The Value-Added Impact of Fast-Track Adoption Policy on Adoption Rates

Fred Wulczyn, William Vesneski, Scott Huhr, Kerry Monahan-Price, Zach Martinez, Christian Verhulst, Ava Weiss - Global Social Welfare

Abstract

In the United States, state adoption policies, as they pertain to the termination of parental rights, differ significantly. State adoption rates also differ significantly. In this paper, we examine whether policies that guide the termination of parental rights correspond to state adoption rate differences. The adoption rate is defined as the unit time probability of adoption. Policy effects are assessed using a three-level mixed-effects model that controls for differences in children, counties, state fixed effects, and state policy differences. Results suggest that policies targeting the termination of parental rights do not account for differences in state adoption rates.