Friday, May 28, 2010

What hath the Adoption and Safe Families Act wrought? A Letter to Bill Clinton.

President William J. Clinton
c/o William J. Clinton Foundation
55 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027

May 27, 2010

Dear President Clinton:

I am the father of two sons, Rudy, 21, and Jonah, 19, both college students. My wife, Jacqui, and I have been married for almost 24 years. She has secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, and I am her primary caregiver.

I write to you today on behalf of other families, though; families who currently are and who in the future will be adversely affected by the policies launched with the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA).

In April 1999, our local Child Protective Services agency removed Rudy and Jonah from our home on groundless suspicions. After ten months of dependency court hearings and prompt compliance with every aspect of the case plan imposed upon us, we were reunited on a “trial visit” basis. After another eight months, the dependency court case was finally dismissed.

The emotional stress of that nearly two-year experience accelerated the progression of Jacqui’s MS, and her disability increased considerably. My own stresses cost me a job.

But none of that is my reason for writing you today. Instead, I want to tell you that, building on the policy foundation established by ASFA, South Carolina has passed a new law, the signing ceremony for which took place on Tuesday last. Under that law, holding children in foster care for just six months will become grounds to terminate parental rights forever. After 18 months, the new law requires termination of parental rights, no ifs, ands or buts.

Because of the instrumental role you played with ASFA, it is very important that you know what is happening now. The policy of financial incentives from the Federal government to the states birthed by the passage of ASFA has become a malignancy, one threatening the well-being of American families.

Please read the May 27, 2010, entry on the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform’s (NCCPR) Blog http://www.nccpr.blogspot.com/ . I beseech you to use the power of your foundation to help reverse the harmful policies resulting from ASFA.

I am more than happy to discuss this idea with you, and I have no doubt that Richard Wexler, Executive Director of the NCCPR would be as well.

I also hope that you also read the new report of the Annie E. Casey Foundation on the reforms made in the Maine Child Protective Services bureaucracy. That report can be found at http://www.aecf.org/.

Thank you for reading this. I hope that you will use the resources of your Foundation to remedy the harm done by a law that was supposed to help, not harm, families and children.

Very truly yours,

Steven H Hirsch
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Update:  July 27, 2010

Today I received the following letter of reply from Bill Clinton:
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"July 22, 2010

Dear Steven:

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.

Our children are the future, and protecting them is our most profound responsibility.  The goal of the Adoption and Safe Families Act was to give every child the opportunity to grow up in a healthy and safe environment, with the potential to become strong, successful adults.  Throughout my Administration, we tried to increase the number of adoptions from the foster care system by eliminating race and ethicity barriers, breaking down geographic barriers by using the Internet, and ensuring health coverage for adopted children with special needs.

I'm glad you share my belief in the importrance of advocating for children's safety.  It's vital that we talk about the issues that are important to us, so I encourage you to continue to share your views.

Sincerely,

/s/ Bill Clinton"
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So, since the entire point of my letter was missed, shall I take the time to write once more? 

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