The bipartisan Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (P.L. 113-183/HR 4980), signed into law by President Obama on September 29, 2014, takes important steps forward in ensuring the well-being of children and youth in the child welfare system. In addition to taking important steps in preventing youth in care from becoming victims of sex trafficking, the law also addresses barriers expressed by former and current foster youth from having “normal” childhood and adolescent experiences, and works to establish permanency for youth in care. This page serves as a resource hub on implementation efforts and provides background materials on specific provisions of the law.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children and Families – Guidance and Information Memorandums
Information Memorandum October 23, 2014
Program Instruction November 21, 2014
Information Memorandum- Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
Program Instruction Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
About the Strengthening Families Act
Summary of the Law, October 2014
CRS- Child Welfare and Child Support: The Strengthening Families Act (P.L. 113-183)
CRS, Child Welfare and Child Support in SFA.
Implementing the SFA to Benefit Children and Youth
National Conference of State Legislators SFA Summary
Oklahoma SFA Bill Summary HB 1078
SPARC Created Resources
Normalcy
Case Planning and Youth Engagement
Core Values and Guiding Principles-National Summit on Authentic Youth Engagement
Childhood Only Happens Once Bill of Rights
Issue Brief – Authentic Youth Engagement
Final Letting Kids be Kids Fact Sheet
What Young People Need to Thrive: Leveraging the Strengthening Families Act to Promote Normalcy
SPARC Created Resource
Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard
FL David Wilkins Testimony- Letting Kids be Kids
Links to Iowa’s Case Planning Materials
Promoting Normalcy, Juvenile Law Center Brief
Resources for Implementing PL 113-183
CSSP: A Guide for States Implementing the SFA
TX – Normalcy Bill Language Updated
TX Memo Normalizing Activities for Youth in FC
Permanency
The Annie E. Casey Foundation Funding Permanency Services
An Integrated Approach to Youth Permanency
Enhancing Permanency for Youth in Out-of-Home Care
Family Finding Voices From the Field, Child Trends Policy Brief
Financing Policies And Practices
New Hampshire MC-APPLA Protocols
The Multi-Site Accelerated Permanency Project Technical Report
Trafficking
Child Sex Trafficking in America- A Guide for Child Welfare
Ending the Commercial Exploitation of Children – A Call for Multi-System Collaboration in CA
Safe Harbor Laws, Model Public Policy- ABA
Child Welfare and Human Trafficking (Children’s Bureau Policy Brief)
SPARC Created Resource
Addressing Child Sex Trafficking from a Child Welfare Perspective