PENNSYLVANIA GOV. RIDGE SIGNS BILLS TO HELP PROTECT CHILDREN FROM ABUSE,

Move Children from Foster Care to Safe, Permanent Homes

Child Protective Services Reforms Put Safety and Well-Being of Children First

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 15 -- Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge today signed into
law three child protective services reform bills to help protect children
from abuse and neglect, and to move children more quickly from foster care
to safe, permanent homes.

House Bills 1897, 1992 and 2664 will enact child protective services
reforms that include measures Gov. Ridge unveiled last July.

"In this season of hope, the bills I sign today offer hope. Hope for
thousands of Pennsylvania children who live in fear," said Gov. Ridge.

He called the changes a victory for children. "When these bills become law,
Pennsylvania will take another step toward putting our children first by
better protecting them from the unthinkable abuse that already has claimed
too many lives and damaged far too many futures," Gov. Ridge said.

This legislation will adopt the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act of
1997, but the Ridge Administration pushed for additional reforms to help
protect children before their lives are endangered.

"From the Special Session on Crime I called for on my first day in office,
to our `Safe Schools' initiatives throughout my term, we have worked to
make our children safer," said Gov. Ridge. "When it comes to our children,
we can never do enough."

Last year, 167,000 children received services from Pennsylvania's county
children and youth system. More than 26,000 children were in out-of-home
placement, with 15,260 of these children with foster families.

Pennsylvania had 5,691 confirmed cases of child abuse in 1997, and 49
children died last year as a result of child abuse.

House Bill 1992 enacts reforms to require county officials to share more
information with other counties and states involving suspected cases of
child abuse and neglect. The new law requires county agencies to retain
reports of suspected child abuse for at least one year, and will allow law
enforcement access to confidential child-abuse reports involving serious
physical injury by a family member. The bill also will require county
agencies to refer certain types of serious physical injury committed by a
family member to law enforcement.

"While we are very respectful of parents' rights, in cases of serious
physical injury and neglect, the foremost consideration must be the child,"
Gov. Ridge said.

HB 1992 will prohibit those convicted of felony drug offenses within the
last five years from working as child-care service employees. This
prohibition will be extended to foster and adoptive parents.

HB 1897 will change state law to emphasize permanency for children to help
ensure children will not remain in foster care for extended periods of
time. "Foster parents play an essential role in the life of an abused
child, but the fact remains that a foster home should be a temporary home,"
Gov. Ridge said. "Many children in Pennsylvania are spending too much time
in foster care -- the average stay is 37 months. These reforms put the
child first by emphasizing a safe, permanent home and the security of a
permanent family."

HB 1897 also will make a suspected abuser's drug and alcohol treatment
records available to the county agency, court or juvenile probation
officer when a child's safety is in doubt.

HB 1897 also immunizes from liability for civil damages people who are
trained to use automated external defibrillators and who use them in an
emergency. Exceptions exist for gross negligence or harmful omissions.
Although he signed HB 1897, Gov. Ridge called on the General Assembly in a
signing message to repeal provisions which authorize the President Judge of
Philadelphia Municipal Court to appoint individuals, including non-lawyers,
to serve as "judges pro tempore." In calling for the repeal of this
provision, Gov. Ridge pointed to, among other things, the fact that the
hiring, firing and supervision of these "pro tempore" judges would be in
the exclusive control of the President Judge of Municipal Court, unlike any
other judge of the Commonwealth. Copies of the message are available upon
request.

HB 1897 will become effective on Jan. 1, 1999, but provisions relating to
termination of parental rights will be implemented in three stages. The
provision regarding defibrillators will become effective in 60 days.

Gov. Ridge also signed HB 2664. This legislation will enable judges to
appoint volunteers to act as advocates for dependent children and to
develop reports and recommendations regarding the children. This
legislation will become effective in 60 days.

House Bill 1992 will become effective in three stages. Provisions related
to criminal history checks will become effective Jan. 1, 1999. Other child
protective services amendments are effective March 1, 1999. The remainder
of the act, including changes related to child support, is effective
immediately.

Gov. Ridge praised the efforts of the General Assembly, particularly those
who spearheaded the legislation.

"I would like to thank Sens. Robert C. Jubelirer and Mary Jo White, and
Reps. Katie True, George Kenney and Sheila Miller for their hard work in
achieving these reforms. Their compassion and commitment will help make
Pennsylvania's children safer."

CONTACT: Gretchen Toner, Deputy Press Secretary of the Pennsylvania Office
of the Governor, 717-783-1116, or George Yanoshik Jr. or Susan Aspey of the
Pennsylvania Dept. of Public Welfare, 717-787-4592. SOURCE Pennsylvania
Office of the Governor

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson