AdvocatingforPost­AdoptionSupport

TOOLSTOPROMOTEPARENT‐LEDAND

CHILD‐DRIVENSERVICES

NorthAmericanCouncilonAdoptableChildren970RaymondAvenue,Suite106

St.Paul,MN55114651‐644‐3036www.nacac.orginfo@nacac.org

Introduction

Childrenneedfamilies,andfamilieswhoraisechildrenwithspecialneedssometimesrequiresupporttohelptheirchildrenhealandthrive.Unfortunately,fartoomanyjurisdictionshavelimitedpost‐permanencyservices—eitherbecauseprogramsareunderfundedortheyarenotcomprehensiveenoughtomeetfamilies’diverseneeds.Thislackofsupportafterpermanencyhasbeenachievedisshort‐sightedandcansignificantlyaffectchildren’sandfamilies’abilitytofunctionsuccessfullyandcanevenresultinchildrenre‐enteringthesystemthroughadoptionbreakdown.

NACAChascompiledthisadvocacytoolkittohelpadoptiveandguardianshipparents,adoptionprofessionals,communityproviders,legislatorsandothersworktowardestablishingeffective,equitableanduniversalpost‐permanencysupportprograms.Inthistoolkit,youwillfind:

• CreatingandSustainingPost­PermanencySupportPrograms:ParentsCanMakeaDifference(page3)—Thisadvocacyfactsheethasinformationabouttheefficacyandcost‐effectivenessofcomprehensivepost‐permanencysupportprogramsaswellaswaystocreatelong‐termadvocacyeffortsthatcanbolsterstateandfederalsupportforthem.

• TalkingPointsaboutPost­PermanencySupports(page11)—Wehaveidentifiedsomekeytalkingpointsaboutthevalueandimportanceofpost‐permanencyprogramsthatadvocatescanuseintheirdiscussionswithpolicymakers,administrators,andthemedia.

• Post­PermanencySupportPrograms:SuggestedReading(page16)—Thislistcontainssomeofthekeyresearchintopost‐permanencyservices,andthepublicationsareamust‐readforadvocatesseekingtocreate,defendorimprovelocalprograms.

• BytheNumbers:StateandFederalData(page18)—ThesedatasourcesareagreatresourceforU.S.advocates.Usingdatatobackupyourassertionsandstrengthenyourappealsisagreatadvocacystrategy.

• NACACPost­AdoptionSupportPositionStatement(page19)andModelPost­AdoptionServices(page21)—ThesetwodocumentsdemonstratewhatNACACbelievesshouldbeprovidedaspost‐adoptionservices.

• SharingPersonalStoriestoAchieveAdvocacyGoals(page22)—Sharingpersonalstoriesofadoptedpersonsandadoptiveparentsisanincrediblypowerfuladvocacytool.Withthisfactsheet,advocatescanlearnhowtodeveloptheirownstoriesthatexplainwhyformalizedsupportprogramsmattersomuch.

• AdoptiveParentPersonalStoriesandQuotes(page24)—Mixingpersonalquotesandstorieswithdataandresearchisaneffectiveadvocacystrategy.Advocatescanusethesequotesandstories—orcreatetheirown—toenhancetheiradvocacymaterials.

• WhatCanMediaOutreachDoforYou?(page29)andTopWaystoReachOuttotheMedia(page30)—NACAChascreatedsomebasictoolstohelpadvocatesharnessthe

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powerofthemediatoincreaselocalunderstandingandsupportforpost‐permanencyservices.

• Attachments—Inthistoolkit,NACAChasalsoincluded:

o LogicModelBuilderforPostAdoptionServicePrograms

o MNASAPLogicModelTemplate

o AwarenesssectionofNACAC’sNationalAdoptionAwarenessMonthGuide

o LeadershipandChildWelfareSystems:TheRoleofStateLegislators

AboutNACAC

Foundedin1974,NACACisdedicatedtothebeliefthateachchildandyouthhastherighttoapermanent,nurturing,andculturallysensitivefamily.NACAC’smissionis:NACACpromotesandsupportspermanentfamiliesforchildrenandyouthintheUnitedStatesandCanadawhohavebeenincare—especiallythoseinfostercareandthosewithspecialneeds.NACAC’sworkencompassesfourkeyareas—parentcapacitybuilding,publicpolicyadvocacy,adoptionsupportandeducation.ThisadvocacytoolkitwascreatedthroughthejointeffortsofNACACstaffKimStevens,MaryBoo,DianeMartin‐Hushman,GinnyBlade,andJoeKroll,andformerstafferJanetJerve.FormoreinformationaboutthetoolkitorNACAC,contactusat651‐644‐3036orinfo@nacac.org.

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CreatingandSustainingPost­PermanencySupportServices:AdvocacyCanMakeADifference

Inrecentyears,adoptionsfromfostercarehaveincreasedsignificantly.Unfortunately,supportiveservicesforfamiliesraisingchildrenwithspecialneedshavenotkeptpace.Insomeareas,post‐permanencysupportshaveevenbeencutorthreatenedwithelimination.PartIofthisfactsheetdescribeshowadvocatescanrespondtoproposedreductionsinservices.PartIIoutlineshowadvocatescanseektoimproveadoptionassistancesupportsinthelongterm.Ifyourstateorprovincehassignificantbudgettroublesbuthasnotyetproposedcutstoadoptionassistance,youmightwanttoundertakethestrategiesunderPartIItoshoreupsupportincaseoffutureattemptstoreduceadoptionsupport.PartI—RespondtoaProposedCutLearnMoreabouttheProposalIfyourstateorprovinceisproposingcutstoprogramsthatservechildrenwithspecialneeds,youcan:

1. Obtainacopyoftheproposedchanges.Ifthechangeislegislative,findoutifyourlegislaturehasawebsitethatpostscopiesofbills,orcontactyourlocalrepresentativeandaskforinformation.Ifthechangeisadministrative,askthestatedepartmentofhumanservicesorprovincialministryforinformationinwriting.Askquestionsaboutwhattheproposalmeansandhowitwillaffectchildreninyourcommunity.

2. Contactotherparentleaderssuchasofficersinlocalparentgroupsoryourstateorprovincialfosterandadoptiveparentassociation.Findoutwhattheyknowandifothergroupsarealsoconcerned.Askfosterandadoptiveparentstoreadabouttheproposedchangesandtalkabouthowitwillaffectchildren.

3. Gatherdataonadoptionassistanceandadoptionsupportprogramsfromthestate,provincial,orcountyagency.Howmanychildrenreceiveassistance?Whatarethedifferencesbetweenadoptionassistanceratesandgrouporinstitutionalcarepayments?Whatadministrativecostsaresavedwhenchildrenareadopted?

4. Getonyourlegislature’se‐maillistserveorweeklypublicationthathighlightspendinglegislationorupcomingcommitteemeetings.

5. Callyourelectedofficialsoradministratorsandaskquestionsaboutthebillorproposedchange.Setupameetingtodiscussit.Iftheproposalislegislative,askwhichcommitteeswilloverseethebill,whochairsthosecommittees,andthetimelineforthebill.Findoutwhoissponsoringthelegislationandtrytolearnwhythosemembersofthelegislaturearesupportingthebill.Isitasinglebillorpartofalargerbudgetbill?

6. ContactNACACat651‐644‐3036orinfo@nacac.org.Wemayhaveinformationtoshareaboutthechanges,andcanconnectyouwithotherparentsinyourarea.

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AdvocacyToolsWhenyoubeginyouradvocacyjourney,thefollowingresourcesshouldbehelpful:

• Acopyoftheproposedbill,thedraftofthenewadministrativerule,oranythingelseinwritingabouttheproposal

• State/provinciallaws,policymanuals,andrulespertainingtopost‐adoptionsupport;intheU.S.,yourTitleIV‐EStatePlan

• Stateandfederaldatatomakeorsupportyourcase(seepage18)TakeActionWhenyoulearnofaproposedchange,contactlocaladoptionorfostercareagenciesorsupportgroupsaswellasthefoster,adoptive,andkinshipfamiliesyouknow.Askthoseyoucontacttospreadthenewstoothers.Provideaccurateinformationabouttheproposalandtimelinesforaction.Workwithyouralliestodevelopaclearmessageaboutthechangeyouseek(donotpassBillNumberXX,restorethecutstothepost‐adoptionsupportprogram,etc.).Provideanyonewhowillbetakingactionwithyouwithtipsandresourcesaboutthemessage—makesureeverymessageisfocusedonchildrenanddetailshowthechangewillharmvulnerableyouth.Ifthechangeislegislative,contactmembersofyourlegislatureimmediately.Haveallofyouralliescontacttheirownrepresentatives.Leadersofthemovementcanseekmeetingswithchairsofkeycommittees,butshouldbringalongaconstituent(someonewholivesintheareathememberrepresents)wheneverpossible.Communicationfromaconstituentwillalwaysbemorepowerfulthanamessagefromanotheradvocatealone.Whenyoucontactlegislators,thefollowingcanhelpyouchooseyourstrategies:1. Meetingsinthelegislator’shomedistrict(orridinginCanada)arethemostpowerfulway

ofconnectingwithyourelectedofficials.2. Visitswithyourlegislatorsattheircapitolofficesareimportant.3. Telephonecallsareagoodwaytodiscussissues.4. Personalizedlettersshowthatyoutookthetimetoshareyourconcerns.5. E‐mailsarelesseffectivesincelegislatorsreceivehundredseachweek.

Ifyouhaveenoughtime,thinkaboutorganizinganeventatthecapitol.Ifyoucancoordinateafamilyrallyonthedayabillisbeingheardinaparticularcommitteeandinviteradio,television,andprintmedia,youmaybeabletocreatepublicinterestinyourissue.Seeifyoucanhaveparentsprovidetestimonyatahearingonthebill.Iftheproposedchangeisanadministrativeone(comingfromthedepartmentofhumanservicesorministryratherthanthelegislature),youmaychoosedifferentstrategies:

1. Askthedepartmentabouttherationalebehindthechange

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2. Contactyourlegislatorandthosefriendlytoadoptionandfostercareandaskthemtofindoutmoreabouttheproposal(andtoexpressyourconcernsabouttheproposal)

3. AskNACAC,yourlegislator,oralocalattorneyifthechangefollowsfederal,state/provincial,andlocallaw.Ifitdoesn’t,considerfilingalawsuitandrequestinganinjunctiontostopthechangefromgoingforward.

4. Haveparentscontactadministratorsandexplainwhythechangeisamistake;haveyouthwhobenefittedfromadoptionandadoptionassistancetelltheirstories.

Themediacanbeveryhelpfulwhetherthechangeislegislativeoradministrative.Contactreporterswhohavecoveredadoptionorfostercareissuesandexplainthefalloutfromsuchaproposal.Writeletterstotheeditororcommentariestothelocalnewspaperthatexplainhowtheproposalwillharmchildren.ConclusionWhenachangeisintroduced,youtypicallymustactquicklyandfindasmanyconcerned,like‐mindedindividualswhocanbandtogetherforadvocacy.Togetheryouhavethebestchanceofprotectingathreatenedprogram.PartII—PlanfortheFutureSuccessfuladvocacyeffortsarethoughtfullyplannedandcoordinated,andinvolvethecollaborativeeffortsofnumerousfosterandadoptiveparents.Sometimesitcantakeyearstomakeimportantchangesonbehalfofchildrenwithspecialneeds.Belowareideasforplanningasuccessfullong‐termcampaign.What’sYourGoal?Beforedoinganything,youandanyalliesyoualreadyhavemustdecidewhatyouwanttoseechangedandcraftyourmessage.Askthefollowingquestions:Arewegoingtofocusonpreservingpost‐adoptionsupportinourstate?Arewefocusedonmaintainingmonthlypaymentsorconcentratingonservicestochildren,orboth?Dowewanttobroadlyeducatepolicymakersaboutthespecialneedsofchildreninfostercareandadoption?Besuretoframeyourproblemoryourgoalsfromachild’spointofview.Forexample,ifthegoaltoincreasementalhealthservicesforadoptivefamilies,yourmessagemightbe:

Allchildrendeserveapermanentfamily.Childrenwhoareadoptedfromthefostercaresystemsometimeshaveseverementalhealthproblemsasaresultoftheirfamilyhistoryorthetraumatheyexperiencedintheirearlylives.Accesstomentalserviceswillhelpkeepadoptedchildrenwiththeirfamiliesandallowparentstonurturetheirchildrenastheyseektohealfromtheirhistoryofabuseandneglect.

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BuildaCoalitionOnceyoudecidewhatyouwanttodo,youneedtobringothersintoyourteam.Anessentialpartofyoursuccesswilldependonhowwellyoucanorganizeothers,andwhetheryourgoalsalign.Startbycontactingotherinterestedstakeholders.Lookfororganizationsthatsupportchildren,suchasadoptionagencies,state/provincial,orlocalfoster/adoptiveparentassociations,childadvocacyorganizations,adoptiveorfosterparentsupportgroups,schoolorcommunitygroups,faith‐basedorganizations,state/provincialorlocalkinshiporgrandparentgroups,children’smentalhealthadvocacygroups,andassociationssupportingchildrenwithspecialneeds.Trytothinkbroadlywhenbrainstormingpossiblepartners.Askifthesegroupswouldbeinterestedinjoiningyourcoalition.Askiftheywouldsendoutanoticeaboutyourgoaltoparentsandcolleagues.Often,peoplewillshareinformationwithotherparentsandprofessionals,eveniftheyarenotabletoactivelysupportanadvocacyeffort.Combiningforcesincreasesyourpower—manyorganizationslistedonaproject‐specificletterheadareconsiderablymorepowerfulthanone.Youmaynotagreeonallaspectsofchildwelfare,butifyoufocusoncertainsharedgoals,youmayachievethem.Remembertokeepyoureffortsnonpartisan—includeinyourcoalitionindividualswithdifferentpoliticalbeliefsandreachouttolegislatorsfromallpoliticalparties.Adoptionfromfostercareistypicallyabipartisanissue,andyouarelikelytoaccomplishmoreifyourepresentdiverseopinionsandhavedifferentconnections.Don’tforgettoworkwiththestatedepartmentofhumanservicesorprovincialministry—thebenefitsoftappingtheresourcesoftheagencycanbeimmeasurable.Evenifstaffcannotactivelyadvocate,theycanprovidedataandnotifyyouofupcomingproposedlegislation.Iftheagencyisactivelyinvolvedintheseorfutureadvocacyefforts,youcanhelpstaffbyprovidingparentstotelltheirstoriesinsupportofreform.Onceyoubringyourpartnersonboard,taketimetodiscussyourgoals,redefinethemifnecessary,oridentifynewpriorities.Bepreparedtocompromiseorexpandyourgoalsaslongastheoutcomesforchildrenwillbeenhanced.Coalitionmembersmustshareintheadvocacyworkload,soyoushouldformcommitteesorseekvolunteerstotakeondifferenttasks.Ratherthanmakingageneralannouncementatmeeting,talktopeopleindividuallyandaskhowtheycanbesthelpthecause.Relyingoneachperson’sexperienceortalentswilladvancethegoalsofyourgroup.Don’tforgettohonorandacknowledgetheworkofallteammembers—thisbuildsyourteamandhelpskeeppeopleengagedforthelonghaul.

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GatherYourDataOnceyouknowyourspecificgoal,youshouldcollectdatatodocumentthescopeoftheproblem.Therearefourtypesofinformationthatyoumayneedtogathertocompletethepicture:

• relevantlaws(local,state/provincial,orfederal)• relevantrulesandregulations• demographicinformationonthechildrenaffectedbytheproblem• testimonialsillustratingexactlyhowtheproblemaffectsspecificchildren,youth,and

familiesWorkwithyouralliestoidentifythedatayouneedandwhereyoucanfindit.Belowaresomeofthegeneralquestionsyoumightwanttoanswer:

1. Whoarethechildrenyouplantohelp?Whataretheirneeds?2. Whatistheaverageageofafosterchildoraverageageatwhichchildrengetadopted?3. Howmanychildrenareinfostercare,adoption,andkinshipcare?Howmanychildren

arewaitingforadoption?4. Whatistheaveragecostperchildinfostercareinyourstate/province?(Ifyourstateis

countyrun,attempttogetcountybreakdownsforcostsandnumberofchildren.)5. Whataretheadministrativesavingswhenchildrenleavefostercare?6. Whatservicesarecurrentlyavailableinthecommunity?Aretheyadoptioncompetent

andaccessible?Whatnewservicesneedtobecreated?

Askyourstate/provincialorcountyagencyforthisdata.Itshouldbepublicinformation,andmuchofitmaybeaccessibleonline.KnowtheKeyPlayersOnceyourgrouphasdevelopeditsgoals,youwillneedtodeterminewhatperson,agency,orgroupcanmakethechangesyouneed.Firstaskyourselfifyouneedlegislativechangeoradministrativechange.Inmanycases,theanswerisadministrativechange.Ifyouneedadministrativechange,findoutwhichagencyactuallymakesthedecisionsthataffectyourproblem—isitthedepartmentofhumanservices,thechildren’smentalhealthagency,thelocalschooldistrict,etc.Itisimportanttounderstandhowthesystemworksinyourarea.IntheU.S.,somestateshavecounty‐administeredsystemssothecriticaldecisionsaremadebytheheadofthecountryagencyorbytheboardofcommissioners.Inotherstates,decisionscomefromthestateagencyinchargeofchildwelfare.Beforeyoubeginyouradvocacyeffort,besureyouhavedoneyourresearchtoidentifytherightdecisionmakersforyourparticularproblem.Ifyouareworkingonastateorprovinciallawchange,familiarizeyourselfwiththekeycommitteestowhichachildwelfarebillmaylikelybeassigned(HealthandHumanServicesPolicyorBudgetCommittees).Doyouhavealliesonthecommittees?Scanthecommitteelistforlegislatorsyouknowsupportchildandfamilyissues.

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Keeplistsordatabasesofthelegislatorsyouneedtoreach(includingname,committeeassignments,district,andcontactinformation),particularlythoseonkeycommitteesandinleadershippositions.Reachouttoparents,youth,andotheradvocatestofindconstituentswholiveintheselegislators’districtsorridings.Makesurethatyourcommunicationcomesdirectlyfromaconstituentwheneverpossible.ChooseaStrategyEducatingpolicymakersandthepublicaboutfosterandadoptivechildrenandtheirneedsisakeypartofadvocacy.Yourfirstpriorityshouldbeactivitiesthathelpyoudevelopandstrengthrelationshipswithkeylegislators.Secondisraisingawarenesswiththepublicsoyoucanbuildalliesandswaypublicopinion.Whenyouselectastrategy,makesureitis:

• appropriateforsolvingyourproblem• adequatetosufficientlyaddresstheproblem• effectiveinhelpingyouachieveyourobjectivesinareasonabletime• targetedtotherightdecisionmakers• awiseuseoftime,moneyandenergy• sensitivetosideeffectsthatcouldgenerateresistancebyspecialinterestgroupsor

causenegativeresponsesorconsequencesBelowareanumberofideastoraiseawareness,primarilywithlegislators.ConsiderusingNationalFosterCareMonth(May)orNationalAdoptionMonth(November)tolaunchanyofthestrategiesbelow.Regardlessofwhatstrategyyouchoose,payattentiontothelegislativescheduleandavoidanycrunchtimesduringwhichattentionwillbehardtoget.1.HoldMeetingswithLegislatorsAfairlysimplystrategyinvolvesschedulingaseriesofmeetingswithnumerouslegislatorsandtheirconstituents.Simplygatheryouradvocates,identifywhichadvocatesarerepresentedbywhichlegislators,andhaveconstituentssetupavisit.Duringthemeetings,theadvocatescantelltheirpersonalstoriestoexplaintheimportanceofadoptionforchildren,theneedsforpost‐adoptionsupport.Perhapsasecondpersoncanattendeachmeetingtoexplainhowthepersonalstorytiestothebiggerpicture—presentingdataonthenumberofwaitingchildren,thedisabilitiesandchallengesfacingchildrenwhohavebeenabusedandneglected,etc.2.LegislativeOpenHousesDuringalegislativesession,itcanbedifficulttogettheattentionofalegislator.Considerhostinganopenhousewhenyourelectedofficialsarenotinsession.Invite6to12foster,adoptive,orkinshipparentsfromyourdistricttoyourhomeforrefreshmentsandhaveparentssharetheirfamilystorieswithlegislators.Thissettingoffersmoretimetotalkaboutissues,andallowspolicymakerstoseeconstituentsintheirdistrict.Itgivesyouanopportunitytoreallygettoknowyourofficials,andwhenabillcomesupinthefuture,you

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alreadyhaveanestablishedrelationship.Workwithothersintocoordinatesimilaropenhousesstateorprovincewide.3.ParentDayattheLegislatureorLegislativeAssemblyConsiderorganizingadayatthecapitolforfosterandadoptiveparents.Youcanstartwitharallywhereparentsandyouthtelltheirstories,followbyindividualparentsandyouthvisitingtheirrepresentatives.Besuretohaveparentsschedulemeetingswithmembersofthelegislatureinadvance.4.CreativeVisualDisplaysConsidercolorfuldisplaysatthelegislatureoratthedepartmentorministryofhumanservicestodrawattentiontotheneedsoffosterandadoptedchildren.Parentgroupshavecollectedshoesandteddybearstorepresentthenumberofchildreninstateorprovincialcare.Othershavetiedribbonsontrees—oneforeachwaitingchild.InAustralia,parentsataconferenceluncheonwereaskedtowritethenamesofeachchildwhohadlivedintheirhomesonseparatefive‐inchcutouts,similarinsizetogingerbreadcookies.Differentpapercolorswereusedtorepresentfoster,adoptive,kinship,andbiologicalchildren.Thepapercutoutswerethentapedtogetherhand‐to‐handandhungthroughouttheballroomforaneveningeventwithpoliticians.Othershaveusedhundredsoflife‐sizedphotosofchildrentodrawattention.Ifyoupairaneventsuchasthiswithaseriesoflegislativevisits(describedunder1above),youcreateevenmoreattentionandhavethechancetotelllegislatorsmoreaboutthepurposeofthedisplay.5.HarnessthePoweroftheMediaAneffectivewaytoincreasepublicawarenessoftheneedsofourchildrenisbytappingintolocalmediaoutlets.Considertelevision,radio,orprintmediadependingonyourspecificgoals.Ifyouarecoordinatinganeventwithcolorfulballoonsandgroupsofpeople,askforcoveragefromthelocaltelevisionstationthatrunsWednesday’sChild(orotherwisecoverschildren’sissues).Trytodetermineifanyofyourlocalnewsanchorsorreportershaveaconnectiontofostercareoradoption.Payattentiontowhichreporterscoverfostercareoradoptionissues.Ifaproposedruleisbeingdebated,thinkaboutschedulingaradiointerviewwithaspokespersonfromyourgroup.Whenyouconsiderprintmedia,thinkbeyondthetraditionalmainstreamnewspapers.Manycommunitynewspapersarewillingtogiveyouspaceand(givenlimitedresources)areeagertoreceivepre‐writtenarticles.Searchforthoseservingcommunitiesofcolor,theelderly,ordisabledindividuals.Askaboutsubmittinganarticletoe‐newslettersastheyarebecomingmorepopular.Sendletterstotheeditorsorcommentariesinresponsetoarticlesaboutfostercareoradoption,especiallythosethatgetthefactswrong.

