 13.8
White 32.3
Black 46.8
American Indian/Alaskan Native 0.7
Asian/Pacific Islander 0.8
Unknown 5.6
Total percentage 100.0

Source: Preliminary analysis of data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, Department of Health and Human Services. Includes data from 21 states. From 1996 Green Book, Committee on Ways and Means.

















TABLE 3


FAMILY PRESERVATION
MEASURE 1st Qtr. FY 97 2d Qtr. FY 97 January 1997
Outcome #1: Contractor shall accept all SRS referrals.
1. 97% of all families shall be engaged in the treatment process. 96% 97% 98%
Outcome #2: Children will be safe from abuse and/or neglect.
1. 90% of families will not have confirmed abuse or neglect during program participation. 99% 98% 98%
2. 80% of families successfully completing the program (no child removed from the home) will have no confirmed reports of abuse or neglect within 6 months of case closure. * * *
Outcome #3: Children will not require out of home placement. (Note: Short term respite care is not considered an out of home placement.)
1. 80% of families will not have a child placed outside the home during program participation. 95% 90%* 91%
2. 80% of families successfully completing the program (no children removed from the home) will not have a child placed outside the home within 6 months of case closure. * * *
Outcome #4: Adjudicated juvenile offenders will not re-offend.
1. 70% of adjudicated juvenile offenders participating in the program will not be adjudicated for an additional offense during participation. 91% 72% 75%
2. 65% of adjudicated juvenile offenders successfully completing the program (no re-offense or placement) will not be adjudicated with an additional offense within 6 months of case closure. * * *
Outcome #5: Petitions filed to remove child in cases of severe or continued maltreatment.
1. Documentation provided on families who have children removed during the contract period in cases of continued or severe abuse or neglect. * * * * **
Outcome #6: Family members will be satisfied with services provided.
1. Participants (parents and youth ages 14 through 21 living in the home) will report 80% satisfaction measured by the Client Satisfaction Survey 30 days from the start of the program. 88% 90% 91%

*Post program measures for which date will be available and reported beginning in February 1997.
**Outcome is being reconsidered and is not being reported at this time.