Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978
Public Law 95-266 · H.R. 6693 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Apr 24, 1978 · Families
Sponsor: Rep. John Brademas (D-IN-3)
Cosponsors (10): Rep. Jim Jeffords, Rep. Carl Perkins,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments)
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act - =Title I: Amendments to Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act= - Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to provide for the dissemination of annual summaries of research on child abuse and neglect, and training materials in the prevention, identification and treatment of child abuse and neglect.
Requires the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect to: (1) prepare a comprehensive plan to bring about maximum coordination of the goals of all agencies with responsibilities with respect to child abuse and neglect; and (2) submit such plan to the Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect within one year after enactment of this Act.
Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to establish research priorities for making grants or contracts under such Act. Authorizes the Secretary to make such grants and contracts for service, as well as demonstration programs through the Center.
Requires States to obligate funds awarded under the Act within 18 months after the award is made, or suffer a deduction of subsequent grants in amount of the unobligated funds.
Authorizes the appropriation of $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1978, $27,500,000 for fiscal year 1979, and $30,000,000 each year for fiscal years 1980 and 1981 for the funding of programs and projects under such Act.
Authorizes the appropriation of $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1978, $3,500,000 for fiscal year 1979, and $4,000,000 each year for fiscal years 1980 and 1981 for grants and contracts for programs and projects designed to prevent, identify, and treat sexual abuse of children. Defines "sexual abuse" to include the obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depiction of children for commercial purposes, or the rape, molestation, incest, prostitution, or other such forms of sexual exploitation of children under circumstances which indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby.
Requires that at least three of the members of the Advisory Board have backgrounds in the field of child abuse and neglect.
=Title II: Adoption Opportunities= - Makes it the purpose of this Act to facilitate the elimination of obstacles to adoption and facilitate the placement in permanent adoptive homes of adoption legislation in the States and territories of the United States in order to eliminate children, particularly children with special needs, by: (1) promoting the establishment of model, jurisdictional and legal obstacles to adoption; and (2) providing a mechanism for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to: (A) promote quality standards for adoption services (including pre-placement, post-placement, and post-adoption counseling and standards to protect the rights of children in need of adoption) and (B) provide for a national adoption information exchange system.
Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, within 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, to issue proposed model adoption legislation and procedures.
Directs the Secretary to appoint a panel to: (1) review current conditions, practices, and laws relating to adoption, with special reference to their effect on facilitating or impeding the finding of suitable homes for adoptions; and (2) propose to the Secretary model adoption legislation which would facilitate adoption.
Directs the Secretary to encourage and facilitate the enactment of comprehensive adoption assistance legislation in each State.
Directs the Secretary to establish within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare an administrative arrangement in order to: (1) establish a national adoption data gathering system; (2) conduct a continuing adoption education program, including the making of grants, and the publishing of materials regarding adoption and adoption assistance programs; (3) provide for the operation of a national adoption information exchange system, and the coordination of such system with similar State and regional systems; (4) provide for technical assistance in the planning and carrying out of adoption programs; and (5) coordinate and consult with other appropriate Federal departments and agencies with respect to services and benefits provided under this Act.
Directs the Secretary to study the nature, scope, and effects of the interstate placement of children in adoptive homes by persons or agencies which are neither licensed nor subject to government regulation. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the results of such study within 18 months after enactment of this Act.
Authorizes appropriations of $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 and such sums as may be necessary for the succeeding three years.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Apr 24, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-266.
- Apr 13, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Apr 12, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Apr 10, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments.
- Oct 27, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 961.
- Sep 26, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #589 (375-12).House roll call 589
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Sep 19, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- Apr 27, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.