Dingell Introduces Foster Care Legislation in Honor of Rehab and Ahmed Amer

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today reintroduced the Rehab and Ahmed Amer Foster Care Improvement Act of 2019, legislation that requires state foster care programs to ensure children are prioritized for placement with their relatives and puts additional requirements in place for a fairer decision-making process when an agency places a child. Last Congress, Dingell introduced identical legislation.

“When a child in foster care is matched with a family, the well-being and safety of the child must be the top priority,” said Dingell. “Whenever possible, we must keep families together and ensure children are placed into a safe and nurturing environment with relatives who they know and love. Michigan has the laws on the books now that makes this possible only after Amer family lost their children to the state’s foster care system, leaving the family divided and heartbroken. It’s time for the Federal government to follow Michigan’s example so future children or families don’t have to go through this kind of pain.”

The Rehab and Ahmed Amer Foster Care Improvement Act of 2019 would require that a state provides notice of decision to the child’s parents, relatives, or other legal guardian within 90 days of a placement decision. Additionally, the legislation would require states to establish procedures that would allow any of the parties who receive notice of the placement decision to request, within five days after receipt of the notice, documentation of the reasons for the state’s decision. It would also allow the child’s attorney to petition the court to review the decision and require that the court commence a review within seven days after receipt of the petition.

In 1985, Rehab and Ahmed Amer lost two of their children to Michigan’s foster care system after the accidental death of their son. Although cleared of any wrongdoing, the State refused to return the Amers’ children to their custody or allow a relative to care for the children. When Rehab’s brother petitioned to be a foster parent to the Amers’ children he was denied even though he had previously served as a foster parent for other children. Since then the Amer family has advocated tirelessly for improving foster care policies for all children.

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Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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