Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Amer Foster Care Improvement Act Introduced in House of Representatives


Amer Foster Care Improvement Act Introduced in House of Representatives 
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | January 23, 2013 — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), is proud to announce Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.)'s introduction of H.R. 102, the “Rehab and Ahmed Amer Foster Care Improvement Act of 2013.” The Act will enhance the existing federal policy of encouraging state foster care programs to place children in the care of willing and able relatives. This legislation accomplishes this goal by requiring States that receive federal funding for foster care programs to add certain procedural enhancements to their foster care programs so as to ensure a more fair placement decision-making process.

For over two decades ADC has worked with the Amer family throughout their ordeal. The introduction of this bill is a culmination of a journey that started nearly 30 years ago in Dearborn, MI. ADC has been working on the introduction of the bill and welcomes the dedication shown by Congressman Conyers throughout the whole process. Read more about the struggles of this Arab American family.

ADC Legal and Policy Director Abed Ayoub states, “It is our hope that the bill can gain enough bipartisan support to become law. It is imperative that all children, regardless of race or ethnicity, are protected. We commend Congressman Conyers for introducing the bill and Congressman Gary Peters for co-signing. We urge all Americans to contact your member of Congress and voice your support for this important legislation.”

In a statement provided to ADC, Congressman John Conyers, “The best interests of the child should always be the overriding consideration when making foster care placement decisions. That standard, however, should also require foster care agencies to give special preference to placing a child with relatives, where the child can be raised in the same culture or religion as his or her own, all other things being equal.”

TAKE ACTION: Tell your Member of Congress to Support H.R. 102!
The Rehab and Ahmed Amer Foster Care Improvement Act of 2013 would require that a State, within 90 days after it makes a foster care placement decision, to provide notice of such decision to the following affected parties:
  • the child’s parents;
  • relatives who have informed the State of their interest in caring for the child;
  • the guardian; the guardian ad litem of the child;
  • the attorney for the child;
  • the attorney for each parent of the child;
  • the prosecutor involved; and
  • the child if he or she is able to express an opinion regarding placement.
Additionally, States must establish procedures that:
  • allow any of the parties who receive notice of the State’s placement decision to request, within five days after receipt of the notice, documentation of the reasons for the State’s decision;
  • allow the child’s attorney to petition the court involved to review the decision; and
  • require the court to commence such review within seven days after receipt of the petition and conduct such review on the record.

Learn more about the Amer Family's history
“In 1985, Rehab and Ahmed Amer lost two of their children to Michigan’s foster care system after Rehab had been subject to criminal charges related to the death of her two-year-old son Samier, who died because of head injuries resulting from a fall in a bathtub. Although Rehab had been acquitted in August 1986 of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Samier’s death, the State refused to return the Amers’ other two children to them and, in fact, removed a third child from the Amers’ custody four months after Rehab’s acquittal.

“As a temporary alternative, Rehab’s brother petitioned to be a foster parent to the Amers’ three children, but was denied his petition even though he had previously served as a foster parent for other children. It is important to note that the Amers are Muslim. Nevertheless, the State, rather than placing the Amers’ children with a foster family of the same faith and cultural background, sent them to live with an evangelical Christian family, which re-named the Amers’ children – Mohamed Ali, Sueheir, and Zinabe – with Christian names and raised them as Christians.

“Today, only the oldest of the Amers’ three living children, Mohamed Ali, now known as Adam, communicates with them. In reaction to the Amers’ story, Michigan enacted what became known as the ‘Amer Law.’ That law requires foster care placement agencies in Michigan to consider and give special preference for relatives when making a foster care placement decision.

“The Amer Law is consistent with federal foster care policy, which also seeks to give preference to a child's relatives and, for Native American children, a family of the same cultural background as the child, when making placement decisions. The Amer Law, however, has several provisions that go beyond current federal law to ensure due process. In sum, this law gives parents, relatives, guardians, and the child in certain cases additional procedural rights, including the right to written notice and an explanation of a placement decision. In addition, it authorizes judicial review of a placement decision by a foster care agency.”

Source: Office of Congressman John Conyers

3 comments:

  1. I know a great agency for single parent adoption. I highly recommend them.

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    1. Thank you. If you have any advice or points to think about and consider please email rudrcazz@gmail.com but I'll do research as well. Trying to consider this option perhaps several years in the future.

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  2. It is interesting to learn about all this legislation that has to do with adoption and foster children. It seems like a smart idea to keep really track of the system that takes care of the future of this country. Children are so important.
    Megan Jones http://www.achildsdream.org

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