A local lawmaker is one of 35 members of the state legislature to sign a letter advocating for relief from federal regulations concerning faith-based adoption and foster care agencies.
Pennsylvania State Representative Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) was one of the signers of the letter sent last week to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary of Administration for Children and Families.
In the letter, Bernstine claims the administration of Governor Tom Wolf is forcing Catholic and other faith-based agencies to choose between living out their religious beliefs and participating in the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network Program.
“The Wolf administration is forcing Catholic and other faith-based adoption and foster agencies to choose between maintaining and living out their religious beliefs and participating in a federal Title IV-E program, the Pennsylvania SWAN (Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network) Program,” Bernstine said. “Religious agencies have been the backbone of the adoption and foster services system for decades. Without appropriate relief, these vital agencies will be forced to either abandon their religious beliefs or abandon their ministry to children in crisis.”
According to Bernstine, the letter is meant to echo requests for a federal exemption made directly by Pennsylvania Catholic Charities. A similar HHS exemption was granted to South Carolina in January.