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6.UseSocialNetworkingtoRaiseAwarenessTogetmoreindividualsengagedinyourefforts—andperhapstointerestthemedia—usenewtechnologytospreadyourmessage.Forexampleyoucanusegroups,fanpages,orcausesonFacebooktomobilize,organize,inform,andattractsupporterstoyourcause.BesuretotakeadvantageofFacebook’skeystrength—theconnectionsbetweenindividuals.Haveyourmembersandalliessharetheirmessageontheirwallsandaskthemtocommunicatewithothersbyupdatingtheirstatus,postingpicturesandstoriesaboutyourcause,andsoon.Ifyouusediscussionboards,makesuretheyareactive.Ifothersdon’taskquestionorpostcomments,dosoyourself.Anotherwaytoshareyourmessageandencourageactionistostartablog,especiallyifyougetlinksfromexistingblogsintheadoptionandfostercarecommunities.7.LetterWritingCampaignsLegislatorsneedtohearfromtheirconstituents.Theyhavemoretimeandattentionoutsideofalegislativesession,soconsidersendingapersonalizedletterwhenit’snotsobusy.Followupwithaphonecall,andyoucanestablisharelationshipwithyourelectedofficialwhenshehastimetolistentoyourconcerns.Askothersinyourgrouporacrossyourstateorprovincetodothesame—shareideasaboutmessagingbutkeepeachletterunique.Ifyouareinthemidstofalegislativesessionandabillcomesup,youcouldorganizefosterandadoptiveparentstowritelettersandmakephonecalls.Themoreresponseslegislatorsreceive,themorelikelytheywillbetorespond.8.FosterDollProjectThisprojectisbasedonthesimpleideaofputtingauseddollinthehandsofeachlegislator.Nevadawasthefirststatetotryit,butothershavetakenonthecampaign(Alabama,Kansas,andMinnesota).Legislatorsbecomethedoll’sdefactofosterparentforaspecifiedperiodoftime.Youcangiveeachdollaname,lifestory,andplacementfolder,anddropthedollsoffinbabystrollersandwagons.Then,volunteerscanmakeregularvisitstothelegislatorstocheckuponthedolls.Duringthelegislativesessionyoucansendlettersorcards(onholidays,forexample);dataonfostercareandadoptionstatisticsandrates,numberofchildreninthecountiesrepresentedbythelegislators;andmore.Alabamaexperiencedmulti‐yearpayoffsafterdeliveringdollstolegislators—rateincreases,positivemediacoverage,andtherespectofsomekeypolicymakers.ConclusionBybandingtogetheranddevelopingin‐depthrelationshipswithadministratorsandpolicymakers,yougreatlyincreaseyourchanceofachievingpositiveoutcomesforchildren.Youreffortsmaystaveoffcutsinthenearterm,whilealsoprovidingyouthechancetostrengthenandenhanceprogramsdowntheroad.

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TalkingPointsaboutPost­PermanencySupports

Thefollowingarekeytalkingpointsthatcanhelpinpost‐permanencysupportprogramadvocacyefforts.Ifthepointisbasedonresearch,wehaveincludedthecitationbelow.Ifthetalkingpointisinquotationmarks,itisadirectquotefromthecitedsource.Feelfreetousethesetalkingpointsoryourown.

Wehavefoundthemosteffectivemessages:

• Explainthespecialneedsandcircumstancesofchildrenadoptedfromcare• Underlinetheimportanceofadoption• Demonstratewhatspecificdifferencesupportsmakeinachild’slife• Showthatpost‐permanencysupportsandservicessavemoneycomparedtokeeping

childreninfostercareorhavingthemre‐enterout‐of‐homecarewhenchallengesarise

Familiesfacespecialchallengesraisingadoptedchildrenwithspecialneeds

• Currently,123,000fosterchildrenintheUnitedStates[about30,000inCanada]arewaitingforanadoptivefamily.Post‐permanencysupportservicesareacriticallyimportanttooltoencouragetheadoptionofthesechildrenandyouthwhohavespecialneedsandareeffectiveatkeepingthemsafeandstableintheirnewfamilies.

• Manyfosterchildrenwaitingforadoption—andthechildrenalreadyadoptedfromfostercare—havespecialphysical,mentalhealth,anddevelopmentalneeds.Studiesshowthatthesechildrenareatheightenedriskofmoderatetoseverehealthproblems,learningdisabilities,developmentaldelays,physicalimpairments,andmentalhealthdifficulties.1

• “Mostchildrenenterfostercarebecauseofabuseorneglect.Asignificantnumberof

thesechildrenhavephysicalhealth,mentalhealthanddevelopmentalproblems(Berry&Barth1990;Lakin1992;Smith&Howard1994)resultingfrompasttrauma,drugandalcoholexposure,andmultipleandunexplainedseparationsandloses.Further,researchhasrepeatedlydocumentedthatchildreninfostercaredisproportionatelyaffectedbyarangeofdevelopmentalchallenges,includingchronichealthprograms;developmentaldelays;educationaldifficultiesthatwarrantspecialeducationintervention;mildtomoderatementalhealthproblems;andinsomecases,severepsychologicalandbehavioraldifficulties(Avery&Mont1994;Simms,Dubowitz,&Szilagyi2000).2

• Surveyedadoptivefamiliesreportedthat:o 58percentoftheirchildrenneededspecializedhealthcare,o 68percenthadaneducationaldelay,o 69percentexhibitedmisconduct,and

1 Bramlett, M.D., Radel, L.F., & Blumberg, S.J. (2007). The health and well-being of adopted children. Pediatrics, 119, S54-S60. 2 An Approach to Post-Adoption Services: A White Paper, p 5.

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o 83percentexhibitedsomeotherkindofseriousbehavioralproblem.3

• “Studiesonpost‐adoptivefunctioningofchildrenadoptedfromthechildwelfaresystemhavefoundahighrateofemotionalandbehavioralproblems(Nelson,1985;RosenthalandGroze,1991,1992,1994;Fine,2000;HowardandSmith,inpress).Instudiesusingstandardizedbehavioralmeasures,approximately40percentofsuchchildrenscoreintheclinicalrangemanyyearsaftertheiradoptions(RosenthalandGroze,1991,1994;HowardandSmith,inpress).”4

• Childrenadoptedfromfostercarefacemanymorechallengesthanhealthybirthchildren.Andparentingchildrenwhohaveenduredabuse,neglect,orothertraumas—especiallythosewhosufferfrommentalhealthproblemsorneverlearnedtoattachtoafamily—canbeverydifficult.Itisonlylogicalthatgovernmentswouldofferorsupportprogramsofequitable,case‐specificassistanceandsupporttoallfamilieswhocareforchildrenbroughtintogovernmentcustody,yetadoptivefamiliesoftenreceivesignificantlylessfinancialaidandfewerservicesthanfosterparents.

Adoptionhasimportantbenefitsforchildrenandyouth

• Studiesshowthatchildrenwhoareadoptedfromfostercarehavefarbettereducationalandsocialoutcomesthanthosewhoremaininfostercare.5

• Researchhasdemonstratedthatyouthwhoareadopted,whencomparedtoyouthin

fostercare,are:o morelikelytocompletehighschoolortheequivalent,o morelikelytoattendandcompletecollege,o lesslikelytobecometeenparents,o lesslikelytoabusedrugsandalcohol,o lesslikelytohavementalhealthproblems,o lesslikelytobearrestedorincarcerated,o morelikelytobeemployed,ando morelikelytohaveadequateincomes(withonestudyshowingthatindividuals

adoptedfromfostercarehaveincomesthatare75percenthigherthanyoungadultswhoageoutoffostercare).6

• Theoutcomesforyouthwhoageoutoffostercarewithoutafamilyareextremely

troubling.Theseyouthareatelevatedrisksofhomelessness,pooreducationaloutcomes,poorhealth,unemployment,andincarceration.7

3 Sedlak, A., & Broadhurst, D. D. (1993). Study of adoption assistance impact and outcomes: Final report. Rockville, MD: Westat. 4 Sustaining Adoptive Families: A Qualitative Study of Public Post-Adoption Services, Center for Adoption Studies & American Public Human Services Association, DATE, p. 4. 5 Triseliotis, J. (2002). “Long-term foster care or adoption? The evidence examined.” Child and Family Social Work, 7(1), 23-33. 6 Hansen, M.E. (2006). The value of adoption. Washington, DC: American University. Retrieved from http://www.american.edu/cas/econ/workingpapers/1506.pdf (May 19, 2008). 7 Courtney, M.E., Dworsky, A., Cusick, G.R., Havlicek, J. Perez, A. & Keller, T. (2007). Midwest evaluation of the adult functioning of former foster youth: Outcomes at age 21. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall Center for Children, University

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• Adoptivefamiliesprovideloveandemotionalsecurityfortheirchildren,thestabilityof

acommittedfamilywhowillbethereforthemthroughoutchildhoodandintoadulthood,aplacetocallhome,andfinancialsupport.8Likeotherparentswhoprovide,onaverage,$38,000inassistancetotheirchildrenbetweenages18and34,9adoptiveparentscontinuetoprovidesupportfortheirchildrenastheytransitionintoadulthood—supportthatisnotlikelytobeavailableforyouthwhodonotleavefostercareforpermanentfamilies.

Post­permanencysupportprogramsmattertofamiliesandchildren

• Post‐permanencyservicesareavitalsupporttofamiliesraisingchildrenwithoften‐seriousbehavioral,emotional,orphysicaldisabilities.Withsupportprograms,familiesareabletoremaincommittedandeffectiveparentsastheyraisetheirchildrenwhohavespecialneeds.

• “Thereisevidenceofastrongrelationshipbetweenprovidingsupporttoadoptivefamiliesasamatterofcourseorintheformofpreventiveservicesandpositiveoutcomesintermsofthehealth,well‐being,andstabilityofthefamily(Groze1996a;Smith&Howard1994)”10

• Anumberofpost‐adoptionserviceprogramsevaluatedshowedthatservicesresultedin:o Improvedparentingskillso Improvedchildfunctioningo Increaseinadoptionso Preventionofadoptiondisruptions11

• Asurveyofparentsreceivingpost‐permanencysupportsservices12revealedthat80%ofrespondentsreportedtheirfamilieswerebetteroffhavingreceivedservices.Oftheserespondents,30%hadchildatriskofout‐of‐homeplacement.Asaresultofreceivingservices,73%ofthesechildrenwereabletoremainathome(33families).

of Chicago AND Pecora, P. J., Kessler, R. K., Williams, J., O’Brien, K., Downs, A. C., English, D., White, C. R., Hiripi, E., Wiggins, T., & Holmes, K. (2005). Improving family foster care: Findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study. Seattle, WA: Casey Family Programs. 8 Brodzinsky, D.M., Schechter, M.D. & Henig, R.M. (1992). Being adopted: The lifelong search for self. New York: Doubleday AND Cahn, K. & Johnson, P. (Eds.) (1993). Children can’t wait: Reducing delays in out-of-home care. Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America AND The Evan B. Donaldson Institute. (2004). What’s working for children: A policy study of adoption stability and termination. New York: Author. 9 Schoeni, R.F. & Ross, K.E. (2005). Material assistance from families during the transition to adulthood, in R.A. Settersten, Jr., F.F. Furstenberg, Jr., & R.G. Rumbaut (Eds). On the frontier of adulthood: Theory, research, and public policy (pp 396–416). Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press. 10 An Approach to Post-Adoption Services: A White Paper, p 9. 11 “Post-Legal Adoption Services for Children with Special Needs and Their Families; Challenges and Lessons Learned,” Child Welfare Information Gateway, June 2005 12 Avery, R. (2004). Strengthening and Preserving Adoptive Families: A Study of TANF‐Funded Post Adoption Services. Available online: http://nysccc.org/wp‐content/uploads/tanfaverypasrpt.pdf

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• “…researchhasshownthatadoptivefamilies’needsaremultidimensionalandmayariseateachdevelopmentalstageforthefamilyandtheadoptedperson.Fromaprogramdevelopmentperspective,theresearchmakescleartheneedforflexibleprogrammingthatpermitsfamiliestoreturnforserviceswhenneededanddoesnotlimittheextenttowhichtheymayreceiveservices.”13

• Inarecentsurvey,81percentofpre‐adoptiveandadoptiveparentssaidthatadoptionassistancewasimportanttotheirdecisiontoadopt,and58percentsaidtheycouldnotadoptafosterchildwithoutthissupportthathelpsthemmeetthechild’sspecialneeds.Thesamestudycitedinadequatesubsidysupportasoneofthetwomostcriticalbarrierstoadoptingfromfostercare.14

• “Wehavefoundthattherecruitmentofprospectiveadoptiveparentsandtheprovisionofpost‐adoptionsupportandservicesareintegrallyrelated….Assuranceoftheavailabilityofservicesandsupportfollowingadoptionhasbeenfoundtoplayacriticalroleinmanyadoptiveparents’decisionstogoforwardwiththeadoptionofchildreninfostercare—whetherchildrenareadoptedbytheircurrentfosterfamiliesornewfamiliesrecruitedforthem(Freundlich1997).”15

• “…adoptivefamilieshaveaneedforanarrayofeducation,supportandtherapeuticcommunityservices.Andtheyneedtobeabletoaccessthisarrayepisodically.Thismixofservicesmustbeprovidedbyserviceprovidersandtherapistswithanadoption‐competentknowledgebaseandcorevalues,whocanseechildandfamilystrengthamidstcomplexcircumstancesandconcerningdiagnoses.”16

• “Formoral,social,andeconomicreasons,itisinthepublicinteresttoassurethatfamiliesremainintactandstrong.Thependulumhasswungandsocietyagainrecognizestheimportanceofstrongfamilysystemsincombatingsociety’sills.Adoptionsupportandpreservationserviceshelpbuildstrongfoundationsforfamiliescreatedbyadoption.Bydevelopingandimplementingtheseservices,familiesinvolvedinadoption,serviceprovidersandpolicymakersareassuringadoptedchildrenofeveryopportunitytobecomeuseful,productivecitizens.”17

• Inmanysurveys,adoptiveparentshavetypicallynotedthefollowingasthemostimportantservices:

o Supportservicesincludingsupportgroupsandinformalcontactwithothersimilarfamilies

o Parentingeducationo Respitecareandchildcare

13 “Research on Postadoption Services: Implications for Practice, Program Development, and Policy” in The Postadoption Experience p. 295. 14 Children’s Rights (2006), Ending the Foster Care Life Sentence: The Critical Need for Adoption Subsidies 15 An Approach to Post-Adoption Services: A White Paper, p 7. 16 “Perspectives on the Need for Adoption-Competent Mental Health Services,” Casey Family Services, October 2003, p. 72. 17 “Adoption Support and Preservation Services: A Public Interest,” Spaulding for Children, revised May 2005

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o Counselingo Servicesforchildren,includinggroupsforolderchildreno Adoptionassistance18

Sustainedadoptionssavemoneyandimproveoutcomesforchildren/youthinfostercare

• Onestudyfoundthateachdollarspentonanadoptionfromfostercaresavesaboutthreedollarsinpublicandprivatecosts.Thisanalysisshowedthateachadoptionsavedfrom$90,000to$235,000inpubliccosts,andevenmoreinprivatecosts.19

• Researchershavecalculatedthateachadoptionnetsbetween$88,000and$150,000inprivatebenefitsduetothedifferencesinincomesbetweenyoungadultswhowereinlong‐termfostercareandthosewhowereadopted.20Thus,evensmallincreasesinadoptionsubsidypaymentsreaplong‐termrewardsfortheadoptedchildrenandsociety.

18 An Approach to Post-Adoption Services: A White Paper, p 22. 19 Hansen, M.E. (2006). The value of adoption. 20 Hansen, M.E. (2006). The value of adoption.

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Post­PermanencySupportPrograms:SuggestedReadingThefollowingarticlesandresearchbriefscanbeveryvaluableinyouradvocacyefforts.Readthemcarefullyandlookforquotesandotherinformationthatcansupportyourcause.

Iftheitemisavailableonline,wehaveincludedthelinkbelow.

BackgroundonPost­AdoptionServices

• AdoptionSupport&PreservationServices:APublicInterest,TheNationalConsortiumforPostLegalAdoptionServices,March1996www.nrcadoption.org/.../ASAP%20‐%20%20A%20Public%20Interest.pdf

• AdoptiveParentPreparationProject:PhaseI–MeetingtheMentalHealthandDevelopmentalNeedsofAdoptedChildren,EvanB.DonaldsonAdoptionInstitute,byDr.DavidBrodzinsky,2008www.adoptioninstitute.org/.../2008_02_Parent_Preparation.pdf

• AnApproachtoPost­AdoptionServices:AWhitePaper,CaseyFamilyServices,August2002http://www.aecf.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications.aspx?pubguid={49ED6A2C‐9AE5‐4BC6‐B9E9‐C4904E6B1030}

• CreativeStrategiesforFinancingPost­AdoptionServices:AWhitePaper,CaseyFamilyServices,October2003http://www.aecf.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications.aspx?pubguid={CE8CE638‐3745‐4B61‐A813‐DE2D6961DF84}

• InvestinginAdoptiveFamilies:WhatAdoptiveFamiliesTellUsRegardingtheBenefitsofAdoptionPreservationServices,AdoptionQuarterlyVol.8,Issue3,byZosky,Howard,Smith,HowardandShelvin,October2005

• ParentsandProfessionalsIdentifyPostAdoptionServiceNeedsinNewYorkState,NewYorkStateCitizensCoalitionforChildrenSurveyReport,February2010http://nysccc.org/adoption/post‐adoption‐services/postadoptsurvey/

• Post­AdoptionServices:EmergingThemes,IssuesandInterventions,CaseyFamilyServices,1996

• Post­PermanencyServices,MadelynFreundlich&LoisWrightforCaseyFamilyPrograms,2003

• PromotingSuccessfulAdoptions:PracticewithTroubledFamilies,SusanLivingstonSmith&JeanneA.Howard,1999

• ThePostadoptionExperience:AdoptiveFamilies’ServiceNeedsandServiceOutcomes,ChildWelfareLeagueofAmerica,2006

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• AReporttoCongressonBarriers&SuccessFactorsinAdoptionsfromFosterCare:PerspectivesofFamiliesandStaff,Children’sBureau,2007http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/barriers/

• SustainingAdoptiveFamilies:AQualitativeStudyofPublicPost­AdoptionServices,AmericanPublicHumanServicesAssociationandtheCenterforAdoptiveStudies,October2002

• TheValueofAdoption,AmericanUniversityDepartmentofEconomicsWorkingPaper,byMaryEschelbachHansen,December2006http://www.american.edu/cas/econ/workingpapers/1506.pdf

ResearchonParticularPost­AdoptionServicesorNeeds

• Post­AdoptionServices:MeetingtheMentalHealthNeedsofChildrenAdoptedfromFosterCare,NorthAmericanCouncilonAdoptableChildren,byMadelynFreundlich,etal.,July2007http://www.nacac.org/adoptalk/postadoptpaper.pdf

• TheValueofAdoptionSubsidies:HelpingChildrenFindPermanentFamilies,NorthAmericanCouncilonAdoptableChildren,byMadelynFreundlich,etal.,May2008http://www.nacac.org/adoptionsubsidy/valueofsubsidies.pdf

ModelProgramsandIdeas

• DevelopingaParent­to­ParentSupportNetwork,NorthAmericanCouncilonAdoptableChildren,byJanetJerve,April2009.http://www.nacac.org/adoptalk/parent2parentnetwork.pdf

• StartingandNurturingAdoptiveParentGroups:AGuideforLeaders,NorthAmericanCouncilonAdoptableChildren,byJanetJerve,October2002.http://www.nacac.org/parentgroups/starting.pdf

• TakingaBreak:CreatingFoster,AdoptiveandKinshipRespiteinYourCommunity,NorthAmericanCouncilonAdoptableChildren(NACAC),theNationalFosterParentAssociation(NFPA),andtheCollaborationtoAdoptUsKids,byJanetJerve,etal.,October2008.http://www.adoptuskids.org/images/resourceCenter/TakingABreak.pdf

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BytheNumbers:StateandFederalData

ThefollowingaredatatoolsavailablefromtheU.S.federalgovernment.Thedataandanalysiscanhelpyourelatethestoriesyoutellandtheadvocacymessagestothenumbersofchildren/youthinyourcommunity.Inaddition,youmaybeabletoidentifythoseimprovementsyoursystemisbeingrequiredtomake,andlinkyouradvocacymessagestothoserequirements.

• AFCARSToolkit,NationalResourceCenterforChildWelfareDataandTechnology(2004)ProvidesanorientationtotheAdoptionandFosterCareAnalysisandReportingSystem(AFCARS)andlinkstokeymaterialsrelatedtothecollectionofqualitydatathatcanbeusedtoaddresspolicydevelopmentandprogrammanagementissuesatStateandFederallevels.http://www.nrccwdt.org/resources/afcars/afcars_toolkit.htmlhttp://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/afcars/about.htm

• HowFederalLegislationImpactsChildWelfareServiceDelivery,http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/impacts/step5.cfm

• StatewideAutomatedChildWelfareInformationSystem(SACWIS)TheStatewide

AutomatedChildWelfareInformationSystem(SACWIS)isacomprehensiveautomatedcasemanagementtoolthatsupportssocialworkers'fostercareandadoptionsassistancecasemanagementpractice.http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/index.htm#sacwis

• ChildandFamilyServiceReviews:TheChildandFamilyServicesReviewsaredesignedtoenabletheChildren'sBureautoensurethatStatechildwelfareagencypracticeisinconformitywithFederalchildwelfarerequirements,todeterminewhatisactuallyhappeningtochildrenandfamiliesastheyareengagedinStatechildwelfareservices,andtoassistStatestoenhancetheircapacitytohelpchildrenandfamiliesachievepositiveoutcomes.http://www.nrccwdt.org/resources/cfsr/cfsr.html

o Statereviewschedules:http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/general_info/fy07_10.htm

o StateProgramImprovementPlansStatesarerequiredtosubmitProgramImprovementPlans(PIPs)whentheirchildwelfareservicesaredeterminedtobeoutofconformityonanyofsevenoutcomesorsevensystemicfactorsassessedintheChildandFamilyServicesReviews(CFSRs).ResourcesthatfollowprovideguidanceondevelopingandimplementingPIPsandlessonslearned.http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/reform/cfsr/statepips.cfm

o ReportsandResultsoftheChildandFamilyServiceReviews(CFSRs)ThefollowingreportsareavailablebyState:StatewideAssessments,FinalReports(CFSR),ProgramImprovementPlans,andIndividualKeyFindingsReports.http://library.childwelfare.gov/cwig/ws/cwmd/docs/cb_web/SearchForm

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NACACPost­AdoptionSupportPositionStatement

Philosophy

NACACrecognizesthatadoptioncreatesadynamicofitsownthatrequiresthecommitmentoffamiliesandcommunitiesalike.Childrenandyouthadoptedfromfostercarehaveoftenexperiencedabuse,neglect,andabandonment,whichmayleadtouniquepost‐adoptionneeds.Inaddition,throughoutanadoptedchild’slife,thereareexpecteddevelopmentalstagesthatmayrequireadditionalsupport.Foradoptionsofthesechildrenandyouthtosucceed,NACACstronglybelievesthatqualitypost‐adoptionservicesmustbeavailabletomeettheadoptivefamilies’needs.

