Adoption and Safe Families Act State Statutes Regarding Parents with Mental Illnesses: A Review and Targeted Intervention

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2009

Abstract

TOPIC: This paper describes an intervention targeting states that list a parental mental illness/disability as an "aggravated circumstance" under the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA), resulting in reasonable efforts not required to reunify a family.

PURPOSE: This paper delineates the results from our review of ASFA state statutes, the development of a model ASFA statute, and strategies to educate legislators and the public about the impact of discrimination that parents with mental illnesses encounter because of ASFA legislation with the intent of modifying state ASFA legislation.

SOURCES USED: The following sources were used for this educational initiative: a literature review and a review of ASFA state statutes.

CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of the model ASFA state statute is simply a first step in an effort to end the discrimination that parents with psychiatric disabilities face; additional efforts are also noted.

Publication Title

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal

Volume

33

Issue

2

First Page

91

Last Page

94

Comments

This article was published in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, Volume 33, Issue 2, Fall 2009, Pages 91-4.

The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.2975/33.2.2009.91.94

Copyright © 2009 American Psychological Association

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