The following are ten prerequisites for full and effective implementation of the Adoption and Safe Families Act, Pub. For example, agency attorneys seek early termination of parental rights when appropriate, build a strong record at early stages of the case, periodically troubleshoot as the case proceeds, and are willing to risk losing in decisions to seek termination of parental rights. This is most likely when there are specialization and training for attorneys, low caseloads, concerted efforts to recruit and retain the strongest attorneys, and careful evaluation and rewards for attorneys who successfully move cases toward timely permanence.
Courts make changes in judicial infrastructure necessary to make timely decisions.
For example, if state agencies file earlier termination petitions, as called for by ASFA, courts add enough judges and enough time on judicial calendars to hear and decide the termination cases at a good pace. States adopt thorough and carefully thought out provisions to implement the ASFA revisions in reasonable efforts requirements. State courts develop a procedure to consistently make determinations whether grounds not to require reasonable efforts apply. Permanency hearings cause states to make timely decisions for children in foster care. States to adopt procedures for permanency hearings that make it difficult to routinely extend foster care.