PolicyandPracticeRecommendations

Post‐adoptionservicesmustbeavailabletofamilies—includingallmembersoftheadoptivefamilyandthebirthparents—whenevertheyareneeded.Preventiveandproactiveservicesaremoreeffectiveandmorecost‐effectivethancrisis‐orientedservices,whichareoftenslowtobeapproved.Eachstateandprovinceshoulddevelopasystemforensuringthatallfamilieswhoadoptchildrenandyouthwithspecialneeds—especiallychildrenandyouthadoptedfromthefostercaresystem—haveaccesstotheservicesdescribedbelow.NACACalsourgesgovernmentsatalllevels(federal,state,provincial,territorial,tribal,etc.)tofundpost‐adoptionservicesintheU.S.andCanada.Agenciesthatprovideplacementservicesforchildrenandyouthhaveanobligationtoassurethatadoptivefamiliesreceiveongoingsupportiveserviceseitherdirectlyorthroughlinkageswithotherappropriateserviceproviders.Professionalsworkingwithindividualstouchedbyadoptionhaveanobligationtoavailthemselvesofongoing,accreditedadoption‐competenttraining.Servicesshouldbeprovidedbypeopleandorganizationsthatareadoption‐competent,andshouldinclude(butnotbelimitedto)thefollowing:

• contactfromtheagencyorpost‐adoptionserviceprovideratthetimeofplacementtoexplainthespecificchildoryouth’sneedforpost‐placementsupportandavailableservicesthatwillbehelpfultothatspecificchildoryouthandfamily

• completeinformationaboutthechildoryouth’ssocial,medical,andbehavioralhistory,includingexperienceswiththebirthfamilyandanypreviousfosteroradoptivefamilies,aswellaswhatthehistorymaymeanforthechildoryouth’sfuture

• informationandreferralfromasingleentrypoint• supportgroupsforadoptiveparents,birthparents,andadoptees• supportforconnectionswithbirthparentsandotherbirthfamilymembersandformer

fosterfamilies,wheneverpossible• ongoingtrainingandeducationalresources• respitecare• casemanagementservices• advocacyandsupportforschool‐relatedproblems

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• adoptionassistancepayments(subsidyforchildrenandyouthadoptedfromfostercare)

• otherfinancialassistancewhenneeded• crisisintervention• mentalhealthservices,includingtherapeuticcounseling,in‐homeandresidential

services.Whenachildoryouthisadoptedfromfostercare,heorsheshouldcontinuetoreceivethesamebenefitsandservicesasheorshereceivedinfostercareaslongashisorherneedshavenotchanged.Infact,additionalservicesshouldbeprovidedwhennecessarytomeetthechildoryouth’sneedsandmaintainpermanency,evenasthoseneedschangeovertime.

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ModelPost­AdoptionServicesPost‐adoptionservicesmustbeavailabletofamilies—includingallmembersoftheadoptivefamilyandthebirthparents—whenevertheyareneeded.Eachstateandprovinceshoulddevelopasystemforensuringthatallfamilieswhoadoptchildrenwithspecialneeds—especiallychildrenadoptedfromthefostercaresystem—haveaccesstotheservicesdescribedbelow.Servicesshouldbeprovidedbypeopleandorganizationsthatareadoption‐competent,andshouldinclude(butnotbelimitedto)thefollowing:

• Informationandreferralfromasingleentrypoint(includingatoll‐freenumberanswered24hoursaday/7daysaweek)

• Supportgroupsforadoptiveparents,birthparents,andadoptees• Supportforconnectionswithbirthparentsandotherbirthfamilymembersandformer

fosterfamilies,wheneverpossible• Trainingonspecialneedsandadoptiveparenting• Educationalandinformationservices• Therapeuticcounseling• Respitecare• Fulldisclosureofallbackgroundinformation• Casemanagementservices• Advocacyandsupportforschool‐relatedproblems• Adoptionassistancepayments(subsidyforchildrenadoptedfromfostercare)• Otherfinancialassistancewhenneeded• Crisisintervention• Mentalhealthservices,bothin‐homeandresidential

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SharingPersonalStoriestoAchieveAdvocacyGoalsAkey componentof anyadvocacy strategy is findingpersonal stories thatdemonstrate theimportanceofthechangeyouseek.Personalstories:

• lendcredibilitytoaproblemorsolution• putahumanfaceonaproblemorsolution• helpothersidentifywithaproblemorsolution• engageareader’sheart,stircompassion• movepeopletoactiontosolvetheproblemorcontributetoasolution

Inpost‐permanencysupportprogramadvocacy,thestoriesshoulddemonstratehowaccesstoeffectivesupportprogramscontributestokeepingchildrenandyouthsafeandstableintheiradoptivefamilies.Forexample,ifthechildoryouthhasanattachmentdisorder,thestorymightexplorehowwiththehelpofacompetentattachmenttherapistthefamilyhasbeenabletohelpthechildbetterbondwiththefamily,leadingtowardabrighterfuture.Or,thestorymightdiscusshowthefamilywasabletostaycommittedandhelpthechildfunctionbetterinschool,athome,orinthecommunitywiththesupportandencouragementofotherexperiencedparentmentors.Becarefultoconnecttheprogramcomponentstosuccessfuloutcomesandareductioninhigh‐costinterventionsanddisruptions.Belowwedescribehowtogatherpersonalstoriesthatcanhelpmakethestrongestadvocacypoints.Althoughthisiswrittenprimarilytohelpyougatherandwriteothers’stories,youcanalsouseitguideyoutowriteupyourstory.Beforeyoustartinterviewingpeopleorgatheringpersonalstoriestohelpyouwithyouradvocacyefforts,youneedtofirstanswerthewhat,when,where,why,howandwhoquestionsregardingyouradvocacywork.Youshouldfirstbeabletoanswerthesequestionsandexplainyourmissiontoprospectivespeakers.

• Whatisyourspecificgoal?Whatdoyouhopetoaccomplishbydeliveringyourmessage?

• Whattypeofstorywillbestillustratetheimportanceofyourgoal?• Whoarethebestpeopletotelltheirpersonalstories?

Gatheringinformation

• Buildtrust—explainyourgoals;findcommonground;reassurethepersonthattheywillhavetheopportunityreviewthestorybeforeyoudoanythingwithit

• Askpermissiontorecordinterview,butalsotakenotes• Listenandallowspeakerstotalk;askquestionsbutgiveplentyoftimefortheperson

toanswerbeforejumpinginwiththenextstory• Planquestionsinadvance,butbepreparedtothinkofnewonesasthestoryunfolds• Don’tpushifapersonhesitatestorevealapartofthestoryorbecomesemotional;take

thetimetobuildtherelationshipandyoumaylearnmorelater• Dofollow‐upinterviewsafteryouhavewrittenupadrafttogetmoreinformationor

answerquestions

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• Explaintothepersonwhatyouknowyoudon’twantthemtopubliclyshareandwhy.Sometimestherearepartsofaperson’sstorythataretoopersonalortoocomplicated;youwanttobothprotecttheparentoryouthandkeepyouraudiencefocusedonyourprimeadvocacymessage.

Writingthestory

• Discusswithindividualhowyouwillneedtoshapetheirstorytofityouradvocacygoals

• Keepthestoryasbriefaspossible,definitelyunderonepage• Quotethepersonasmuchaspossible;ifnecessarygobackandaskveryspecific

questionsthatcanelicitaquotethatistrueandpowerful• Includedetailsthatwillhelptheaudienceformpicturesintheirminds• Haveteammembersreviewandeditthestorytoensurethatitachievesyourgoals

Becautiousandrespectful

• Neveruseastoryorpartsofastorywithoutpermission• Onlytellthepartsofthestorythatyouneedthereadertoknow;beveryprotectiveof

theindividualanddon’tshareanythingtheymightlaterregret(eveniftheyarewillingtoshareitnow)

• Neverchangeaperson’sstory;ifthestorydoesn’tfitthenseekanotherone

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AdoptiveParentPersonalStoriesandQuotes

Belowyouwillfindanumberofquotesandstoriesthataredesignedtodemonstratetheimportanceandefficacyofpost‐permanencysupport.Usetheseandyourownquotesandstoriestobolsteryouradvocacymessage.

Quotes

Whenlookingforquotes,seekthosethatarefocusedonthechild’sneedanddemonstrateanoutcome(adoptionorimprovementofbehaviorasaresultofsupport).Ifyouareanadoptiveparent,makeyourownquotebasedonthecircumstancesofyourfamily.Forexample,“Iwouldn’thavebeenabletoadoptthreeteenagersfromfostercarewithoutthehealthcareandongoingsupport.”“TheongoingconnectiontootherexperiencedadoptiveparentsandadoptioncompetenttherapistshelpsusunderstandwhatJackneedstorecoverfromhisearlyabuse.Sincehestartedwiththetherapist,he’sdoingbetterinschoolandfeelsmoresecureinourfamily.”“TherespiteservicesgiveJolyceanopportunitytogetawaywithoutanysenseofblameorpunishmentwhentheintensityofbeinginafamilygetsoverwhelmingforher.”

ThefollowingarequotesfromadoptiveparentsthatNACAChasusedinitsadvocacyefforts:

• “Post‐adoptionservicessavedourfamily.Idon’tknowifweallwouldhavesurvivedasafamilywithoutthecounselingandsupportwereceived.”

• “[Asaresultofthepost‐adoptionsupport]Iamlessfrustrated.Ihavebecomemoreknowledgeable,andthatmakesthingsbetter.[Iam]moreknowledgeableinareasdealingwithadoptiveandspecialneedskids.SoIamlessfrustratedandmoreabletodealwithvarioussystems.”

• “Ifyouhaven’tlivedwithchildrenwhohaveemotionalissues,youcan’timagineit.Theybringyouintotheirstorm.Youcannotstayoutofit.FortunatelymyhusbandandIareverystrongpeople.Wearecommittedtoourchildren.We’reholdingon,butsometimeswedon’tknowwhatwe’reholdingonto.”

• “[Asaresultofthepost‐adoptionsupport]therehavebeenchangesinmykids,especiallyoneofthem,intermsofattachmentandidentity.Iammoreconfidentasaparentbecauseoftheresources.Iammoreawareofthehelpthatisoutthere.”

• “Ihaveseen/knowofsomanyadoptionswhichhavebeendisruptedbecausetherewerenosupportsforparents.Buildingupsupports,contactsandresourcesisaMUSTasyoupreparetoadopt.Preandpost‐adoptionsupportsmustbeintegratedtoprovidecomprehensivesupportforfamiliestoensuretheirwellbeingandthatoftheadoptedchild.”

• “…between[experiencedparentmentors]andthesocialworkerfromthecountywhohandledouradoption,Idon’tthinkwewouldhavegottenthroughitwithoutthem.Thereisnoothersupport.Youwouldfeelextremelyisolatedwithoutthisgroup.Iamnotsureourfamilywouldhavesurvivedwithoutthisinformationandsupport.”

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• “Wecouldnotbedoingwhatwe’redoingwithout[thepost‐permanencyprogram].Theyhavebeencriticaltooursuccess.Wearesofortunatetohavethem.”

• “Threeyearsago,myhusbandandIadoptedsevensiblings,allunderageeight.Theyhadbeenthroughlotsoftraumaintheirearlyyearsthatresultedinseriousproblems.Thechildrenhaddiagnosesincludingsevereemotionaldisturbance,post‐traumaticstressdisorder,attachmentdisorder,andanxietydisorder.WeadoptedinJanuaryandbythesummerIwasincrisis—tryingtoparentthemastheywentthroughfits,headbanging,crying,rocking,andnightterrors.Parentingthesekidswassodifferentthanparentingourbiologicalchildrenwhohadneverbeentraumatized.Wewereluckythatwereceivedpost‐adoptionservicesrightawayfromatherapistwhoknewthechildrenandunderstoodthementalhealtheffectsoftrauma.Withherhelpwelearnedhowtoparentourchildrenandhowtohelpthemheal.Thesepost‐adoptionservicesmadeaworldofdifferenceandtodayourchildrenarethriving.Ifadoptiveparentsaresupportedinthiswayfromthebeginning,itwillsavemany,manyadoptionslikeours.”

Stories

Dependingonhowyouarecommunicatingwithdecisionmakers,youcanalsousestoriesliketheonesbelowinyouradvocacyefforts.See“TellingPersonalStories”formoreabouttofindanddevelopyourownstories.

Danielle,Kelsey,JT,Jennifer,&Leah

In1998,PamandTomweredrawntotwo‐and‐a‐half‐year‐oldDanielle,whomthelocalpapersaidneededahome.SoonafterDaniellejoinedthefamily,herlittlesisterKelseymovedintoo.Bothhadenduredsignificantabuse.Danielleusedtowakeupscreamingatnight,andtheonlywayPamcouldhelpherwastosleeponthefloornexttothebed.“Danielleusedtobegmeto‘putBand‐aidsonthewindowstokeepthebadguysout,’”recallsPam.

Threeyearslater,thegirls’babysiblings—JTandJennifer—cameintofostercaretoo,andwereplacedwiththefamily.JTandJenniferhadbothenduredsevereinjuries.JT,whohasspinabifidaandhydrocephalus,wasbadlyburned.Jennifer’sskullwascrackedandshehadmultiplebrokenbones.Finally,theirsisterLeahneededafamilytoo,andeventuallyPamandTomhadadoptedallfivechildren.

“Kelseyisdoingverywell,”saysPam.“ShehasADHD,butsheisbeautifulandbright.”WithLeah,Pamremembers,“ShewalkedinthedoorandIwashermama.Sheneverlookedback—shelookedforward.Sheisnearlysevennowandsuffershorriblyfrompost‐traumaticstresssyndrome.”

Thetwinsarethriving.PamcelebrateshowwellJThashealed:“Allofhisburnmarksaregone.Nowheiswalkingwithnocrutchesandheridesabicycle.Hedoesalotofthingstheysaidhewouldneverdo.”

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Unfortunately,PamworriesaboutDanielle’smentalhealth.WhenPambegantoreceivenumerouscallsamonthtopickupherdaughterfromschoolduetobehaviorissues,shehadtodosomething.Sherecentlyfoundaspecialschoolinahospitalsettingthatisworkingbetter.“Idrive30milestogetheronthebus,butIknowthestaffistrainedtodealwithbehavior‐disorderedchildren.ThisyearIonlygotfourcallstopickherup,”explainsPam.Daniellehasbeenonawaitinglistformentalhealthservicesformorethansixyears.

“Iamwillingtodowhateverittakestocareformychildren,”saysPam.“ButIknownowIcan’tdoitalone.”Thefamilycouldusein‐hometherapy,familytherapy,apersonalcareattendantforDanielle,andshort‐termrespitecare.Unfortunately,duetolackoffunds,manyoftheseservicesarenotcurrentlyavailable.

Pamsays,“ChildrenlikeDaniellewerenotbornlikethis.Theywererobbedoftheirchildhoodataveryearlyage,andweallneedtoadvocateforthem.Idon’tgiveup.Ihaveastrongclusterofsupportandthereisnocan’tinourvocabulary!”SerenaSerenaandherbrotherspentthreeyearsinfostercarebeforebeingadopted.“Ican’trememberthedayIjoinedmyadoptivefamily,butIcanrememberacomfort,orpeace,justknowingthateverythingwasgoingtobeokay,”recallsSerena.

“WhenIwasfive,IwasplacedinChildren’sHospitalinKnoxville.Theyweredoingallthesepsychologicaltestsandthedoctortoldmymomthattherewasnohopeforme.Thebestthingtheycoulddowastoputmeinagrouphome,”explainsSerena.“Butmymomtoldhimshewasnotgoingtogiveuponafive‐year‐oldchild.”

Serenahadextremebehaviorproblems.“Myroomwasawarzone.MymomanddadhadtoputaboarduponthewindowsoIwouldn’tthrowmyselfoutofit.AndtherewereholesineverywallbecauseIwouldkickholesinthem,”recallsSerena.“Iwouldgointofitsforlongperiodsoftimefornoapparentreason,screaming,ragingfits.IknowIwasangrybutIcouldn’tevertellyouwhy.,”

Atnine,Serena’sfamilymovedtoColoradososhecouldparticipateinanout‐of‐hometreatmentprogramtheyhadheardmightbeabletohelpher.Becauseofherparticipationintheprogram,Serenahadanepiphany.Sherecalls,“ItdawnedonmethatIhadachoiceregardingmybehavior.AndIdid.Notovernightoranything,butthatwaswhenIstartedworkingthroughmytherapy.”

ByaboutfourthgradeSerenasettledinandthingsbecamenormalforher.“IthinkIwas12or13beforeIcouldquitseeingthetherapist,”addsSerena.

Inspiteofthesechallenges—andperhapsbecauseofthesupportshereceived—Serenahasthrived.Shegraduatedfromcollegeinthreeyears,atage21,withadegreeinEnglishsecondaryeducation.Sheisnowaspecialeducationteacher,helpingotherchildrenfacingdifficultchallenges.

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Malik

WhenCorvettelearnedthatherthree‐year‐oldgreat‐nephew,Malik,wasinpolicecustody,shewenttoofferherhelp.ThepolicehadfoundMalikwanderingaroundoutside,unattendedandimproperlydressed.Corvetteagreedtocareforhimfor90days.Unfortunately,Malik’smothercouldnotlearntocareforhim,soCorvetteadoptedMalikafewyearsago.Corvettealsoadoptedfive‐year‐oldLaquonandhisfour‐year‐oldsisterStar.

Malik,Laquon,andStarhaveavarietyofspecialneeds,andCorvetteseeksprofessionalassistancewhentheyneedit.Corvetteexplains,“ImadesureLaquonandStarreceivedtherapytohelpthemdealwiththeirpastandtransitionintoadoption,”addsCorvette.Laquonhascompletedtherapyandisdoingwellathomeandinschool.WhenStarwasinfirstgrade,theschoolfoundasexuallyexplicitnoteshehadwritten.CorvetteimmediatelyfoundanewtherapistforStarandfacesthepossibilitythatStarmayhavebeensexuallyabused.

MalikhasalsoneededextrasupportduetoADHDandsignificantpsychologicalproblems.“Malikstartedactingoutatagefour.Byfive,heusedtobeathimself,”recallsCorvette.“Forsomereasonhehallucinatesandseesspiderseventhoughtherearenospiders.Andthenthereisthispersonhesees—Flipsy.Flipsytellshimwhattodo.”WhenMalikstartstoseespiders,hepanicsandlosescontrol.OnedayMaliksawspidersatschoolandhisreactionswereoverwhelming.SchoolofficialscalledthepoliceandCorvette,andMalikwasadmittedtothehospitalfor19daysofin‐patienttreatment.Corvetterecalls,“Ifeltsohelpless!WheredoIgo?WhatdoIdo?EverybodyIstartedcalling,Icouldn’treach.Ineededhelp.”

Corvettehasadeep,abidingloveforherchildren,butknowsloveisn’tenoughtohealtheirpasthurtsandmeettheirspecialneeds.Sheisgratefulforpost‐adoptionservicesthathavecoveredthecostsofmedication,therapy,camp,amedicalschoolsettingforMalik,trainingforher,andmore.

Corvettesays,“Itelleverybody—Idon’tfeelsorryforMalik.IhavealoveforhimandbecauseIreallylovehim,Ihavetohelphim.Ihavetodowhateverisnecessary.OfLaquonandStar,Corvetteadds,“Godhasblessedmewiththem.TheyarelovingchildrenandIlovethemtodeath.ItellthemtheycantellmeanythingandIwillgetthehelpthatweneed.”

LaShawn,Dezmond,Jakob,&Izrael

LonnieandherhusbandAlonzoweretreatmentfosterparentstoeight‐year‐oldLaShawn.WhenshefirstmetLaShawn,Lonnierecalls,she“fellheadoverheelsandwantedhimtobeherson.”Theysoonlearnedhehadaseven‐year‐oldbrother,Dezmond.

“Hedidalotofsmearing,firesetting,andtantruming,”explainsLonnie.“[Andtheadultsintheirearlylife]encouragedaclimatewheretherewasfighting,choking,peeinginthecloset,andcompetitionbetweenthem.NeitheronecouldreadorwriteorknewtheirABCs.”Inspiteofthechallenges,LonnieandAlonzoagreedtheywantedtokeepthebrotherstogether.

28

Lonniewasdeterminedtogethelptomeetbothboys’significantspecialneeds.Theyreceivedhealthcarecoverage,monthlysubsidypayments,collegetuitionoptions,counseling,andspecialtutoring.

Theboysbirthmotherlatergavebirthtotwins,JakobandIzrael,andLonnieandAlonzotookthemintoo.Theboyswerebornthreemonthspremature,testedpositiveforcocaine,andwereonheartmonitors.“Theyhadsignificanthealthissuesandmanydoctors’appointments.Theyneededearlyinterventionanddevelopmentalhelp.Wehardlyhadtimeforanythingelse,”remembersLonnie.

AlthoughLaShawndidnotagreetobeadopted,LonnieandAlonzofinalizedtheadoptionsofDezmond,Jakob,andIzrael.Lonnieknowsthatshecouldnothavemadeitthisfarwithouttheservicesherfamilyhasreceived.

“Ithasbeenhardertogetpost‐adoptiveservicesandtraining[forthetwins].Thetwinsareadorableyetchallenging,”Lonnieadds.“Idon’tleavethemwithanyone.Mymomandmysistercanhelpoutonceinawhile,butIdon’tleavethemwithanyoneelse.”

John&Gina

Marshaandherhusbandbecamefosterparentstofour‐year‐oldJohnandtwo‐year‐oldGina,andwereabletoadoptthemtwoyearslater.

