Family First: DCFS Reform & Federal Child Welfare Accountability

Every child deserves safety and stability, but too often, families are separated for reasons rooted in poverty, discrimination, or outdated practices. While child protection is primarily a state responsibility, the federal government has the power and the duty to ensure that states receiving federal funds uphold family integrity, due process, and trauma-informed care. I will fight for reforms that make reunification the default, not the exception.

1. Federal Reunification Timelines Tied to Funding

Too many families are kept apart long after parents complete their service plans. I will introduce legislation requiring states receiving Title IV-E federal child welfare funds to:

• Begin graduated reunification within 30 days after a parent receives three or more positive evaluations from licensed professionals and completes all court-ordered services.

• File for custody return within 60 days, unless new, documented safety concerns emerge.

• Establish federal benchmarks to ensure compliance with timely reunification.

2. National Visitation Standards & Oversight

Visits shouldn’t happen only in fast food restaurants or agency offices. I will push for federal minimum standards for parent-child visitation, ensuring:

• Natural settings (parks, home-like centers) are prioritized.

• At least 4 hours of visitation per week, increasing with parental progress.

• Supervised visits only when a current safety threat exists — not based solely on past history.

• Restrictions on visitation settings must be justified in writing by licensed therapists and court-reviewed within 60 days.

3. Survivor Protections & Anti-Discrimination Policies

Survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, or sexual abuse should not be penalized by child welfare systems.

I will advocate to:

• Ban the use of past victimization as a reason to delay reunification when the parent has met all service goals and poses no current risk.

• Require all states to provide specialized advocates and legal support for survivors involved with child welfare agencies, funded through federal survivor services grants.

4. Due Process & Evidence-Based Separation

No parent should remain separated from their child without clear, documented evidence reviewed by the courts. I will push for:

• States to submit updated, written justifications every 6 months for continued family separation.

• Mandatory judicial review every 90 days when parents are compliant and no new allegations have arisen.

• Federal oversight to ensure that separation is a last resort, not the default.

5. Independent Oversight & Federal Accountability

Families need a fair system, not one that hides behind bureaucracy.

I will support:

• The creation of a Federal Family Integrity Office to audit state agencies with high rates of long-term family separation.

• Funding incentives for states that establish County-level Family Reunification Review Boards to review cases where children remain separated beyond 12 months.

• A National Ombudsman for Child Welfare empowered to investigate visitation delays and reunification backlogs across all states.