Trump’s Family-First Revolution: Dismantling Clinton-Era Child Welfare Apparatus
Behind the Scenes Observations of the Child Welfare Apparatus:
- Observation #1: Rigid Timelines Harm Families
The ASFA clock doesn’t always reflect real-life complexities. FFPSA’s approach acknowledges that parents often need more time and resources to address systemic or personal challenges. - Observation #2: Funding Decides Policy
When the federal government pays solely for foster care placements, that’s exactly what states will use. By paying for in-home parenting support and counseling, FFPSA shifts the paradigm. - Observation #3: Scrutiny Breeds Accountability
As more eyes focus on CPS, prosecutors, and family courts, expect changes in how quickly agencies move to remove children. The question is whether that scrutiny will result in meaningful reform or superficial compliance.
By Samuel A. Lopez, USA Herald
[CALIFORNIA] – Samuel Lopez here, reporting for the USA Herald. I’ve seen firsthand how child protective policies can shape, uplift, or dismantle families in crisis. Today, I’m bringing you an in-depth legal analysis contrasting two major federal child welfare statutes: The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997, signed into law by former President Bill Clinton, and the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), signed by President Donald Trump on February 9, 2018.
In light of President Trump’s re-election and his stated commitment to keeping families intact, scrutiny of ASFA is intensifying. Many argue that ASFA is inconsistent with modern societal values, particularly regarding parental rights. Below, I’ll explain why critics say it must be abolished or radically reworked, and how FFPSA’s family-centered approach offers a compelling alternative.
ASFA was enacted with the intention of expediting permanency for children in foster care. A central provision requires states to initiate the termination of parental rights (TPR) if a child has been in foster care for 15 of the previous 22 months (42 U.S.C. § 675(5)(E)). At the time, this was seen as a protective measure against children languishing in care. However, critics now assert that these rigid timelines fail to account for the complexities of family struggles—particularly those involving poverty, mental health challenges, or temporary setbacks.
From my vantage point as a former senior paralegal who has frequently attended juvenile court hearings as part of my job, it’s clear that ASFA timelines can create a “fast track” to severing parental rights. Overzealous prosecutors and Child Protective Services (CPS) social workers sometimes push for TPR prematurely. In many instances, parents are left in the dark about resources that could help them overcome barriers—whether those barriers are substance abuse, lack of stable housing, or mental health challenges.
Several critics say ASFA’s approach is antiquated. They highlight that parental rights are fundamental liberties protected by the U.S. Constitution, and that removing a child should be a last resort. Society increasingly recognizes that family reunification and supportive services often yield better long-term outcomes. As a result, the notion that children should remain in foster care or be made available for adoption simply because of a statutory timetable is viewed by many as punitive and inhumane.
Enter the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA)—signed by President Trump in 2018 as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act. This law changed how federal child welfare dollars can be used, allowing Title IV-E funding to cover prevention services aimed at keeping families together, rather than only funding out-of-home placements.