Everythingwentprettysmoothlyuntilthechildrenreachedadolescence.Marsharecalls,“Ginahadalotofproblems—precociouspuberty,microcephalism,hypotonicmuscles,specificlearningdisabilitiesand,eventually,adolescent‐onsetepilepsy.”Doctorskepttreatingeachindividualproblemwithoutexaminingthemtogether.Marsharememberswhensheandherhusbandfiguredoutwhatwasgoingon,“Finallywepulledoutapediatrictextbookandsaid,‘Ohmygoodness,attherootcauseofeveryoneofthesesymptomsisthepossibilityoffetalalcoholexposure.’”

Johnalsodisplayedsymptomsoffetalalcoholexposure.Marshaexplains,“Johnhasaninabilitytoanticipateconsequencesofbehaviors,andaninabilitytolearnfrommistakes,repeatingthesamemistakesoverandoverandwonderingwhyhewasgettingthesameresults.”Sheadds,“Hehasalotmoreemotionalscars,too,becausehewastheolderofthetwoinaverydeprivedhomewheretherewaseverythingfromincesttoarson.”

Withherchildren’snewdiagnosisandtheirincreasingdifficulties,MarshasoughtsupportthatwouldenablehertomeetJohnandGina’sspecialneeds.Afteralongprocess,shereceivedretroactivepost‐adoptionsupport.Marshaexplainsthattheassistancecoveredcostsforservicessuchascounselingthatherprimaryinsurancewouldn’tfund.Thecounselingwascritical.Marshasays,“Post‐adoptionservicessavedourfamily.Idon’tknowifweallwouldhavesurvivedasafamilywithoutthecounselingandsupportwereceived.”

Marshaexplainswhyadoptionwassoimportantforhernowadultchildren,“Bothofthemhadthechanceforleadingnormallivesthattheyneverwouldhavehadotherwise.Adoptionwasnotapanaceaforeitherchild,butitseemstohavebeenthestabilizingforcethatgavethemthefoundationfromwhichtheycouldreachtheirfullpotential.”

29

WhatCanMediaOutreachDoForYou?

ITCAN:

Raisetheprofileofyourissuetothemedia—Theprimaryreasonforconductingmediaoutreachistoincreaseawarenessof,andfostereducationabout,yourissueanditsimportance.Allofotherpointslistedbelowflowfromthisone.Withouteducatingthemediaandcultivatingtheirinterestinyourissueitisextremelydifficulttomoveforwardineitherthepolicyarenaorinthecourtofpublicopinion.Youcanusethemediatoreachboththebroadestpossibleaudienceandkeyopinionleadersandpolicymakers–it’saneffectiveplatformforyourmessage,andit’sfree.

Raisetheprofileofyourissuetothepublic—Publicdemandistheultimatedriverformuchofthelegislationthatispassedatalllevelsofgovernment.Politiciansdonotgenerallyinitiateorsupportcostlylegislationwithoutconstituentsupport.Thissupportisdifficulttomusterifthereisnotaclearrecognitionoftheproblemthatneedstobesolved;furthermore,muchofthepublic’sdesireforactioncomesfromtheproblemdefinitionthatiscreatedinthemedia.Whenpeoplereadaboutanissue,orhearitreportedonthenews,theytendtothinkaboutitasprevalentandthusinneedofaddressing.

Raisetheprofileofyourissuetopolicymakers—Politiciansandtheirstaffsfollowmediacoverage—bothnationallyandintheirhomestatesanddistricts—extremelyclosely.IneveryCongressionaloffice,thereisadailyorweeklypacketore‐mailofpressclipsthatisdistributed.Thesepressclips—comprisedofnewsstories,op‐edsandeditorialsfromkeynational,stateandlocalpublications—servetheessentialfunctionofkeepingpolicymakersattunedtoissuesofimportance.Notonlydoesitinformaboutthemcurrentevents(asitdoesforeveryone),itgivesthemhintsaboutwhattheymaybehearingfromconstituentsaboutinthenearfuture.

Establishyouasanexpertinthefield—Often,establishingyourselfasa“goto”forinformationonyourissuecanbeaseasyascallingore‐mailingareporterwhocoversfamily/childissuesandofferingtoprovidethemwithinformationonyourissue,pitchthemstoryideas,etc.Ifyouarehelpful,responsiveandwillingtohelpareporterwhomaynotbefamiliarwiththisissue,andmayhaveanumberofquestions,itwillpayoff.

30

TopWaysToReachOuttotheMedia

1. SubmitaLettertotheEditororanOp­edtoaLocalPaperThisisarelativelyeasywaytogetyournameandperspectiveoutthere,andprovidesafairlyunfetteredforumfordoingso.Letterstotheeditorandop‐edpagesbothwelcomesubmissionsfromthegeneralpublic,onawidevarietyoftopics.Althoughthemajorityofthesesubmissionsdealwitheitheraparticularnewsstoryortopicthatthenewspaperhasrecentlyreportedon,thesheerfactthatanewspaperhasn’tcoveredanissueisalsoagoodwaytoaddressthisissue.Ifyoucantellyourstory,andsupplementitwithfactsandfiguresfromyourcommunityinmakingthecaseforreform,youcanaddtopotentialinterestinpublishingthesepieces.Newspapersgenerallyhaveverystraightforwardguidelinesforhowtosubmitletterstotheeditorandop‐eds–fromwhereyoushouldsendthepiece,tohowlongitshouldbe.Youcangenerallyfindthisinformationeitheronthenewspaper’swebsite,inthenewspaperitself,orsimplybycallingthemainnumberatthenewspaperandaskingtospeaktosomeoneaboutguidelinesforsubmittingalettertotheeditororanop‐ed.

2. CallaReporter

Youcaninitiatecontactwithareporterbyphoneoremail,andcanintroduceyourselfandyourissuethisway.Youcanbecomeavaluableresourceforareporter,bypitchingthemstoryideas,trackingdowninformationtheymightrequest,etc.Whenpitchingareporter,writinganop‐ed,puttingtogetheranevent–alwaysthinkaboutthemostcompellingelements,andthebottomline“message”thatyouwantpeopletowalkawaywith.Thebestcoveragealwaysresultsfromcraftingastorythatisbothpersonalanduniversal–youwantpeopletorelateto,andempathizewith,theissue,butalsotopresentitwithasenseofurgencyandprevalence.Byprovidingboththehumanandstatisticalaspectsofanissue‐bothconnectingreporterstoresidentsoftheirarea(likeyourself),andprovidinginformationabouthowaparticularissueaffectsthereporter’scommunity,youcanachievethis.

3. HoldOne­on­OneBriefingswithReporters,Editors,Producersand/or

AssignmentEditorsThisisaslightlymoreformalversionofthetelephonecalllistedabove,andcanandshouldbeundertakeninaninformativecapacityinthelead‐uptoanevent,thereleaseofareport,etc.Initially,yourcontactwiththeseindividualsisgoingtobemostproductiveifitisundertakenonaone‐on‐onebasis.Thatway,youcanbuildarelationshipwitheachindividualreporter/producer/editor,learnwhattypeofstoriestheyliketocover,whattheirdeadlinesare,whenandhowtheyliketoreceiveinformation,etc.Ifthereporter/producerdoesnotknowverymuchabouttheseissues,thenthiscanserveasaninformationsessionforthem.

31

4. HaveEditorialBoardMeetingsAteachnewspaper,therearegenerallyanumberofwriterswhocomprisetheeditorialboard–theyareresponsibleforthecontentsofthenewspaper’seditorialpage.Theywriteabouttheissuesofthedayandcurrenteventsofnationalandregionalsignificance.Theyalsomeetwithindividualsandorganizationswithinthecommunitytohearaboutissueswhichaffectthecommunityandcouldbecomethesubjectofafutureeditorial.Editorialsareapowerfulmechanismforexpressing,andvalidating,theimportanceofyourissue.Theunderlyingthemeofanyeditorialisgenerallythattheissueonwhichthepieceiswrittenisimportant,isbeingrecognizedbythewriter(andthenewspaper)assuch,andthatactionisneeded.Policymakerstendtopayparticularattentiontoeditorials,astheyholdslightlymoresignificancethannewsstoriesdo.Editorialsareanimplicitrecognitionofthefactthatanissuehasachievedalevelofawarenessinthecommunityandthatsomethingshouldbedonetoremedytheproblem.Youcanrequestaneditorialboardmeeting,orameetingwiththeeditorialwriter(s)whocoverchildwelfare/family/intergenerationalissuessimplybycallingoremailingthenewspaper.Youshouldalwaysgointoaneditorialboardmeetingfullyprepared–withstoriesofindividualswithinyourcommunityimpactedbyfostercare;withstatisticsaboutthefostercareandchildwelfaresysteminyourstateandhowthesestackupnationally;withinformationaboutwherekeylegislatorsintheareastandonthisissueandinformationaboutwhatthechancesforchangeare.Remember–itisunlikelythataneditorialwriterwillpossessatremendousamountofknowledgeonthissubject.Itisyourjobtopresentitinacompellingandinformativeway;toprovideenoughinformationandhumaninterestdetailthatwillmakethemwanttowriteaboutthisissue.

5. HostPressConferences/Events

Stagingeventsorpressconferencesareanotherwaytoengagethemediaandthegeneralpublicinyourissue.Theyaremorelaborandcost‐intensivethanthesuggestionslistedabove,astheygenerallyrequireanappropriatevenue,printingoutanddisseminatingmaterials,etc.However,ifyouhaveareportthatyouarereleasing,orwanttoconveneadiscussionofindividualsinthecommunityimpactedbyfostercaretoinformthepublicandthemediaaboutthechallengestheyface,aneventisagoodwaytogetyourmessageout.

4/1/10 8:35 AMWelcome to the Logic Model Builder

Page 1 of 2http://toolkit.childwelfare.gov/toolkit/createEditToolkit/programInfo.do?modelTypeId=2

Logout

My Logic Models > Enter Program Information

Logic Model Builder for Postadoption Services Programs

Step One: Enter Program Information

You are about to begin building a draft logic model. Once you have completed drafting the logic model, you will have the option to download it intoMicrosoft Word and edit or modify it as necessary.

Start with basic information about your program and the population you serve. This will help set the stage for developing your logic model.

Each of the fields below provides you with a series of statements or questions to help you enter relevant information about your program. Someexamples are also provided. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.

Note: You may go directly from Step 1 to Steps 3 and 4, before returning to Step 2. This allows you to select outcomes and indicators beforeidentifying services and is appropriate if you do not have existing services in place or if you are planning to change existing services.

*Program NameThis is the name that you will use to refer to the logic model for your program.

(Please do not exceed 10 words)

Program Vision (sometimes called Long-Term Impact, Goal)This is a brief statement about your hope for the future. What do you want for the children and families you serve? A vision statement does notneed to be measurable. Your program is not necessarily responsible for single-handedly achieving it. Rather, your program should contribute toits achievement. Examples: "Stronger adoptive families," or "All birth parents have access to adoption-competent support services."

Enter your vision statement below to begin the logic model builder.

(Please do not exceed 150 words)

Other Examples: "All adoptive families can access needed supports," or "Increase availability of postadoption services in our community."

Population Served (sometimes called Consumers, Participants, Target Audience)This is a description of the population you serve. As specifically as possible, identify the people who will receive your services. Read more aboutidentifying the target population from the FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention. FRIENDScollaborated with Child Welfare Information Gateway to develop the Logic Model Builder for Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention/Family SupportPrograms.

(Please do not exceed 350 words)

Examples: "All children living in adoptive families in our community," or "Families adopting children from foster care," or "Birth parents whohave made an adoption plan for their child."

Population Needs (sometimes called Problem Statement, Needs to be Addressed)What are the participants' needs that this program intends to address? Describe the social problem(s) faced by your participants that yourservices will help to solve. Read more about identifying the target population from the FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-BasedChild Abuse Prevention.

(Please not exceed 350 words)

Example: "We serve all adoptive families in (x) region. Families may at times need access to adoption-competent professionals and services tohelp maintain healthy family relationships and ensure continued permanency for children who were adopted."

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The primary purpose of Adoption Monthis to raise awareness about adoption,adoptive families, and children whoneed adoptive homes. If done well,awareness-raising efforts represent

adoptive families in a positive manner,enhance an organization’s public profile,and make the plight of waiting children

a community responsibility. In thischapter, we discuss tactics to help you

enlist the media, government, andbusinesses in your campaign to build

public awareness about adoption.

�

�

““ Getting StartedBefore you contact any media organization,lay the groundwork for success. As you beginworking with media organizations:

Reflect upon, then focus your approach. Toensure that your point is conveyed effec-tively, consider your message and deter-mine your purpose in seeking mediaattention. Relationship building is anessential but time-consuming element ofobtaining positive media coverage, soinvest your time wisely. Is the messagebest presented on television, heard on theradio, or read in print [see page 13]? Is itnews or a feature story or both [see pages14–15]? Answering these questions canguide you to the right media personnelfrom the start.Target particular stations and publicationsto seek coverage. Who would be mostinterested in and do the best job cover-ing your story? What types of stories doparticular media organizations in yourarea typically cover? Do they have staff in certain departments who can coveryour event or issue? A media directory,usually available for purchase throughpress clubs (check the phone book), canhelp you locate media organizations andpersonnel. Then, to maximize yourchances of being covered, thoughtfullyselect organizations and research how theymake content decisions. Establish personal contact with media per-sonnel. Start with a phone call introduc-ing yourself, your organization, and yourcause. Next, send a written information

packet, possibly including a press release[see page 16], your group brochure, newslet-ter, photos, an adoption fact sheet, andstatistics [see page 65]. Then follow up withanother phone call after the written mate-rials have arrived or as the date on whichyou want media coverage approaches. Address your material to a specific person.Unfortunately, correspondence addressedonly to “editor” may not get much atten-tion. Instead, call the organization andask for the name and title of the personyou wish to contact. If you are not ableto talk with the right person on the tele-phone, send written materials to a spe-cific editor or other content manager. Ifpossible, identify the person who deter-mines content within particular depart-ments (such as regional news, family,lifestyles, community, etc.) and might beespecially interested in your story.Find creative ways to build media connec-tions ahead of time. Leading up toAdoption Month, get media personnel tothink about adoption issues. For instance,invite editors, reporters, and other storyplanners to a media luncheon—food isnearly always a good lure. During theluncheon, adoption experts can presentan overview of the issues and media rep-resentatives can gather information forfuture stories. Explore electronic communications options.The Middleberg/Ross Media in Cyber-space Studies found that nearly 75 per-cent of managing editors of newspapersand magazines surveyed in 1999 goonline at least once a day. The editors

12 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

Whoever controlsthe media—theimages—controlsthe culture.

—Allen Ginsberg

MediaMillions turn to newspapers, radio, television, and the Internet on a daily basis, primed tolearn more about what is happening in the world around them. With an engaged audiencealready at their disposal, each of these venues is an excellent option for spreading the wordabout adoption. Media coverage reaches a broad spectrum of the general public, includingneighbors and relatives of adoptive families, potential donors or contributors, and futureadoptive families.

As an opportunity to reach new audiences and a precursor to recruitment, media coverageshould include clear, accurate adoption messages. Well-crafted news and feature pieces helpto dispel myths and correct misperceptions about who can adopt and what adoption is like.A broad public understanding also improves the lives of adoptive parents, birth families, andadoptees as colleagues and peers become more knowledgeable and supportive.

�

use the Internet to e-mail, contactsources, research stories, and communicatewith readers. The popularity of electroniccommunication provides an additionalopportunity for you to connect—peoplewho take days or weeks to return aphone call often respond to e-mail almostimmediately. And, since most newspapers,radio stations, and television stations havean Internet site, you can quickly researchorganizations and contact people. Whenreporters or editors cover your story, askif they can also post the story online andinclude links to your (or other) informa-tive adoption web sites [see “Internet Sites”on page 67].Plan to follow up. Place calls the daybefore or morning of the event to remindmedia contacts what will take place,where and when it will be, and whomthey can talk to while there. Always beprepared to supply complete information—even if you already sent it—just beforeand after the event takes place. Once thearticle is published or the program airs,send thank you notes to both the editorand reporter. Also indicate your willing-ness to be a future source and suggestadditional stories or angles to pursue.Consider forming a recruitment partner-ship with supportive media organizations.Once you have established a relationshipwith particular reporters, editors, stations,or publications, they may be willing tomake a greater commitment to adoptioncauses. The foundation you build byworking together on news or feature sto-ries could develop into an ongoingrecruitment collaboration—perhaps theorganization can air or print advertise-ments, public service announcements, ora recurring waiting child feature [see“Advertising” on page 41 and “Waiting ChildFeatures” on page 53].

Selecting Your MediumKnowing the advantages of particular medi-ums can help you focus your relationship-building energy to maximize your results.

PrintFrom powerful institutions like the New YorkTimes and Wall Street Journal, to small weekly

or monthly neighborhood publications, news-papers reach millions of readers every day.Unlike television or radio, print mediaallows you to create your own content forpublication. For example, you do not needadvanced video editing equipment or a high-tech recording system to write a letter to theeditor.

Large papers that have more staff reportersare better able to cover news events. Withdepartments that typically correspond to thesections of the paper, you can attempt toconnect to one of several reporters or edi-tors who might be interested. You can alsosend a letter to the editor or persuade theeditorial board to run a piece of its own.Some of the smallest papers, on the otherhand, will be more receptive to feature arti-cles and lengthy letters to the editor, thoughthey are less well-equipped to respond tobreaking news. Some smaller papers mayeven publish feature or news material thatyou submit.

Print media can also help you to target aparticular audience. In many cities, special-ized newspapers serve African American,Latino, Native American, or Asian Americanconstituents. Magazines are also an option—because they need to market themselves toadvertisers, most can provide specific infor-mation about the demographics of theirreaders.

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 13

Media Possibilities• Write a letter to a talk show or fictional program, thanking producers

for covering adoption issues or encouraging them to do so.• Call in to a radio show about vulnerable children, mental health serv-

ices, health care reform, special education, or welfare. Remind thepublic how adoptive families are touched by these issues.

• Send a poem or piece of artwork created by an adopted child to amagazine or newspaper, asking for it to published.

• Encourage families who came together through adoption to sharetheir story with the media—better yet, volunteer your family.

• Invite a media personality to your next support group meeting oradoption orientation class.

• Add media organizations to your support group or agency mailing listand keep them updated about your activities.

Quick & Easy

““

TelevisionTelevision presents infinite possibilities forraising awareness during Adoption Month.News, feature stories, even fictional pro-gramming can include adoption messages.News stories can appear on nightly localbroadcasts—most areas have several networkaffiliates. Many stations also broadcast morn-ing or midday shows that include feature sto-ries, special guests, or expert interviews.News magazine shows offer an additionalopportunity for in-depth coverage.

Besides the network affiliates, low- or no-costcable access channels and public televisionstations are also excellent options. Theyhave a smaller audience, but they are activelyseeking programming and will likely behappy to air Adoption Month programming.Consider Spanish-speaking stations as well.

Television is best suited to events thatinclude visual appeal. For example, if youhope to get television coverage of your eventon the steps of the capitol building, youshould plan to include a symbolic represen-tation of waiting children or a performanceby a child or children’s group rather thanjust a series of speakers [see “ConductingSymbolic Campaigns” on page 24].

RadioRadio is another good way to publicizeAdoption Month activities and promoteawareness about children who need perma-nent families. You may be able to schedulea short radio call-in show or interview piece,a longer feature, or a series of feature sto-ries on adoption. Contact a station that con-ducts interviews and records features—publicradio stations or those on the AM dial forinstance—then offer several ideas. Suggestthat a series of several adoption-related spotscan be created from a single taped interview,and name yourself or your organization as aresource. Music radio stations are also aviable option—especially those that specializetheir broadcasts to reach particular audiencesthat match your interest (middle-agedwomen, families with children, or particularracial and ethnic groups, for example). Manyhave morning talk shows with loyal listeners.Others are accustomed to promoting partic-ular causes and might be willing to discussadoption regularly.

Disseminating NewsAt times, controversial adoption cases—Internet baby selling, birth parents who wantchildren back years later, and deaths of fos-ter and adopted children—seem to be theonly stories getting covered. While bad newstravels fast, with a strategic approach you caninterest reporters in publicizing positiveadoption messages as well.

First, make certain your news item is news-worthy. Reporters need a “news peg”—anevent, research finding, statistical report, orother timely item to announce—to cover yourstory as news. If your story lacks a news peg,it is a feature, not news, and will be moreeffective as a human-interest piece.

Well-written press releases can frame mostAdoption Month happenings as news.Events, legislation, speakers, trainings, andstatistics can all elicit the interest of editorsand reporters. To get your news covered:

Provide advance notice about your topic.Respect the tight deadlines under whichevery reporter, writer, and editor works.Editors are typically swamped with infor-mation; if they know about a subject wellahead of time, chances are greater thatthey will study and use it.Send a press release to the news director oreditor. When composing press releases,lead off with your main points. Use anexplanatory heading and answer key ques-tions (who? what? when? where? why?) inthe first paragraph. Next, support yourpoint with relevant statistics and verifiedfacts, with sources noted [see “Child WelfareStatistics” on page 65]. In the following para-graphs develop the story by supplyingbackground on waiting children, dispellingmyths about adoption, explaining steps inthe adoption process, or highlighting suc-cesses in addressing the problem [see“Writing a Standard Press Release” on page 16].Stay clearly focused and keep the materialsyou send brief. Generally speaking, pressreleases are one to two pages long.Assemble a media packet or press kit. Makecovering your event easy. Supply anothercopy of the press release at the eventalong with a folder of additional material.Gather resources to reduce the reporters’research responsibilities. List additionalcontact people reporters can turn to forexpert opinions. If your event includes a

14 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

It is better to bemaking the newsthan taking it; tobe an actor than acritic.

—WinstonChurchill

speaker, offer camera-ready photos forpublishing in the newspaper or on theInternet.Consider hosting a press conference. If youhave breaking news, a press conferencecan bring together staff from severalmedia outlets for a single presentation.Press conferences also provide visuals andaudiotape that give a story added appeal.However, press conferences should not beused unless stories are time-sensitive andtruly newsworthy—you waste valuable timeand money if nobody shows up.Find a unique angle. When national orinternational adoption news breaks, largemedia organizations will cover the story.Other organizations will also be inter-ested, but will desire a new twist on whathas already been reported. Be prepared tomeet their individual requests. Provide“exclusive” information about a specificchild or family in your area to set a localstory apart. If the national story is nega-tive, turn it around by demonstrating thatagencies, parent groups, or support organ-izations in your area are effectivelyaddressing the problem.Connect the story to larger issues. Reporterswill want to link adoption stories toother social questions. Pat O’Brien,founder and director of You GottaBelieve!, a New York agency that special-izes in finding homes for teenagers, con-nects his message to homelessness. Hispresentations mention that the Coalitionfor the Homeless found 60 percent ofthose in city shelters had spent time infoster care. Poverty, substance abuse,learning disabilities, health care, attach-ment issues, racism, and alternative fam-ily structures are a few societal concernsthat intersect with adoption.

Promoting FeaturesReal adoptive families and personal storiesare more interesting than panels of profes-sionals or lists of statistics. Feature storiescan stand on their own or illustrate a break-ing news item. A personal touch and agreater depth of coverage make feature orhuman interest stories an excellent way tohighlight families during Adoption Month.To get your feature published or on the air:

Pitch several ideas to your media contact.The station or publication may not beinterested in your first story—perhaps theyfeel it has already been covered by theirorganization or a competitor. A subse-quent suggestion—even your third orfourth idea—may be the one that sticks.

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 15

News and Feature Story IdeasSuggest these ideas to reporters and columnists for news articles orfeature stories:• a kick-off event for Adoption Month or a new recruitment campaign;• the top 10 myths about becoming an adoptive or foster parent;• the continuum of options available to those volunteering to help wait-

ing children: provide respite care, become foster parents, becometherapeutic foster parents, become a foster-adoptive family, or adopt;

• a family who went from having no children to adopting three or morechildren;

• an adult adoptee who found a family during his or her teen years;• the affect of adoption on other children in the family;• a family going through the licensing process;• an educational seminar or speaker offering support to foster/adoptive

families;• the need for families to work with medically fragile infants—possibly

with an interview of a family who works with at-risk infants;• the profile of a single, therapeutic-level foster mom;• members of a large adoptive family rearranging their lives and home

to adopt many children;• a successful reunification with birth parents and the family’s ongoing

relationship with the foster parents;• a personal look at a child who will be affected by recent or pending

child welfare legislation;• interviews with generations of families who have been providing care;• the friendships a group of foster/adoptive parents and their children

have developed through their parent support group;• adoption success stories occurring around Mother’s Day, Father’s

Day, and high-school graduation day;• symbolic displays celebrating adoption or visually reminding the pub-

lic of children who wait (artwork, candles, flowers, balloons, calen-dars, etc.);

• a profile of a child waiting for adoptive placement; and• availability of subsidies for adopted children.

Adapted from materials by Brenda Goldsmith, Devereux La Hacienda, and Cheryl Pilon, Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) of Arizona.

Take & Use

16 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

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Writing a Standard Press Release

[[OOrrggaanniizzaattiioonn’’ss nnaammeeAAddddrreessssCCiittyy,, SSttaattee//PPrroovviinnccee,, ZZiipp//PPoossttaall ccooddee]]

FOR RELEASE: [[DDaattee]] CONTACT: [[NNaammee,, pphhoonnee nnuummbbeerr]]

PPhhoottooggrraapphhss aanndd iinntteerrvviieewwss wwiitthh ffaammiilliieess wwhhoo hhaavvee oorr aarree iinn tthhee pprroocceessss ooff aaddooppttiinngg wwaaiittiinngg cchhiillddrreenn aarree aavvaaiillaabbllee uuppoonn rreeqquueesstt..

CCaalllliinngg OOuutt CCeerreemmoonnyy WWiillll DDrraaww AAtttteennttiioonn ttoo CChhiillddrreenn WWhhoo NNeeeedd FFaammiilliieess

During a Calling Out ceremony at [[ppllaaccee,, ttiimmee]] on [[ddaayy ooff tthhee wweeeekk]],November [[ddaattee]], [[aann aaddoopptteedd cchhiilldd//yyoouurr ggrroouupp rreepprreesseennttaattiivvee,, eettcc..]] will readnames of some of the children in foster care who need adoptive families andlight a candle in honor of every child who is waiting for a permanent home.“These are real children,” says [[ggrroouupp rreepprreesseennttaattiivvee nnaammee,, ttiittllee]], “who des-perately need families of their own. Because the public is so often unaware ofthese kids and their needs, we would like to draw special attention to waitingchildren during National Adoption Awareness Month in the hope that we canunite many of these boys and girls with permanent, adoptive parents.”

In [[ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]], approximately [[nnuummbbeerr]] children live in some type of fos-ter care setting. Many have spent most of their lives in this “temporary” situ-ation, and have moved within the child welfare system more times than theycare to remember. [[AA nnuummbbeerr oorr ppeerrcceennttaaggee]] will never return to their birthfamilies. [[AA nnuummbbeerr oorr ppeerrcceennttaaggee ooff tthhoossee]] are legally free for adoption.

These waiting children come from a variety of backgrounds. Some have phys-ical or mental disabilities; some are part of a sibling group; many are of AfricanAmerican or Native American or Latino heritage; and many are older childrenor adolescents. Advocates from organizations such as [[yyoouurr ggrroouupp nnaammee]] areworking hard to prove that there is no such thing as an unadoptable child.

This Calling Out for Those Who Wait is part of National Adoption AwarenessMonth, and is just one of many special November events planned throughoutthe country to focus attention on adoption.

Those who are thinking about adoption should know that, according to[[nnaammee]], adoption has changed significantly over the last 30 years. “You don’thave to be married, childless, under 40, rich, or own a house to adopt,” [[tthheerreepprreesseennttaattiivvee]] says. “You do have to provide a stable, loving home, and beable to help your child work through issues raised by his or her past.”

[[OOrrggaanniizzaattiioonn nnaammee]] provides specific information about waiting children andthe adoption process in [[ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]]. To learn more, contact [[nnaammee,,aaddddrreessss,, aanndd//oorr pphhoonnee nnuummbbeerr]].

###Adapted from “Sending Effective Press Releases” by John Hewitt,

the Writer’s Resource Center, 2001.

Step by StepAwareness

““

Tie adoption into other events or stories.November includes Thanksgiving, so sug-gest a story about a child and family whoare thankful to be together this year. OnVeteran’s Day, a young veteran of the sys-tem who is waiting for a family might bea good fit. On the biggest shopping dayof the year, a toy drive for waiting chil-dren could capture an editor’s attention.Make adoption the topic of an in-depthreporting segment. Most news programsinclude a topical report in their broad-cast. These segments are usually humaninterest items, rather than late-breakingnews. Adoption always grabs attention.Look beyond the traditional ways to high-light adoption. Don’t stop at news andfeature reporters. Contact columnists; theyare typically receptive to human-intereststories and are constantly looking forideas. Perhaps the sports reporter caninterview an adopted athlete or the mete-orologist can mention that participants atan adoption party will have sunny skies[see “Famous Adoptees and Adoptive Parents” onpage 79 and “Adoption Parties” on page 57].Inspire staff writers to print an editorialon adoption by sending a short letterthat clearly explains your organization’sposition and tells why that position wastaken.

Conducting InterviewsAs with any Adoption Month project, plan-ning and preparation are essential to suc-cessful interviews. Whether you meet withmedia personnel, ask others to share theirstories, or anticipate being contacted forinformation, the more you know about theinterview process, the better off you will be.

Prior to the InterviewInterviews are never mandatory—you canchoose whether or not to discuss a subjectwith media personnel as well as controlwhat information you share. If you needtime to get ready, ask the reporter to sched-ule a time to call back later. Prior to talk-ing with a media representative:

Decide whether to grant the interview.What does the reporter want to talkabout? Are you the appropriate person to

answer questions on this topic? Who doesthe reporter work for? What is the for-mat of the interview—nightly news or fea-ture story? Will the interview be taped?Will you be on camera live? Where willthe interview be conducted? How longwill it take? Who else is being inter-viewed for the same story? What is thereporter’s deadline? If you agree to talkwith a reporter, negotiate the time, dura-tion, and location of the interview.Choose a spot that makes you comfort-able and complements your point of view.Prepare families for being in the spotlight.Personal interviews can highlightstrengths, offer inspiration, and positivelyinfluence public perceptions. Still, beforefamilies openly discuss their lives, theyshould consider that children may beteased, co-workers or teachers may reactnegatively, and strangers may makeunwanted phone calls or visits. Familiesdeserve to make an informed decision.Outline your main points. If you grant aninterview, prepare three to five pointsthat briefly get your message across—preferably in less than 20 seconds. Askyourself: What is the issue? What is myinvolvement? Why is it important? Whatis the historical perspective?Gather background information. Findmaterials—brochures, statistics or historicalbackground—that are helpful to a reporter,particularly if a topic is complex.Anticipate tough questions. List the 10most difficult questions you might beasked in the interview. Think about howyou will transition from these questionsto reinforcing your the key points.Rehearse. Go over the questions untilyou feel confident. You might even recordyour answers. Do not, however, plan toread your answers during the interview.

During the Interview Responding to interview questions is a skillto be honed over time. As you perfect yourtechnique, remember to:

Get your messages across. Come to aninterview with your messages preparedand find opportunities to get them acrosswithout ignoring the reporter’s questions.Take initiative. You know what is impor-tant to the public—so tell them.

There is no greateragony than bearing an untoldstory inside you.

—MayaAngelou

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 17

““

Cite facts. Reporters love facts and figuresthat lend credibility to their stories.Accuracy is key; don’t exaggerate to makethings sound bigger or better than they are.Be friendly. It’s an interview, not an inter-rogation. Use anecdotes, humor, andexamples to illustrate your points.Establish rapport with the reporter.Be informative. Interviews exchange infor-mation. You are the source of that infor-mation; the reporter represents the public.Do not feel obligated to maintain thesocial rules of conversation. Once you’veanswered the question, stop. Beware ofthe reporter whose silence encourages youto ramble. It’s human nature to fill thoselulls. Instead, ask, “Have I answered yourquestion?” or remain silent.Be responsive. Most reporters are notexperts in adoption. You may have tobegin at the beginning to help themunderstand an issue. But remember thatreporters are looking for quotable quotes—a punchy response that will fill three linesof newsprint or 20 seconds of air time.Be confident. You are the expert. Deliveryour message. Say what you mean. Avoid overly complexlanguage. “It is clear that much additionalwork will be required before we have acomplete understanding of the issue,”should instead be, “We’re investigating it.”Don’t use jargon. Avoid terms oracronyms that can’t be quoted withoutexplanation. Don’t say, “Families have ahard time with ADHD and RAD kids sowe offer PRIDE training.” Do say, “Weprepare families to support children withspecial emotional and behavioral needs.”Remember your role as spokesperson.When you are conducting an interview,reporters will not distinguish between per-sonal opinion and that of any organiza-tion you are affiliated with—and neitherwill the public. Answer questions appro-priately. If you don’t know the group’sposition on a particular issue, find out;don’t speculate.Don’t go off the record. The commentmay not be attributed to you directly, butthe reporter often will use the informa-tion to confirm a story with othersources. If you don’t want something toappear in print, don’t say it.

Don’t say “No comment” or “I can neitherconfirm nor deny.” The public views thisas, “I know but I won’t say.” Instead, tellthe reporter that you are unable to com-ment and, if possible, why.Tell the truth. It may hurt, but lies aredeadly. You will probably get caught, andreporters don’t forget sources who misleadthem. Give a direct answer when asked adirect question, even if the answer is“No,” “I don’t know,” or “I’m sorry, Ican’t answer that question.” Don’t guess. Don’t assume the reporterwill check elsewhere. Chances are goodthat your misinformation will be printed.Don’t lose your temper. Sometimesreporters are intentionally rude to elicit acharged response. Respond politely, incontrol at all times. Don’t argue—yourangry comments may be reported withoutmention of the provocation.Don’t answer a question with a question.The reporter asks, “What do you thinkabout adoption parties?” Don’t say,“What do you think about them?” Suchresponses come across as evasive, pejora-tive, or hostile.It’s okay to make a mistake. The tape isrolling and you realize you’ve made amistake. Or, more likely, you suddenlyfind you have no idea what you’re say-ing. Stop. Say, “I’m sorry, I haven’tanswered your question very well. Let meback up.” The reporter usually will preferyour new, crisp response.Don’t comment on others’ comments.Essentially, the reporter is asking you tospeak for someone else. Don’t do it, espe-cially if you did not hear the individualmake the statement. It’s possible the per-son was misquoted.Avoid reading from prepared statements.This is especially true when you are oncamera. You ought to know what youwant to say without a script.Pause before responding to tough ques-tions. Avoid such platitudes as, “That’s avery good question” or “I’m glad youasked that question.” The audience rec-ognizes such obvious stalls. A short pausewill give the impression that you wish tomake a thoughtful response. Besides, deadtime is seldom aired on the news, andsilences can’t be quoted in print.

18 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

It is better to know some of thequestions than allof the answers.

—James Thurber

Monitor your delivery. Especially if theinterview is being recorded for televisionor radio, show confidence. Project yourvoice and be expressive. Smile whenappropriate. Hold your head high. Sit orstand up straight; don’t slouch, sway, orrock. Keep your hands at your sides (notin your pockets or crossed over yourchest); but don’t be afraid to gesture.Make eye contact, and always pay atten-tion so as to avoid embarrassment whena camera catches your eyes wandering.Never ask to preview the story. Reportersgenerally never let sources review stories,though they often check back for details.Remember, their job is to tell the storyaccurately—to suggest they can’t do sowithout your input insults their profes-sionalism. Instead, listen carefully duringan interview to be aware of when areporter does not understand something.Remember, misquotes are substantiallyless likely if you speak briefly and clearly.

After the Interview Once the interview is over, your work is notquite done. Afterward you may still need todeal with:

Compliments. When a story is reportedwell, let the reporter know with a phonecall or letter to the editor. But don’toverdo it. If you’re too complimentary,reporters may worry that their story wasn’t balanced enough.Disappointment. You spend hours prepar-ing for your interview, another hour infront of the camera and you are on theevening news for a grand total of six sec-onds. Or worse, the entire story is pre-empted by breaking news. Or you mayspend half a day with a newspaperreporter and be quoted only once, or notat all. Stories often are shortened oromitted when other news that the editorconsiders more timely, exciting, or impor-tant appears. During November 2000, forexample, Adoption Month events unex-pectedly had to compete with the ongo-ing presidential election for coverage.Don’t be disappointed—the time youspent helped establish a good workingrelationship with the media that will

benefit you in the long run. Chances aregood that the story will appear later orthat the reporter will be back.Headlines. The story was fine, but theheadline was terrible. Remember thatreporters usually have nothing to do withheadlines. Those are typically written byeditors on the copy desk, often undergreat time and space pressures.Criticisms. News outlets will run correc-tions, but they don’t like them. Don’tfuss about minor inaccuracies or differ-ences in viewpoint. However, seriouserrors and misconceptions should bebrought to a reporter’s attention. You canwrite a brief letter to the editor or callthe reporter to clear up the inaccuracy.Many reporters either will write a correc-tion or do a follow-up piece that clarifiesthe information. Avoid going over thereporter’s head unless the reporter iscompletely unresponsive. Then, contactthe ombudsman, if the medium has one,to look into how and why errors weremade.

Interview suggestions adapted from “Meet the Media” by the University of California Irvine’s

Communications Office, 2000.

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 19

Answering Interview Questions This four-step formula—illustrated by the example“Are older childrenfinding homes through adoption?”—can help when answering questions.

FFiirrsstt SSeenntteennccee:: Make a statement that answers the reporter’s questionas briefly as possible. “Yes” or “no” often is sufficient. “Yes, they are.”

SSeeccoonndd SSeenntteennccee:: Support your answer. “Data show that families in our[[ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]] adopted [[nnuummbbeerr]] children over age [[ssttaattiissttiicc]] last year.”

TThhiirrdd SSeenntteennccee:: Transition into your message. “We are working to findand prepare more families through increased outreach and training.”

FFoouurrtthh SSeenntteennccee:: State your message. “Our training conference, held inhonor of National Adoption Awareness Month, is one way we supportand educate those interested in adopting older children.”

Step by Step

�

““ Issuing ProclamationsInitiate a city-, state-, or province-wide recog-nition of Adoption Month by inviting yourmayor, governor, or premier to issue anAdoption Month proclamation. Use theproclamation to list current needs, celebraterecent achievements, and encourage action.When signed by an elected official, procla-mations also serve as a news peg to getadoption issues covered in the media [see“Disseminating News” on page 14].

To have an Adoption Month proclamationissued in your area:

Call officials’ offices. See if mayors, com-missioners, governors, premiers, and courtjustices are willing and available to issuea proclamation. When you call, try theircommunications and special events staff. Use your personal connections. Ask anadoption-friendly legislator or a child wel-fare lobbyist who has government con-nections to make the initial contact.Follow your call with a confirmation letter.Remind the official that adoption activi-ties are part of local and national efforts.If possible, include past proclamations.Help draft the proclamation. Provide rele-vant facts, such as the number of wait-ing children and finalized adoptionsduring the past year. If the person sign-ing the proclamation is responsible forpositive legislation or practices, list them.Finally, write down specific objectives tobe accomplished during Adoption Monthand the coming year.

Arrange a signing ceremony. Consult withthe official’s staff about a place to holdthe signing. Higher level officials will beaccustomed to hosting events and mayhave funds, catering, space, and staff tostage the ceremony. Contribute by extend-ing invitations to adoptive families, wait-ing children, community collaborators,and others concerned about children.Build a program of speakers, activities, orentertainment to engage the audience.Publicize the signing. To spotlight the offi-cial’s commitment to children, arrange (orhelp the official’s staff arrange) publicityfor the signing ceremony. Media person-nel are typically interested in suchevents—make sure families are present sothat reporters can capture images of theofficial with a waiting or adopted child. Thank the official for his or her response.After the event, send handwritten thankyou letters to everyone who was involved—the official, his or her office staff, andother volunteers. By building these rela-tionships, you are more likely to get helpwith future campaigns.

Cooperating with CourtsFamily and juvenile court judges hold sig-nificant power in determining outcomes forfoster and adopted children. Plus, mostchose their profession because of a deepcommitment to children and families. Theyare excellent allies to involve in AdoptionMonth planning.

20 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

Life's most urgentquestion is: whatare you doing forothers?

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Government and the CourtsLocal, state, provincial, and federal government entities are key audiences to involve inAdoption Month activities. These officials manage budgets, create policies, make rulings, andcontrol the custody of children. Although they are central figures in children’s well-being,they may not always be closely connected to those with a personal passion about adoption—the children and families.

Organizing an event where a mayor, governor, premier, legislator, or other elected officialparticipates will not only deepen his or her connection to the adoption community, it willattract media coverage and focus additional attention on adoption issues. Likewise, when alocal or state court conducts a special event for adoption—such as several finalizations onone designated day—media will be interested. Below are some ideas about involving govern-ment officials and the court system when planning Adoption Month activities.

�

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 21

Adoption Month Proclamation

Every child deserves a loving, nurturing, and permanent family. Sadly,abused and neglected children in the care of [[ccoouunnttyy,, ssttaattee,, oorr pprroovviinnccee’’sscchhiilldd wweellffaarree aaggeennccyy]] are waiting for such a home. These children are notthe newborns most people picture when they think of adoption. Generallythey are older boys and girls and teenagers who have unique medical,emotional, or physical needs.

Adoption gives them a brighter future, brings great joy to the adoptive par-ents, and places fewer demands on social services.

WHEREAS, approximately [[nnuummbbeerr]] children in [[ccoouunnttyy//ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]] are waiting for an adoptive family;

WHEREAS, nearly all of these children have special needs because of physical, mental, or emotional disabilities,

because they must be placed with other siblings, because they are children of color, or because they are school-aged;

WHEREAS, these children need extra patience and support to help them overcome previous hardships;

WHEREAS, in [[yyeeaarr]], [[nnuummbbeerr]] children who have special needs were placed into adoptive families in [[ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]];

WHEREAS, families are able and willing to adopt children who have special needs;

WHEREAS, it is important to stress that a disability, low income, orbeing single does not disqualify individuals from adopting; and

WHEREAS, children waiting for adoptive parents and families who have adopted these children require and deserve

community and agency support;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, [[mmaayyoorr//ccoommmmiissssiioonneerr//jjuussttiiccee//ggoovveerrnnoorr//pprreemmiieerr]]of the [[cciittyy//ccoouunnttyy//ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]] of [[nnaammee ooff cciittyy//ccoouunnttyy//ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]], do hereby proclaim

NNoovveemmbbeerr [[yyeeaarr]] aass AAddooppttiioonn AAwwaarreenneessss MMoonntthh

iinn [[nnaammee ooff cciittyy//ccoouunnttyy//ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]]..

In honor of this event, I encourage community agencies, religious organi-zations, businesses, and others to celebrate adoption, honor families thatgrow through adoption, further an awareness of the changes and issues inadoption, and focus attention on those children who live in the shadow ofan uncertain future while they await permanent families.

Signed________________________________

Date________________________________

Take & UseAdoption SaturdayOne option for involving the courts is toorganize a special day where as many par-ents as possible finalize their children’sadoptions. The Alliance for Children’sRights—a Los Angeles-based organization thatprovides free legal services to children livingin poverty—has spearheaded a movement tohost a National Adoption Day, with massfinalizations taking place in major citiesacross the country on a single Saturday dur-ing Adoption Month.

The Alliance’s adoption project began threeyears ago, when Los Angeles parents werefacing three- to nine-year delays to adopttheir foster children. Working closely withthe Children’s Court, the Department ofChildren and Family Services, and law firms,the adoption project successfully ended manyunnecessary delays and finalized children’sadoptions within a few months.

Working with law firms, foster care depart-ments, judicial officers, advocates, and com-munities across the country, the Allianceexpanded it efforts and organized the firstNational Adoption Day on November 18,2000. National Adoption Day was a hugesuccess, with 10 cities completing more than1,100 adoptions in a single day.

To involve your city in future AdoptionDays, you must secure the cooperation ofseveral key players to make the event a suc-cess. First, the juvenile court (or in somecases the probate court) must participate.The court staff, security personnel, and judi-cial officers need to coordinate efforts tocomplete hearings on a Saturday. In mostcases, the staff time—including judges’ serv-ices—is voluntary. In Los Angeles, AdoptionDay entices judicial officers from the appel-late and even supreme court to get involved.

Once the court has agreed to participate,the public child welfare department oragency must arrange to finalize its paper-work in time for the lawyers to completethe legal process. If the participating citydecides to recruit attorneys willing to donatetheir time to finalize adoptions, an area barassociation or children’s rights group cantrain lawyers and assist them with the paper-work and confirmation hearings. The Alliancedeveloped an effective process for complet-ing all adoption paperwork in a singleSaturday, one month before the confirma-tion hearing.

22 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

AwarenessFinally, organize publicity for the day. In LosAngeles, Adoption Days are some of the soleopportunities for the court and children andfamily services to obtain favorable press. TheAlliance, with help from foundations, hasassisted the participating cities by providingpress kits, teddy bears, t-shirts, and banners.

After three successful Adoption Saturdays inLos Angeles and one National AdoptionDay, the Alliance has learned that the fol-lowing items help make the day a success:

Teddy bears—Set up teddy bears aroundthe courtroom in places where the chil-dren can see them. One judge alwaysstarts the hearing by asking the child topick out a special teddy bear, name it,and keep it as a memento. The judgethen has all the other children present alsopick their own bear.Balloons—Inflate balloons the morning ofAdoption Day to decorate courtroomsand waiting areas, making the courthouselook festive. Invite children to take a bal-loon with them after the hearing.

Food—Donuts, lollipops, cookies, andcandy are always a hit. Volunteer attor-neys, judges, and courthouse staff alsoappreciate bag lunches.Disposable cameras—Law firms or com-munity partners can donate disposablecameras for the families. On a normalcourt day, families need a permit to havecameras and video recorders in court, buton Adoption Day permits are unnecessarybecause no other hearings take place.Certificates—Create a certificate of “familymembership” that the judge signs andgives to the family. Families love it whenjudges read and sign the certificate.Pictures—After each hearing, ask the judgeto pose for a picture with the family.

If you wish to participate in the 2001National Adoption Day on November 17 (ora future Adoption Day), contact the Alliancefor Children’s Rights at 213-368-6010 forassistance in developing a strategic plan.

On Saturday, November 18, 2000 theTarget: Kids in Court organization par-ticipated in National Adoption Day,finalizing 99 adoptions in Dallas,Texas. The event was a collaborationof Kids in Court; Court AppointedSpecial Advocates (CASA); the Dallasbranch of Gibson, Dunn, and Crutcher,a law firm that had previously partici-pated in adoption-related pro bonowork in Los Angeles; and the Alliancefor Children’s Rights, the Los Angeles-based group spearheading the nationalproject.

According to Evy Ritzen, planningdirector for Kids in Court, “Usuallyadoptions are scheduled like any case;there can be an adoption sandwichedbetween a case of delinquency or any-thing else. We wanted Adoption Day tobe a positive, celebratory experiencefor all the families and children.”

Lawyers from Gibson, Dunn,and Crutcher held a “PaperworkSaturday” several weeks beforeAdoption Day, for parents tocomplete necessary forms foradoption finalization. Staff from thefirm decorated their offices and had achild-care facility where children weresupervised while lawyers gave adviceand direction to their parents.

On November 18, more than 100 vol-unteers decorated the courthouse withballoons, banners, and ribbons;greeted families; handed out dispos-able cameras; and distributed donatedphoto frames as a memento of theoccasion. Volunteer organizations suchas Comfort for Court Kids alsodonated teddy bears [see newlyadopted children with their bears,inset] and the Alliance provided t-shirts to adult and child participants.

While the adoptions were being final-ized, a party with cookies, snacks,videos, and coloring tables for childrenfilled the courthouse halls. “It was agreat success,” says Ritzen. “We sentout evaluations a few weeks after theevent and the families loved it, handsdown.”

Presently, Kids in Court and theAlliance are building a pilot program toschedule all adoptions to be finalizedon one Saturday during each month.By doing so, says Ritzen, they hope tocreate a monthly occasion for celebra-tion, then invite all families back inNovember for a National Adoption Daycelebration.

In DepthDallas Joins National Adoption Day

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 23

Court CalendarsYou can also encourage your court to setaside specific time on a regular basis tofinalize adoptions. Dedicating a certainamount of the court’s time exclusively to adoptions ensures that a child will notwait while the system catches up on its back-log. A court that dedicates particular timeon its calendar to adoption makes a state-ment that children are a priority and final-ization is important. In California, twocounties took different approaches to priori-tizing finalizations:

Ventura County dedicates every Fridayafternoon to adoption proceedings. JudgeColleen White spends a half day pro-cessing six to eight adoptions each week.She gives each of the children a stuffedanimal when the adoption is completed.In Contra Costa County, adoption mat-ters are heard daily before any other mat-ters. At 8:30 a.m., Judge Lois Haight asksif any adoptions are pending. If so, theyare always heard first.

Adapted from “Court Adoption and Permanency Month:Technical Assistance Package” by the Judicial Council of

California’s Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee, andthe Center for Families, Children, and the Courts, 2000.

Generous JurorsYou can involve more than just the familyand juvenile courts in foster care and adop-tion. Since 1997, the Howard CountyDepartment of Social Services (DSS) inColumbia, Maryland has worked with citi-zens called for jury duty to raise funds forfoster children. The Generous Jurors projectasks those selected to hear trials to donatetheir stipend—10 dollars per half day of serv-ice—to foster youth. Over the last four years,Generous Jurors have donated nearly$50,000. The program works because:

All of the funds pay for items foster chil-dren need, never administrative costs.Generous Jurors fund haircuts, tickets toathletic events, summer camps, collegescholarships, braces, and an annual holi-day party with gifts.The program is mentioned on the phoneline jurors call when they are selected forduty. At the courthouse, they see a videoabout the project before they are giventheir reimbursement money. A simpleform allows them to make the donation.

Counties that attempted to replicate theproject but asked for the money backafter giving it to jurors were less successful.Once established, the project requires lit-tle oversight. Showing the video and dis-tributing donation cards become part ofthe regular process of working withjurors. Each quarter, funds are transferredto an account at DSS. A unit supervisorapproves requests for expenditures, whichare submitted by children’s caseworkers.

Barbara Law of Howard County DSS has akit of information about the GenerousJurors to help others replicate its success. Toobtain a copy, call 410-872-4200, ext. 258.

Calling Out ScriptOOppeenniinngg SSttaatteemmeenntt[[TTeennss ooff]] thousands of children across [[tthhee UUnniitteedd SSttaatteess//CCaannaaddaa]] needpermanent, loving adoptive families who can provide extra support to helpthem overcome previous hardships. Here in [[ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee]], [[nnuummbbeerr]]children are legally free for adoption. They are waiting; they are in limbo.Many have a physical or mental disability; many have emotional issues andproblems because they have been denied a sense of stability and trust. Agreat number are African American, Native American, and Latino. Manyneed to be placed in homes with their brothers and sisters. Many areschool-aged, and some are teenagers. They share a common bond: thedesire to be someone’s son or daughter and to be part of a forever family.

We fervently believe there is a family for each waiting child. Our task is tomake our waiting children more visible and bring them together with par-ents. These children are calling out—to be loved, to feel wanted, to sharetheir potential and themselves...to be adopted.

These are some of our children who wait:

[[RReecciittee nnaammeess aanndd aaggeess ooff wwaaiittiinngg cchhiillddrreenn.. IInncclluuddee aa vviissuuaall rreemmiinnddeerr oofftthhee cchhiillddrreenn iinn ccaarree tthhrroouugghh tthhee ssyymmbboolliicc uussee ooff pphhoottooss,, ddoollllss,, bbaalllloooonnss,,rriibbbboonnss,, eettcc..]]

CClloossiinngg SSttaatteemmeennttEach of these children is calling out, asking us to value them as part of afamily and part of their community. Collectively and individually, morallyand responsibly, we must listen. Let us answer their call—as parents, aspublic officials charged with their well-being and protection, as citizensspeaking out on their behalf. Children grow better in families, and each ofus has a vested interest in protecting our most valuable natural resource.

[[CCoonncclluuddee wwiitthh aannootthheerr aaccttiivviittyy tthhaatt iiss aappppeeaalliinngg ttoo tthhee eeyyeess oorr eeaarrss ssuucchhaass aa ttaalleenntt sshhooww bbyy cchhiillddrreenn,, aa ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee bbyy aa cchhiillddrreenn’’ss cchhooiirr,, aa cchhiillddrreeaaddiinngg aa ppooeemm aabboouutt aaddooppttiioonn,, eettcc..]]

Take & Use

24 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

AwarenessInfluencing Legislators

Adoptees and adoptive families are affecteddaily by laws about birth certificates, subsidyrates, and program and staffing budgets.Good laws and policies can make post-adoption support services available, helpadoptees reunite with birth parents, orreduce workers’ case loads. Legislation inother areas—education, affordable housing,mental health services, child care, etc.—alsosignificantly affect adoptive families. Politicalaction can either be reactive, responding topending legislation, or proactive, focusing leg-islative attention on children’s issues. Sincemost legislative bodies are not in session dur-ing November, Adoption Month is a goodtime to build relationships with policymakersor collaborate with other like-minded adop-tion activists to set legislative agendas.

Conducting Symbolic CampaignsAdoption advocates representing states,provinces, and counties have found uniqueways to raise government officials’ awarenessabout adoption and foster care. Their effortsinclude symbolic representations—dolls,

hearts, balloons, and photographs—to helpmake their messages real. Symbolic cam-paigns help organizations generate excitementand find officials who are willing to cham-pion the cause of adoption. After these cam-paigns, adoption advocates report that fostercare and adoption receive more attentionand funding than ever before. Some sym-bolic campaign possibilities are:

Calling Out Ceremonies. Stage a callingout ceremony at a visible governmentheadquarters, such as the capitol buildingsteps. Read names of children within thecounty, state, or province who are waitingfor adoptive homes. Other information,such as a child’s age and length of timein care, makes the reading more dramatic[see “Calling Out Script” on page 23]. Visuallyrepresent each child—for example with apaper doll, balloon, ribbon, or photo-graph—to demonstrate how many childrenare waiting and offer visual appeal for themedia. Calling out ceremonies often alsoinclude a program of speakers and per-formances by children. Be certain toinvite parents, children, and advocates.

For Adoption Month 2000, DistrictEight of the Florida Department ofChildren and Families (DCF) organ-ized a festive, symbolic calling out cer-emony in the rotunda of the state’sregional service center in Fort Myers.

The ceremony—organized by a com-mittee of recruitment and retentionprofessionals and other adoptionadvocates—centered on the district’s50 waiting children, whose photo-graphs were featured on individualcards with their names and ages. Thecards were passed out to audiencemembers, who were then invited toread the children’s names, one by one,at a microphone. A children’s bellchoir from an area private school par-ticipated in the ceremony, ringing bellsafter each child’s name and age.

Crowd members then attachedthe cards to a visual display thatremained in the rotunda [seedisplay, inset].

In addition to a large gathering ofonlookers, last year’s event drewmedia staff and local dignitaries.According to DCF’s lead adoptionscounselor Victoria Punnett, mediaattention is the major benefit of theceremony. “They always come, everyyear,” Punnett says. “Most of thenewspapers, TV, and radio stationsshow up. Sometimes they even followsome adoptive families home from theevent to do a personal interest story.”

District Eight has held a calling outceremony every year on the first Fridayof Adoption Month for several years,

and always includes waiting children,adoptive parents, adoption profession-als, and a keynote speaker. The 2000event featured a television news per-sonality, himself an adoptee, whospoke about the importance of findingfamilies for waiting children. Severalparents also spoke about their per-sonal experiences and the rewards ofbeing an adoptive parent.

The event is also valuable for recruit-ment, says Deborah Web, DCF’s com-munications officer. “A day after the2000 event, more than 40 phone callscame to our adoption line from inter-ested potential adoptive parents.”

In DepthCeremony Calls Out Waiting Children

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 25

Guided Fantasy ExerciseThis exercise can enhance the program at various types of Adoption Month events. Facilitators should pause often, allowtime for reflection, be prepared for tears, and help participants process their feelings.

Take & Use

RReellaaxx,, ttaakkee aa ddeeeepp bbrreeaatthh,, aanndd ttuurrnn oonnyyoouurr iimmaaggiinnaattiioonn.. All of us here haveone thing in common: we have a hometo go to tonight. Take a moment tothink about that home. Think about therooms; maybe you have a favoriteroom. Think about the people who livewith you—your partner, friends, chil-dren, parents. Maybe you have a pet.Imagine yourself at home.

II wwaanntt yyoouu ttoo lliisstteenn ccaarreeffuullllyy;; II aamm aappeerrssoonn iinn aa ppoossiittiioonn ooff aauutthhoorriittyy.. Myjob is to move people to live in newhomes. Tonight I am going to move youto a new home with a new family.

WWhhaatt aarree yyoouu tthhiinnkkiinngg?? If you thinkyou’ll run away, know that I will find youand bring you back. That is my job.

GGrraabb aa ttrraasshh bbaagg aanndd hhoolldd iitt iinn yyoouurrhhaannddss nnooww.. The move must take placequickly because your present familycan no longer meet your needs. Youhave 30 minutes to pack a garbage bag.What will you put in? You can only takewhat will fit. The new family doesn’thave room for a pet. You can’t take yourbike. You can’t take all of your stuffedanimals. You can’t say goodbye to thenice lady next door who gave you acookie last week. You can’t ask why.

WWee aarree ddrriivviinngg ttoo aa nneeww nneeiigghhbboorrhhoooodd..It’s much nicer—bigger houses, bettercars, more fashionable. The family youare going to live with has more moneythan the one you came from.

WWhhaatt wwoorrdd bbeesstt ddeessccrriibbeess yyoouurr ffeeeell--iinnggss?? Do you have questions? You’reprobably wondering, “Why are you tak-ing me?” “How long will I stay?”“When can I see my family?” and“What will the new people be like?”These are good questions, but I don’thave answers.

HHooww aabboouutt yyoouurr ffaammiillyy?? How do theyfeel about your sudden leaving? Whatquestions might they have?

WWee aarree aatt tthhee ssttrreeeett wwhheerree yyoouu wwiillll lliivvee..We drive up to a big house. We knockon the door. What words describe yourfeelings? The front door opens. This isyour new family—new adults and newchildren are all standing there smiling.They are excited you’ve come. They’vebeen waiting a long time to be amommy or daddy.

HHooww mmaannyy ooff yyoouu aaddjjuusstt rriigghhtt aawwaayy ttooyyoouurr nneeww hhoommee?? How many are angryor sad? What will you do if you areangry or sad? Remember, if you arethinking you will leave, I will find youand bring you back because this is myjob.

HHooww ssoooonn wwoouulldd yyoouu lliikkee ttoo sseeee tthheeffaammiillyy yyoouu lleefftt bbeehhiinndd?? How often? Youare strong; you have good coping skills.You’ve managed to adjust to your newenvironment. Time goes on. However,you cannot see your left-behind familyunless I make the arrangements.Because I’ve got so many people tomove, I haven’t had time to do that. Youhave not seen your family since you left.I do finally arrange for you to visit themin my office, under my supervision.

IItt iiss ttwwoo yyeeaarrss llaatteerr.. You’ve seen yourfamily a few times, but the visits havenot been regularly scheduled. But youare doing all right.

OOnnee ddaayy tthheerree iiss aa kknnoocckk oonn tthhee ddoooorr..IItt’’ss mmee.. I have wonderful news. You arenever going home, but it doesn’t mat-ter. I’ve found a new family where youcan stay forever.

NNooww yyoouu hhaavvee ttiimmee ttoo pprreeppaarree ttoo mmoovvee..What will you take with you? How doesyour current family feel about your leav-ing? Do you want them to help youleave? I bring you to spend severalweekends with your new family.

WWee aarree ddrriivviinngg ttoo yyoouurr nneeww hhoouussee.. Youwonder if your first family still remem-bers you. Do they live in the samehouse? You do not ask, because Ialready told you that this new family iswonderful for you. Now with your newfamily, what words best describe howyou are feeling? Do you want to go?Are you ready to go? Most of all, willyou ever be the same again?

CClloossee yyoouurr eeyyeess aanndd tthhiinnkk aabboouutt hhoowwtthhiiss wwoouulldd cchhaannggee yyoouu.. Thousands ofchildren experience this each year. Forsome, there are only a few moves likethis. Others move dozens of timesbefore finding a permanent family orleaving the system with no family at all.

DDiissccuussssiioonn QQuueessttiioonnss::1. What one word best describes how

you are feeling emotionally or physi-cally?

2. What did you put in your garbagebag for the first move?

3. What did you take with you duringthe second move?

4. Did you want to see the families youleft behind?

5. Will your relationship with your newfamily be easy to establish?

6. Will you have adjustment prob-lems?

7. Would you talk to anyone aboutyour problems? Would you talk to acounselor?

8. What types of behavior would showyour anger, sadness, and fear?Would you be destructive ordepressed, suffer from nightmares,or hoard food?

9. How do you think these behaviorsaffect foster and adoptive parents?

26 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

AwarenessFoster Dolls. The Foster Care and Adop-tion Association of Nevada raised aware-ness by making legislators honorary fosterparents. Each legislator received a second-hand doll with information about a fic-tional child. Many kept and cared fortheir neglected dolls throughout the 12-week session. Legislators also receivedweekly letters from the association aboutfoster care and adoption concerns.Valentine Hearts. Each February, the IowaCitizen Foster Care Review Board printscolored paper hearts that symbolize dif-ferent situations for foster children:•red for children waiting for finalization;•pink for children waiting for adoption;•white for children without a goal ofadoption; and

•clear for children who have aged out. Each heart lists the child’s age uponentering care, age at which their parents’rights were terminated, current age, andnumber of days waiting for adoption.Hearts are given to the children’s legisla-tors and district juvenile judges to behung on pipe cleaner trees in theiroffices. A heart tree also goes to the lieu-tenant governor and a garland is madefor the United States’ President.Bus Journey. In Wisconsin’s RacineCounty, officials and community leaderstook a “Journey Home.” They received aphoto and description of a child andimagined that child’s journey through fos-ter care as they took a bus tour of theplaces children in the system frequent.Early in their journey, they used the“Guided Fantasy Exercise” [see page 25] tohelp them identify with children’s movesthrough foster care. Along the way, par-ticipants met an abuse investigator, emer-gency room doctor, foster parent, andadoptive parent. Child welfare profession-als shared statistics, explained the needfor foster and adoptive parents, and sug-gested ways community members couldhelp. At the closing ceremony, partici-pants looked again at the child’s profilethat they were given and learned thatsome of the children were adopted, oth-ers returned safely home, but many werestill waiting in foster care.

VotingOn the Tuesday following the first Mondayof every November, Americans go to thepolls. Supporting candidates who championchildren’s issues is a natural extension ofAdoption Month activities—plus a way tobuild policymakers’ awareness of adoption.

Make your vote count for children and helpothers do the same. If you oppose or sup-port a particular candidate because of his orher policies on children, send postcards ore-mails to friends telling them about it.Leave voter registration cards behind whenyou visit places where other child-friendlyvoters go—churches, schools, or supportgroup meetings.

If you are truly committed to making chil-dren’s issues a priority in an upcoming elec-tion, host politicians in a forum or attenda previously scheduled one. Churches, com-munity agencies, children’s health groups,child care providers, schools, and otherorganizations may be willing to join you.Invite candidates to present their positionsand take questions and invite media to wit-ness the event [see “Disseminating News” on page14]. Competing candidates may be willing toattend together or at separate times.Consider having youth ask some or all ofthe questions.

Advocating for a CauseWhether or not you have elected child-friendly candidates to office, your work hasjust begun. When legislation is pending,weigh in on the subject. When it is not,bring adoption-related causes back to theforefront. At times, policy questions that arenot about adoption on their surfacenonetheless affect adoptive families. Whenadvocating for your position, you can reachthe policymaker in one of only three ways:

Place a Telephone CallStrategy: If you cannot say what you want to saywithin three minutes, write a letter.•Make notes and rehearse what to say.•Identify yourself.•Use bill numbers when possible.•Be prepared to leave a short message.•Time the call shortly before key votes.•Ask others to make calls as well.•Don’t insist on a call back.

““The greatest challenge of theday is: how tobring about a revolution of theheart, a revolutionwhich has to start with eachone of us.

—DorothyDay

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 27

Write a LetterStrategy: Reach a decision-maker right before he orshe votes on an issue.•Keep your letter to a single page andsubject.

•Use bill numbers when possible.•Identify yourself as a constituent andinclude your name and address.

•Personalize—use stories and experiencesto support your argument.

•Don’t count on petitions, mass-produced cards, or form letters. Theyhave value, but not much.

•Ask for a response, such as “Howwill you vote and why?” or “Whatinformation do you need?”

•Don’t expect an immediate response.•Send your letter by regular mail—faxand e-mail letters are less powerful.

Visit a PolicymakerStrategy: Establish a personal relationship of sup-port and friendliness.•Schedule a specific time for a visit inyour office or theirs.

•Establish rapport first, get their sup-port second.

•Know your facts.•Bring concisely written information toleave behind.

•Talk with the policymaker; don’t grill, pressure, belittle, threaten, orintimidate.

•Thank the policymaker for the job heor she is doing and the time spentwith you.

Whichever contact method you select toadvocate with policymakers, remember that:

You’re going to be more productive if yousee this as a long-term relationship ratherthan a one-night stand. You don’t haveto accomplish everything at once.Communications should be short andsimple. Limit yourself to one or twoissues per visit, letter, or contact.Policymakers are just plain folks. Likeyou, they want to have a nice day. Makeyour contact with them as pleasant as youcan. Say or write something nice. Neverattack when you disagree. Attacks, espe-cially if they become personal, shut doorsand make approaching with the nextissue much harder.

The policymaker’s staff members are crit-ical to your effort. Treat them as impor-tant people, and they can unlock doorsfor you. The policymaker often relies onthem for advice and direction.Know policymakers who are important toyour issue on a first-name basis; even ifthey disagree with your position, it makesadvocacy easier.Policymakers always respond better to con-crete experiences than to abstract con-cepts. Bringing a family is a moreeffective way to communicate the causethan bringing a program staff person.Always speak or write positively and con-fidently about your issue, program, oragency. Never cut other programs down.Policymakers appreciate constituents whoserve as resources. They can’t know every-thing about every issue; often they lookto people they know and trust for guid-ance and advice. Make sure targeted pol-icymakers are on your mailing list fornewsletters and invitations to specialevents.Anticipate arguments against your pro-gram or policy so you can respond toquestions. Read newspapers and journals;know what people are saying about yourissue. Know other issues that interest thepolicymaker then engage him or her indiscussions about your common interests.

Court and Government Options• Write a letter to one or two of the elected policymakers who repre-

sent you. Share a story about how good (or bad) adoption policieshave affected your life. Thank the policymaker for working on adop-tion issues or encourage them to do so.

• Bring stacks of brochures about your agency or support group tocourthouses and leave them in waiting areas or at free literaturestands.

• Thank the judge who finalized your child’s adoption by sending a cardand recent family photograph.

• Surf the Internet looking for children’s advocacy sites. Add your e-mail address to an action alert listserv so you can get messages aboutand respond to pressing legislative issues.

• Volunteer to work on the campaign of a pro-child candidate, help withvoter registration, or assist at the polls on election day.

Quick & Easy

““

Straightforward answers are the mosteffective response to difficult, unexpected,or blunt questions.Five letters can win the day. Most poli-cymakers don’t get five personal letters onany issue. Put five letters on their deskfrom constituents who are concerned withan issue and you can win the argument.Electronic communication is important,but doesn’t have the impact of personalcontact. Higher-level officials receive somany e-mails and faxes that they “bulk”them, counting up totals for and against.Thank you notes are appropriate after vis-its or following an accomplishment thathelped your cause.

Adapted from “Putting Some Flesh on the Bones: Twenty Hot Tips for Success as an Advocate for Any Cause”

by Congregations Concerned for Children Child Advocacy Network, 2001.

Mobilizing OthersOnce you’ve become active on an issue byeducating yourself, extend your knowledgeand enthusiasm to others. When elected offi-cials hear a message from just one person,they can pass it off as an isolated specialinterest. However, after multiple contactsfrom individuals, families, and organizationswho are all concerned about the same issue,policymakers know their votes on particularissues matter to their constituents.

A “Capitol Day” on which adoptive and fos-ter families join together to visit lawmakersand educate them about child welfare issuescan effectively mobilize your group. Othertimes, you may want to use an action alert—a message that mobilizes individuals by ask-ing for a specific action to be taken oncurrent political issues.

Action alerts have been happening on paper,through telephone trees, and via faxmachines for a long time. Today, computernetworks make sending them cheaper—an e-mail alert can travel far from its origin by being forwarded from friend to friendand list to list without any additional costto the original sender. Remember, however,that conducting campaigns only by e-mailleaves out a certain percentage of your constituents.

Gathering E-mail AddressesE-mail is the building block of onlineactivism; nearly everyone with a computerand a modem can get an e-mail address forlittle or no money. Surprisingly, many organ-izations do not collect e-mail addresses fromtheir members, activists, or families. To start:

Add a space for “e-mail address” to everymembership form, petition, and responsecard you provide to your members or thepublic. This should go along with phonenumber and fax number.Ensure that everyone in your organizationmakes it part of their routine to ask forthis information whenever they make con-tact with someone interested in the organ-ization (on the phone, at meetings, etc.).If your group publishes a newsletter,include a short article in your next edi-tion saying that your group wants to usee-mail communication in the future, andneeds readers’ e-mail addresses. Providean e-mail address to which they can sendthis information.Add a field to your contact database toaccommodate this new information.Again, an e-mail address should be con-sidered at least as important as a phoneor fax number.Focus your greatest effort on gathering e-mail addresses from those who are mostlikely to respond to your electronic com-munications (the people you can counton to write letters, make phone calls,attend meetings, etc.). Publicize your organization’s e-mailaddress. Include it on your businesscards, brochures, fact sheets, newsletters,and other publications. E-mail communi-cation is a two-way street.

Excerpted from “An Activists’ Strategy for Effective On-line Networking” by ONE/Northwest, 2001.

28 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

The impersonalhand of govern-ment can neverreplace the helping hand of a neighbor.

—Hubert H.Humphrey

Sending Action AlertsOnce you have built even a small database,begin contacting people regularly via an e-mail list—often referred to as a listserv—about your issues. When developing actionalerts:

Establish authenticity. Bogus action alertstravel as fast as real ones. Don’t givealerts a bad name. Include clear infor-mation about the sponsoring organizationand provide the reader with several waysof tracing you—e-mail address, postaladdress, web site, phone number, etc.Including contact information makes senseanyway—you want people to join yourmovement and establish contact with you.Date it. Paper mail and faxes get thrownaway quickly, but action alerts travelthrough the Internet forever. Do notcount on the message header to conveythe date; people who forward Internetmessages frequently strip off the header.Give your recommended action a clearlystated date, for example, “Take this actionuntil November 17, 2001.” If you antici-pate follow-up actions or if this is partof an ongoing campaign, say so. Clearly mark the beginning and end. Youcan’t prevent people from modifying youralert as they pass it along. Fortunatelythis typically only happens accidentally, asextra commentary accumulates at the topand bottom of the forwarded message.Put a bold row of dashes or somethingsimilar at the top and bottom so extramaterial will look extra—be clear what youand your credibility are standing behind.Ask your reader to take a simple, clearlydefined, rationally chosen action. Forexample, you might ask people to calltheir representatives and express a certainview on an issue. In your message, list orprovide a way to find that representative’sname and number. Explain how to con-duct the conversation: what to say andhow to answer likely questions. Your pur-pose is not to impose your thinking butto help others accomplish a task thatmight otherwise be intimidating. Decidewhether to ask for e-mail messages (whichcan be huge in number but small ineffect), written letters (which will be fewerbut more effective), or phone calls (whichfall in between).

Make it easy to understand. Begin with agood, clear headline that summarizes theissue and the recommended action. Useplain language, not jargon. Check yourspelling. Use short sentences and simplegrammar. Solicit comments on a draftbefore sending it out. Get your facts straight. Your message willcircle the earth, so double-check. Errorscan be disastrous. Even a small mistakemakes it easy for opponents to dismissyour alerts—and Internet alerts in gen-eral—as rumors. Once you discover a mis-take, issuing a correction is impossible;the correction will not get forwardedeverywhere that the original message did.

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 29

Legislative Advocacy Web Sitesccaannaaddaa..ggcc..ccaa Link to Canadian government sites, includ-

ing government officials, departments andagencies, and services for children.

ppmm..ggcc..ccaa Review news headlines and key initiativesthen contact the Prime Minister.

wwwwww..ppaarrll..ggcc..ccaa Track legislation and contact policymakersvia the jointly maintained site of the Senate,House of Commons, and Library ofParliament.

wwwwww..wwhhiitteehhoouussee..ggoovv Contact the President, Vice President, orother staff.

wwwwww..hhoouussee..ggoovv and Learn about current legislation and contactwwwwww..sseennaattee..ggoovv Congressional representatives.

tthhoommaass..lloocc..ggoovv Read text of past and current legislation andview records from committee hearings.

wwwwww..ffeecc..ggoovv Obtain forms to become a registered voterfrom the Federal Elections Commission.

wwwwww..ddnneett..oorrgg Enter your zip code into the League ofWomen Voters’ Democracy Net to find outwhich candidates and issues will appear onyour ballot.

wwwwww..ccddffaaccttiioonnccoouunncciill..oorrgg See each Congressperson’s voting record onchildren’s issues by visiting the Children’sDefense Fund.

wwwwww..ccwwllaa..oorrgg Review action alerts on children’s issuesfrom the Child Welfare League of America.

Resources

““Unless someonelike you cares awhole awful lot,nothing is going toget better. It's not.

—Dr. Seuss

Start a movement, not a panic. Do not say,“Forward this to everyone you know,” or“Please Act NOW!!!” You’re not trying toaddress everyone, you’re trying to target agroup of people who are inclined to careabout the issue. If the issue really is time-critical, then explain why, in sober lan-guage. Do not get obsessed with theimmediate situation. Your message mayhelp avoid some short-term calamity, butit should also contribute to a long-termprocess of building a social movement.Maintaining a sense of that larger contextwill help you and your readers frombecoming dispirited in the event that youlose the immediate battle. Tell the whole story succinctly. Most peoplehave never heard of your issue and needfacts to evaluate it. If your opponentshave circulated their arguments, you’llneed to rebut them, and if they haveframed the facts in a misleading way,then you’ll need to explain what’s mis-leading and why. On the other hand, youneed to write concisely. Even if you arefocused on the actions, good explanationscount. After all, one benefit of youraction alert—maybe the principal benefit—is that it informs people about the issue.Even if they don’t act today, your read-ers will be more aware in the future.Make it easy to read. Use a simple, clearlayout with lots of white space. Break uplong paragraphs. Use bullets and headingsto avoid visual monotony. If your organ-ization plans to send out action alerts reg-ularly, use a distinctive style so thateveryone can recognize your “brandname” instantly.Never use a chain-letter petition. A chain-letter petition is an action alert thatincludes a list of names at the end; itinvites people to add their own name tothe list, send in the petition if their

name is number 30 or 60, and in anycase forward the resulting alert-plus-signature list to everyone they know. Thisidea sounds great in the abstract, butdoesn’t really work. Most of the signa-tures will never reach their destination,since the chain will fizzle out beforereaching the next multiple of 30 inlength. What’s worse, a small proportionof the signatures will be received in thelegislator’s office over and over, thusannoying the staff and persuading themthat they’re dealing with an incompetentmovement that can never hold themaccountable.Urge people to inform you of their actions.If you are calling on people to telephonea legislator’s office, for example, youshould provide your e-mail address andinvite them to send you a brief message,too. Explain that you’ll count the num-ber of calls your alert has generated, andthat this information will be invaluablewhen you speak with the legislator’s staffmembers later on. Only do this, though,if your mail server is capable of handlinga large volume of messages in a shortperiod. Check this out with your serviceprovider in advance. Don’t overdo it. Action alerts mightbecome as unwelcome as direct-mailadvertising. Postpone that day by pickingyour fights and including some useful,thought-provoking information in yourmessage. If you must send out multiplealerts on the same issue, make sure eachone is easily distinguishable from the oth-ers and provides fresh, useful information.Above all, don’t send unsolicited messagesto massive lists of strangers (spam). Sendyour message only where it belongs.

Adapted from “Designing Effective Action Alerts for theInternet” by Phil Agre, Department of Information Studies,

University of California, Los Angeles, 1994-1998. The full articleis available online at dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/pagre/alerts.html.

30 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

�

Contributions and DonationsAlmost every business has something to con-tribute to adoption. They can donate mate-rials or services, share specialized knowledgeor abilities, or spread adoption messages totheir employees and customers. AdoptionMonth is a great motivation to begin involv-ing businesses and form partnerships thatcan last all year long.

Businesses to TargetAs you think about which businesses toapproach first, begin with those you knowbest. Organizations where adoptive families,their friends, and their relatives work aregood starting points. Some banks and com-panies are willing to finance Adoption

Month projects, but getting businesses todonate supplies or services or distributematerials is almost always easier. Therefore,target organizations that have:

Goods and services families need. Tryhousing organizations, car dealerships,hardware and household goods vendors,toy or art supply stores, clothing retailers,child care providers, and entertainmentvenues such as sports teams or amuse-ment parks. An engaged audience at their disposal.Think about major corporations with alarge number of employees; movie the-aters; organizations that hold festivals,fairs, and community events; places witha large amount of foot traffic or frequentmailings; and restaurants or coffee shops.

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 31

BusinessesIf you increase their awareness about adoption, business owners and managers in your com-munity may help you to secure financial sponsorship for Adoption Month activities, becomeongoing partners in the quest to find adoptive homes for waiting children, or provide bet-ter support to the adoptive parents who work for them.

�

On November 4, 2000 Sierra AdoptionServices was the beneficiary when theActive 20–30 Club of GreaterSacramento—a group of volunteersunited around a mission of charitablegiving—held its 20th Annual MonteCarlo Night masquerade ball. Theevent, which took place in a library gal-leria, featured music, dancing, gam-bling, and a silent auction [seeattendees in costume, inset]. Twonews anchors hosted the event andpromoted Sierra’s work.

According to Dave Phinney, funddevelopment officer at Sierra, the20–30 Club took an interest in adop-tion because he was able to make theissue personal and specific to the Sacramento area. Knowing that the

club tended to support chil-dren’s organizations, during apresentation to its leadersPhinney outlined the history of twolocal girls. Phinney discussed how thegirls moved through the child welfaresystem and needed adoptive families,touching on the issues that Sierra reg-ularly deals with.

“When you talk about the number ofchildren available for adoption acrossthe country everyone’s eyes tend toglaze over,” Phinney said of his presen-tation strategy. “But when you bring ithome and talk about children in thearea where these people live, they areable to see how they can help andwhere the funding will be going.”

Through Phinney’s presentation,Sierra made a key connection withclub members and was selected as thebeneficiary of Monte Carlo night, oneof the group’s semi-annual fundraisers.

According to Phinney, the night was anoverwhelming success. The mayor andseveral other community leadersattended, along with media personnel.Sierra received more funding thanrequested, and the 20–30 Club askedPhinney to submit an application forSierra to be beneficiary of a futurefundraising event. As a result of connec-tions made at the event, some membersalso made individual donations to Sierra.

In DepthClub Donates Gala Event Proceeds

Expertise to share. Approach marketers,advertisers, and graphic artists; journalistsand film makers; law firms; mental healthorganizations; college students and profes-sors; and health care groups.

How to Make Your Approach Shirley Tabb, director of public relations forthe District of Columbia’s Child and FamilyServices, has found enormous success inapplying the marketing skills she learned sell-ing cars to obtaining businesses’ financialsupport for adoption. She explains,“Everyone is willing to help children. Thechallenge lies in communicating your needsto the community.” To replicate her success:

Identify key decision-makers in organiza-tions with resources you need, then contactthem. Be specific. Tell them what theirhelp will mean for a child, not for youor your organization. Solicit support in person to get your foot inthe door. Drop by a prospect’s business orask someone who knows the decision-maker

personally to get you an appointment. Or,invite prominent business and civic lead-ers to an agency open house. Putting offa request is harder in person.Letters are easily forgotten or discardedamong other solicitations and junk mail, somake yours stand out. Package it so therecipient will be compelled to open it.Put a cuddly teddy bear in a big basketwith photos of children. Include your let-ter, cover it with clear cellophane paper,and hand deliver it to the prospectivesponsor. Be creative. The packagingshould visually communicate your mes-sage—home, family, kids, and heartsthemes can pay off. Address your packageto the decision-maker and follow up witha phone call. Always follow up to relate how successfulthe sponsored activity was. People like tohear they made a difference.

32 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

To raise awareness about, gather sup-port for, and financially benefit chil-dren in the state foster care system,the New Mexico Children, Youth andFamilies Department (CYFD) will hostits third annual Run for Adoption inNovember, 2001. Last year, the IntelCorporation—in cooperation withother businesses including theAlbuquerque Journal, Simmons RadioGroup, and KWBZ-Warner Brothers—sponsored the event.

The day consisted of a 15K run, 5Krun/walk, and 1K children’s event thattogether enticed more than 300 partic-ipants [see runners, inset]. Runnerswore t-shirts that featured the spon-sors names as well as names of NewMexico children available for adoption.In the first year of the event, each run-

ner also wore a button with thephotograph of a waiting child.

Proceeds generated by the eventsupport foster parents and children,but according to Elie Ortiz, marketingmanager for New Mexico CYFD, thereal benefit of the run is the awarenessit generates. “Every major networkcovered the run.” says Ortiz, “TheAlbuquerque Journal—the largestnewspaper in New Mexico—ran sev-eral ads and stories about the run andadoption, and a radio station did freepromotion for the event. There is noway to gauge how much effect theactual event has in itself, but what isimportant is the number of peoplereached and the number of times aperson receives a message aboutadoption.”

To find a sponsor for the event, Ortizsent a mailing with information aboutwaiting children and levels of sponsor-ship to several large businesses in NewMexico. For their contributions, com-panies were featured in various pro-motional materials for the run, andIntel, the largest sponsor, had its nameassociated with the run in all adver-tisements and listings.

“It’s a great thing for these compa-nies,” Ortiz notes. “They are eager tobe connected with such a greatcause.”

In DepthBusinesses Sponsor Run for Adoption

Express appreciation to all your supporters.Send all of your community friends yournewsletters and print their names, phonenumbers, and short descriptions of theirbusinesses in each publication. Host anannual luncheon or reception where theyare honored—it does not need to be alavish affair. Just get people together soyou can publicly recognize their effortsand solidify their commitment. This isalso an opportunity to invite others fromthe community to visit your organization,see how well you treat community part-ners, and hear how they can join in.

PartnershipsSome organizations will only be able tomake a one-time commitment to helpingwith your adoption causes—and sometimesthat is all you want from them. Otherorganizations may be interested in becomingongoing sponsors. Maintaining a partnershiprequires hard work—consistent communica-tion and a clear purpose are central to success.

Maintaining RelationshipsDeveloping a partnership is not easy—thoughsometimes the challenges aren’t obviousimmediately. To ensure a healthy collabora-tion, use relationship-building strategies fromthe beginning and continue to employ themas the partnership grows:

Form a task force or advisory board. Oncea corporate partner has been secured,individuals who represent every partyinvolved with the collaboration shouldconvene and commit to regular meetingsfor the partnership’s duration. Theyshould be able to motivate others in theirorganizations and have decision-makingpower so as to minimize delays.Develop shared goals and objectives.Synergy begins when all players hold thesame vision of what they can accomplishtogether. Synergy is defined as workingtogether to produce an effect greater thanthe sum of individual efforts. A sharedvision is a powerful tool that will takeyou past differences to a solution-focusedpartnership. Whenever possible, your agreed-upon mission and plans should be put inwriting.

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 33

Letter to Solicit Businesses’ Support

[[DDaattee

YYoouurr nnaammeeYYoouurr oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn’’ss nnaammeeAAddddrreessssCCiittyy,, ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee zziipp//ppoossttaall ccooddee

CCoonnttaacctt nnaammeeTTiittlleeCCoorrppoorraattiioonn oorr bbuussiinneessss nnaammeeAAddddrreessssCCiittyy,, ssttaattee//pprroovviinnccee zziipp//ppoossttaall ccooddee]]

Dear [[MMrr..//MMss.. ccoonnttaacctt nnaammee]]:

Michael turned 13 this fall. He and his sisters, Rosalyn and Alisha, havebeen waiting for a family to adopt them for more than a year. Each day infoster care they wonder if and when they will find a permanent mom ordad. Nationally, [[UUnniitteedd SSttaatteess//CCaannaaddiiaann ffiigguurree]] of these children willnever return home, yet many wait years for the security of an adoptivefamily. This year [[oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn//ggrroouupp nnaammee]] is making a special effort tosee that children like Michael find permanent homes. We need your help.

During November—National Adoption Awareness Month—we are spon-soring [[nnaammee oorr ddeessccrriippttiioonn ooff eevveenntt]] to increase awareness about adop-tion and recruit families to adopt children who need homes. To goforward, we need [[ddoonnaattaabbllee iitteemmss ssuucchh aass ppaappeerr oorr aarrtt ssuupppplliieess,,bbrroocchhuurree//ppoosstteerr ddeessiiggnn,, pprriinnttiinngg oorr mmaaiilliinngg sseerrvviicceess]]. By donating theseitems, you can play an important role in building a new family and chang-ing a child’s life. All donations are tax deductible.*

[[YYoouurr ggrroouupp nnaammee]] is a nonprofit group composed of adoptive, foster-adoptive, and foster families, adopted persons, birth parents, adoptionprofessionals, and other adoption advocates. We provide support to theadoption community, offer adoption education and advocacy services tothe public, and [[ppeerrssoonnaalliizzee ddeessccrriippttiioonn ooff yyoouurr sseerrvviicceess oorr mmiissssiioonn]].

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Enclosures

Take & Use

*Note: Businesses can only deductcontributions made to registered

nonprofit organizations.

““

Remember that partners’ reputations riseand fall together. In collaboration, youshare the consequences of each other’ssuccesses and blunders. Choose your part-ners carefully, and continually considerthe impact of your actions on your part-ners’ individual and institutional reputa-tion. Celebrate together when things gowell. Practice forgiveness if mistakes hap-pen, and learn from them. Documentwhat you have learned so you don’t haveto relearn it.Develop an image for the partnership. Thepartnership should take on a life of itsown. The group should create a name,logo, and stationery that includes all theparties involved and reflects the partner-ship’s mission. Recognize sponsors. Highlight corporatesponsors in literature and media coverageconnected with your partnership. In addi-tion, give a thank you gift that reflectsthe work of the partnership. Even morethan the additional publicity, sponsorsappreciate seeing the results of theirwork.

Adapted from materials by Gail Johnson, executive director ofSierra Adoption Services and Carolyn Smith, executive director

of Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange.

Recognizing that the corporate partnershipalso must benefit from the collaboration isessential, according to Maureen Heffernan,executive director of Family BuildersAdoption Network. Her organization receivesfinancial support from Children’s Orchard, anational chain of children’s clothing stores.Heffernan’s advice to others considering acorporate sponsor: “Realize it is a two-waypartnership. For it to be successful, youmust be as responsive to their needs as youexpect them to be to yours.” Trackingreportable outcomes—proof that the donationmatters—helps keep sponsors satisfied.

Deciding What to Ask ForOnce an organization or parent supportgroup forms a relationship with a business,the possibilities for contribution are plenti-ful. Companies may be willing to:

Give money to your organization or funda special project.

Print articles to promote AdoptionMonth or publish profiles of adoptive families or waiting children in theiremployee newsletters.Place adoption flyers in employee pay-check envelopes.Sponsor an day during which proceedsare donated to support adoption.Hold an adoption information fair foremployees [see “Information Booths” on page 42].Give discounts or free items to adoptivefamilies on a particular day, duringNovember, or all year long.Sponsor an adoption party by donatingspace, food, materials, or prizes [see“Adoption Parties” on page 57].Give directly to children via scholarshipfunds, donated goods, or celebratory parties.Use their connections to involve otherbusinesses, obtain media coverage, orlobby politicians.Sponsor a family interested in adoptingby donating a minivan, materials toimprove their home, or subsidized childor health care.Sponsor a child waiting to be adopted bydonating transportation costs for visits;haircuts, clothes, or professional photog-raphy for pictures in waiting child books;or fees for music lessons, scouting, andsummer camps.Provide specialized services such as webdevelopment, graphic design, and programevaluation, either through their own staffor by paying their contractors to help.Post displays or flyers encouraging theiremployees and customers to adopt ordonate money to adoption [see “Displays”on page 39].Include your adoption message wheneverthey advertise their own messages [see“Advertising” on page 41].Volunteer employees’ time to an adoptionservice project such as hanging postersand flyers in the community, organizingand providing entertainment at a partyfor waiting or adopted children, collectingsuitcases or gifts for foster children, orsetting up an academic or career men-toring program for older children.

34 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Awareness

When love andskill worktogether, expect amasterpiece.

—John Ruskin

Adoption BenefitsAlmost any business can contribute to adop-tion by supporting employees who choose toadopt. Adoption and the Workplace—a proj-ect of the National Adoption Center, sup-ported by the Dave Thomas Foundation forAdoption—educates employers about support-ing adoption. Many companies offer adop-tion benefits such as information andreferral services, adoption-related expensereimbursements, and paid or unpaid leave.If your workplace does not already supportadoptive families, the following informationcan help you pitch the idea to youremployer.

Employers who support adoption benefit by:providing equity for all employees,whether they build families through adop-tion or birth;recognizing that stable families createresponsible, productive employees;becoming an industry leader in a pace-setting, family-focused effort; andgenerating good will among employeesand throughout the community.

Employees whose employers offer supportbenefit by:

receiving financial assistance that canmake the difference in their ability toadopt;

knowing that their employer is supportiveof them and their families; andobtaining time off to be with their chil-dren before and after an adoption.

The community benefits when:employers take the lead in supportingadoption;employers are committed to family issues;andfamilies adopt waiting children.

Employers who are concerned about costswill be happy to learn that providing adop-tion benefits is not expensive. On average, lessthan half of one percent of employees willuse the benefits during a year. It costs littleto provide this family-friendly benefit.

The National Adoption Center sells boththe Employer’s Guide to Adoption Benefits and anemployee’s guide titled Advocating for AdoptionBenefits. To learn more about adoption ben-efits, or have an information package sentto your employer, contact: Mady Prowler,Adoption Benefits Coordinator, NationalAdoption Center, 1500 Walnut Street, Suite701, Philadelphia, PA 19102; 800-862-3678or 215-735-9988; www.adopt.org.

Adapted from “Adoption and the Workplace”by the National Adoption Center.

North American Council on Adoptable Children � 35

Involving Businesses• Bring a dozen buttons with an adoption-related message to a hard-

ware store or pizzeria. Ask the owner to let employees wear the but-tons on their uniforms during Adoption Month.

• If your family has a special place (restaurant, bakery, hotel, or enter-tainment venue) that is a part of your adoption celebrations, write tothat business and send a family photo, thanking them for their role inyour lives. Businesses often post letters where others will see them.

• Ask an arts and crafts store to host an adoption art contest or to offerscrapbook items for use in lifebooks at a reduced cost.

• Approach a photocopy shop about reproducing your newsletter or anadoption information flyer (and perhaps helping with the graphicdesign) at reduced rates.

• Talk with the owners of a neighborhood family fun spot (bowling alley,movie theater, skating rink, etc.) about reducing or waiving admissionfor foster and adoptive families on a particular day in November.

Quick & Easy�

36 � National Adoption Awareness Month Guide

Model Adoption Benefits PolicyPPoolliiccyyTo offer assistance to all employees who are building families, [[nnaammee ooff ccoommppaannyy]] has developed a policy to provide eli-gible employees with adoption benefits, including financial reimbursement, adoption leave of absences, and resource andreferral services.

EElliiggiibbiilliittyyEffective [[ddaattee]], all full-time and part-time employees are eligible for adoption benefits immediately upon hire. If anemployee and his or her spouse or partner both work at [[nnaammee ooff ccoommppaannyy]], only one employee can use the benefit.

To be considered for this benefit adopted children must be under 18. They may be biologically related to either parent,which is known as a kinship adoption. [[YYoouu wwiillll nneeeedd ttoo ddeetteerrmmiinnee aa ppoolliiccyy oonn sstteeppcchhiilldd aaddooppttiioonnss..]]

FFiinnaanncciiaall RReeiimmbbuurrsseemmeennttEligible adoption-related expenses will be reimbursed to a maximum of [rraannggee iiss $$22,,000000 ttoo $$1100,,000000]] per child. Mostexpenses related to the adoption are reimbursable. These include:• Agency and placement fees • Temporary foster care costs • Legal, court, and immigration costs • Transportation and lodging• Birth mother’s medical expenses • Child’s medical expenses not covered by insurance• Immunization and translation fees

PPrroocceedduurree ffoorr RReeiimmbbuurrsseemmeennttUpon placement of the adopted child, employees should obtain an Adoption Assistance Claim Form from the HumanResources department. Itemized receipts for expenses are required for documentation.

TTaaxxaattiioonn ooff BBeenneeffiittssReimbursements from employers for adoption expenses may be excluded from an employee’s federal taxable income. Ifthe employee’s modified adjusted gross household income is $190,000 or less, he or she is eligible for an income taxexclusion of up to $10,000 for qualifying expenses (beginning in tax year 2002). These expenses include reasonable andnecessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, and other related expenses. Beginning in 2003, special needs adopterswill not be required to document their expenses in order to claim the tax exclusion. Those with a modified adjusted grosshousehold income of more than $190,000 are ineligible for the tax exclusion. An employee can consult the IRS at 1-800-TAX-FORM or his or her tax preparer for more information on individual tax returns.

AAddooppttiioonn LLeeaavvee ooff AAbbsseenncceeAn employee who is the primary caregiver is eligible for up to [[nnuummbbeerr ooff wweeeekkss]] of [[ppaaiidd oorr uunnppaaiidd]] leave. This time maybe used both before and after adoption and will be applied to leave allowed under the Family Medical Leave Act [[rreeffeerr ttooFFaammiillyy MMeeddiiccaall LLeeaavvee ppoolliiccyy]]. During Family Medical Leave, employees will continue to receive regular benefits that arerelated to date of hire.

Employees are requested to provide their manager with as much advance information on their need for time off as possi-ble. This will prevent unplanned interruptions in work while allowing employees to take necessary leave.

AAddooppttiioonn RReessoouurrccee aanndd RReeffeerrrraall SSeerrvviicceessAll employees are eligible to use the [[eemmppllooyyeeee aassssiissttaannccee vveennddoorr oorr rreessoouurrccee aanndd rreeffeerrrraall sseerrvviiccee]] for adoption informa-tion. Consultants with adoption expertise will be available to provide specific adoption information and materials, com-munity resources, and referrals to adoption agencies.

CCoooorrddiinnaattiioonn wwiitthh OOtthheerr BBeenneeffiittssUpon placement, you may add your child to your medical and group life insurance policies. In addition, qualified employ-ees may enroll in the Dependent Care Assistance Plan. Any additions to your benefits plan must occur within 30 days ofplacement. You will need completed change forms and a copy of the adoption agreement in order to enroll.

Adapted from “Employer’s Guide to Adoption Benefits” by the National Adoption Center.

Take & UseAwareness

NA T I O N A L

CO N F E R E N C E

ofSTATE

LEGISLATURES

LEADERSHIP AND CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMSTHE ROLE OF STATE LEGISLATORS

October 2008

Many of our key initiatives as a nation have involved confronting challenges that put children at risk. The abolition of child labor, the guarantee of education for children with special needs, and the establishment of the juvenile justice system, for example, were a national recognition that to

protect children is to invest in the future. Today, one of the areas of greatest challenge is strengthening and stabilizing services to a population that may be at more risk than any other: children served by state child welfare systems.

State legislators have critical roles to play in supporting greater stability for child welfare agency leadership and determining the policy priorities for state child welfare systems. Legislators support stable leadership when they engage with agency leaders in child welfare system reform efforts, foster a collaborative environment for moving toward reform and hold leaders accountable for achieving system reform goals. They set policy priorities by crafting legislative initiatives, providing oversight and making funding decisions through the budget process. Legislators also are an important channel through which child welfare agency administrators hear from constituents about their priorities, concerns and areas of satisfaction regarding the child welfare system. Legislative involvement in child welfare is as important now as ever, given the costs that states incur when children are not well served.

This report discusses those costs, the importance of the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) as a tool for legislators in assessing child welfare system performance, and the role of legislator-agency collaboration in bringing about system improvement through the CFSR process.

Facing the Costs of Abuse and Neglect

Though legislators are responsible for setting the vision and policy agenda across state government, there is perhaps no area in which legislative engagement and oversight are more critical than in child welfare. State child welfare systems are a relatively small part of state governments, but their importance is disproportionate to their size because of the lasting human toll of child abuse and neglect. A 2008 summary of the most current research on the effects of abuse and neglect, prepared by the Child Welfare Information Gateway,1 makes those clear:

Abused and neglected children are at least 25 percent more likely to experience problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy, low academic achievement, drug use and mental health problems.2

According to a National Institute of Justice study, abused and neglected children were 11 times more likely to be arrested for criminal behavior as a juvenile, 2.7 times more likely to be arrested for violent and criminal behavior as an adult and 3.1 times more likely to be arrested for one of many forms of violent crime (juvenile or adult).3

Abused and neglected children are more likely to smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol or take illicit drugs during their lifetimes.4 According to a report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as many as two-thirds of people in drug treatment programs reported being abused as children.5

2 LEADERSHIP AND CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF STATE LEGISLATORS

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Child and Family Services Reviews at a Glance

Congressionally authorized review of state child welfare systems.

The first round of on-site reviews was conducted from 2000 to 2004, and the second round runs from 2007–2010; administered by the Central and Regional Offices of the Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

States conduct their own Statewide Assessment with support from the federal government and submit it to the Children’s Bureau 60 days before the on-site review.

Federal and state teams conduct an on-site review of three sites in the state. The teams examine outcomes for a sample of children and families served by the state child welfare agency, including interviewing both children and families engaged in services, and community stakeholders such as court personnel, community agencies, foster families and caseworkers.

States prepare a Program Improvement Plan to develop or enhance policies, training and practice identified as needing improvement.

Federal funds are withheld if a state does not successfully complete its Program Improvement Plan.

Child Welfare Outcomes Assessed by the Reviews

Safety: Children are protected from abuse and neglect and are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate.

Permanency: Children have permanency and stability in their living situations and continuity in their family relationships and connections.

Child and family well-being: Families are better able to provide for their children’s needs, and children are provided services that meet their educational, physical health and mental health needs.

How Performance Is Assessed Through the Reviews

Statewide safety and permanency data indicators are compared with national standards.

Qualitative information on state performance is collected through reviews of actual case records and interviews with children, families and others in regard to safety, permanency and well-being outcomes.

State performance is evaluated with regard to how well critical components of the child welfare system function (“systemic factors,” such as the agency’s responsiveness to the community and the training of child welfare staff ).

More information about the reviews is available at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/index.htm#cfsr.

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Children placed outside their homes because of abuse and neglect have lower cognitive capacity, language development and academic achievement.6

Children who experience rejection or neglect are more likely to develop antisocial traits as they grow up; borderline personality disorders and violent behavior are both associated with having been neglected as a child.7

Children who are abused are more likely to become abusive parents themselves; it is estimated that approximately one-third of abused and neglected children will eventually victimize their own children.8

Clearly, abuse and neglect have permanent and damaging effects on children’s well-being and prospects for success. But beyond limiting children’s chances in life, shortcomings in state child welfare systems have broader economic consequences for state governments, including increased governmental outlays, legal jeopardy and financial penalties.

Governmental ExpendituresThe effects of child abuse and neglect noted above result in enormous direct and indirect costs to society. Direct costs include the cost of the child welfare system itself and increased expenditures by the judicial, law enforcement, health and mental health systems.9 A 2001 report by Prevent Child Abuse America estimates these costs at $24 billion per year nationally.10

Indirect costs, the longer term economic consequences of child abuse and neglect, include those associated with juvenile and adult criminal activity, mental illness, substance abuse and domestic violence; loss of productivity due to unemployment and underemployment; the cost of special education services; and increased use of the health care system.11 Prevent Child Abuse America estimated these costs in 2001 at more than $69 billion per year.12

Class Action LawsuitsA Child Welfare League of America study published in October 2005 identified child welfare class action lawsuits filed in 32 states between 1995 and 2005.13 In 30 of the 32 states, child welfare agencies agreed to settle the lawsuits by agreeing to specific terms approved by the courts. At the time the report was published, there were active settlement agreements (or consent decrees) in 21 states; agreements had ended in 11 states.

Once having entered into a settlement agreement, the state is bound by the terms of that agreement for as long as the court deems necessary. The length of time that states are actively engaged in consent decrees depends on the state’s response to the reforms required in the agreement.

Not only are these lawsuits expensive and time-consuming, but they take the control of the child welfare system out of the hands of the state child welfare agency and legislature and tie systemic change and reform to court-approved benchmarks. This approach to reform may limit broader reform efforts or systemic reforms deemed necessary by the state.

Financial PenaltiesThe CFSRs are federal reviews of state child welfare systems. These reviews are designed to be a collaborative effort between state and federal governments to assess the quality of services and supports provided to children and families through state

Other Penalties

Child welfare penalties are designed to ensure confor-mance with federal law for the portion of state child welfare systems funded with federal resources. Other possible child welfare financial penalties include those related to the following:

IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews (for more information, see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/laws_policies/policy/im/2001/im0111a1_2007.pdf )

Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 and Interethnic Adoption Provisions of 1996 (for more informa-tion, see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/mepa94/mepachp2.htm)

Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Report-ing System (AFCARS) (for more information, see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/j2ee/programs/cb/laws_pol-icies/laws/cwpm/updates_delete.jsp)

4 LEADERSHIP AND CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF STATE LEGISLATORS

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child welfare systems. The reviews identify strengths and areas needing improvement in state programs and systems, focusing on outcomes for children and families in the areas of safety, permanency and child and family well-being. Following a review, states develop and implement Program Improvement Plans (PIPs), as needed. The Children’s Bureau; Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF); Administration for Children and Families (ACF); U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), administers the reviews.14

Federal funds are withheld based on the number of CFSR outcomes and systemic factors for which a state does not achieve substantial conformity (see the box “Child and Family Services Reviews at a Glance”). These penalties are suspended while a state is implementing the PIP to address the systemic and practice issues associated with not meeting substantial conformity. However, if the Children’s Bureau determines that a state failed to submit status reports, or that a State is not making satisfactory progress toward achieving the PIP goals and action steps in a timely manner, then the suspension of penalties ceases and withholding of funds begins (45 Code of Federal Regulations §§1355.36[e][2][i] and [ii]).15 When a state completes all requirements of the PIP related to an outcome or systemic factor, associated penalties are rescinded.

The first round of CFSRs was completed in 2004, and all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico were required to enter into PIPs. (The second round of reviews is taking place from 2007 through 2010.) To date, the CB has determined that certain states did not successfully complete their round-1 PIPs. As a result, federal funds have been repaid to the federal government by these states in connection with the CFSR process. All 32 States reviewed so far in round 2 of the CFSRs have been assessed penalties for not achieving substantial conformity with national standards; those penalties are on hold while states develop and implement PIPs to address areas of nonconformity.

Assessing Movement Toward Reform Through the CFSRs

Because of these human and financial costs, many legislators view child welfare reform as an urgent human and fiscal priority. The return on investments in the child welfare system (including investments of time, attention and resources) is measured in both a reduction in the costs noted above and, conversely, an increase in positive contributions by healthy citizens (employment, payment of taxes, civic engage ment and others).

To bring about systemic reform, state agencies need the involvement and leadership of State legislators. Many legislators are seeking objective assessments of the performance of their state child welfare systems so that they can provide proper oversight. They are working with child welfare agencies to establish long-term, systemwide goals that provide the institutional stability that child welfare systems need to weather the short-term crises that otherwise might lead to ill-advised stop-gap measures. And they are determining how best to allocate scarce resources to have the greatest effect on child outcomes.

In working with state child welfare agencies to bring about reform, legislators can help ensure accountability for results, consistency of focus and the resources needed to fund reform initiatives. To carry out that leadership role, it is critical that they have the best information available. Rather than relying only on media reports, anecdotal evidence or input from constituents, many legislators are aware of the range of resources available for understanding overall child welfare system performance. Some tools—such as state audits, reports from appointed child welfare ombudspersons and investigations by legislative task forces—cannot always provide a holistic view of child welfare systems. For that reason, the CFSRs are a particularly important resource because they offer a broad overview of how state child welfare systems are functioning. Equally important, the CFSRs are conducted in partnership with the state child welfare agency and other key state stakeholders.

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The CFSRs are designed to offer an objective assessment of state systems, providing information on the key areas on which states need to focus to improve services to children and families. Several characteristics of the reviews make them important resources for legislators in overseeing child welfare policy and practice:

National benchmarks: The reviews offer a set of national standards against which agency performance is assessed.

A framework for reform: The state is required to develop a PIP to improve conditions for children and families served by its child welfare system. The state must address in its PIP the outcomes, systemic factors, and national standards found to be in nonconformity during the on-site review.

Information on the state’s progress in improving conditions for children and families: The state is required to measure and report quarterly on its progress in achieving the goals outlined in its PIP, which must be completed within two years of the plan’s approval. This ensures that states focus on achieving improved child and family outcomes, not simply on enhancing policies or procedures.

Emphasis on both results and process: The reviews provide information about both outcomes for children and families and the underlying systemic factors that affect those outcomes.

In fact, the seven CFSR systemic factors provide a framework for understanding the “infrastructure” that is needed to improve outcomes for children and families in the long term. Strengthening those underlying systemic factors is key to changing how states do business with respect to children and families. The CFSRs assess how well these systemic factors are working in each state16:

Statewide information system: Assesses whether the state is operating a statewide information system that can identify key data on each child who is currently in or has recently left the foster care system.

Case review system: Examines the state’s process for ensuring that each child has a written case plan, that the status of each child served is reviewed regularly, that permanency hearings happen in the required time frames, that the state has a process for terminating parental rights and that foster parents, pre-adoptive parents and relative caregivers are allowed to participate in hearings held about the child.

Quality assurance system: Assesses whether the state has implemented standards for ensuring the provision of quality child welfare services and has an identifiable quality assurance system for evaluating and reporting on the quality of those services.

Staff and provider training: Checks whether the state has a staff development and training program that ensures both initial training of new staff and ongoing training for experienced staff, and a program for training foster parents, adoptive parents and staff of state-licensed or -approved facilities providing foster care.

Service array and resource development: Looks at whether the state has in place an adequate array of individualized services, throughout the state, for assessing the strengths and needs of children and families and then addressing areas of need. These services should be designed to enable children to remain safely with their parents when possible or to achieve permanency if they are in foster care or pre-adoptive placements.

Agency responsiveness to the community: Checks whether the agency consults with key stakeholders and includes their concerns in its ongoing planning and whether it coordinates its services with those of other federal programs that serve the same population of children and families.

6 LEADERSHIP AND CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF STATE LEGISLATORS

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Questions About the Child and Family Services Review Process

Throughout the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process, state legislators can engage with agency leaders regarding review results and the steps required to achieve key goals of the state’s Program Improvement Plan (PIP). Legislators can use the following questions, for example, to engage with agency leaders about the overall review process and each review stage:

Status of the CFSR

– At what point is the state in the CFSR cycle?

– What type of legislative support does the agency need during the current phase of the CFSR or PIP process?

– How might legislators get involved in the CFSR or PIP at this stage?

– With whom should I/my office/other lawmakers coordinate regarding our involvement?

Statewide Assessment

– What did the state learn through its last Statewide Assessment and PIP? How do those findings compare with the findings of the current Statewide Assessment?

– How is the agency making information about the Statewide Assessment available to agency staff, stakeholders, the media and the public?

– How is the agency using the Statewide Assessment to engage others in child welfare reform efforts?

Onsite Review/Exit Conference

– Which community and professional stakeholders will the agency invite to participate in the onsite review, either by serving as state review team members or by providing input about the state child welfare system?

– Would legislative involvement in the statewide exit conference be useful?

– How can legislators best work with state child welfare staff after attending an onsite review exit conference?

Final Report

– What were the most important findings of the report? If the report is not yet available, what were key preliminary findings?

– What are the agency’s plans for sharing the review findings, if these are available?

PIP

– What type of legislative support does the agency need during the PIP process?

– How might the agency periodically update legislators on its PIP progress and the type of legislative support needed?

– How might legislators get involved in the PIP process?

– What happens if the state is not successful in achieving the necessary improvements?

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Foster and adoptive parent licensing, recruitment and retention: Assesses whether the state has implemented accepted national standards for foster homes and child care institutions, complies with federal requirements for criminal background clearances for these placement options, has a process for recruiting potential foster and adoptive families who reflect the state’s ethnic and racial diversity and has a process in place for using cross-jurisdictional resources that facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for waiting children.

By providing oversight and support to the child welfare agency in strengthening these systemic factors through the state’s PIP, legislators can help to improve the long-term CFSR outcomes for which the agency is responsible (see the box “Child and Family Services Reviews at a Glance”). The focus on building long-term capacity may help stabilize child welfare agencies in a variety of ways, including promoting continuity in agency leadership. In turn, stable leadership helps to further ensure that there is a consistent agenda for state reform efforts over time.

Moving Toward Child Welfare Reform Through Legislature-Agency Engagement

In assessing a state’s progress in its reform efforts, legislators can use the CFSRs to work closely with state child welfare agencies in addressing critical areas of need. To date, most states have gone through two rounds of CFSRs. As a result, today state agencies are more prepared than ever to work with legislators in using the review results to bring about positive change. The following are a few ways that legislators can become involved with the CFSR process.

Work with the child welfare agency to develop systems for staying apprised of the status of the CFSR and PIP. Legislators, for example, can ask for regular briefings on the initial findings of the CFSR during the Statewide Assessment and following the CFSR on-site review.

Access the latest data on the CFSRs at the CFSR website, available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/index.htm#cfsr (scroll down to “Reports and Results of the First and Second Rounds of the Child and Family Services Reviews”).

Coordinate with the child welfare agency about the possibility of attending the statewide exit conference, which is held at the conclusion of the CFSR on-site review. At the exit conference, the review team leader provides an overview of the preliminary review findings, discusses next steps in the review process and raises and clarifies review-related issues.

Participate in developing the PIP. As noted earlier, after each state’s review, the state conducts program improvement planning in consultation with a broad array of stakeholders, who can include legislators or legislative staff.

Request updates from the state child welfare agency administrator on state progress in making improvements through the PIP. Once the agency has completed its PIP, legislators might ask for a summary of the PIP and updates on PIP progress. While state agencies handle PIP reporting in different ways, one option is to use the ready-made summary format for sharing PIP information available on the Children’s Bureau website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/index.htm#cfsr (scroll down to “Engaging State Legislators in the Federal Child and Family Services Reviews: An Information-Sharing Tool for Child Welfare Agency Administrators”).

Staying Informed About the Child and Family Services Reviews

Some state legislatures have used the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process as the basis of their ongoing reporting on and monitoring of child welfare system performance. In 2007, for example, the Michigan legislature passed a statute requiring the state child welfare agency to report on the progress of the CFSRs on January 1 and July 1 each year to the relevant legislative committees and the state budget director. In 2001, the California legislature enacted the Child Welfare System Improvement and Accountability Act, which redefined how the state Department of Social Services holds the 58 county child welfare agencies accountable for results and performance. The system established through the act resembles the CFSRs in many ways.

8 LEADERSHIP AND CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF STATE LEGISLATORS

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Focusing on the Long-Term Through Legislative Leadership

In engaging with agencies about the CFSRs to promote child welfare reform, a key role of legislators is to foster continuity in state child welfare systems over time. During periods of transition, legislative engagement can ensure that the goals and strategies of long-term state reform efforts are maintained. When a child dies, legislative engagement helps to ensure the maintenance of a long-term focus on real child welfare reform rather than on short-term solutions, sometimes driven by emotional responses, that do not contribute to overall system change. By supporting a consistent focus on systems change, legislators can help to bring greater stability to agency leadership, while requiring accountability for improving outcomes for children and families.

This publication was produced for the Children’s Bureau by the National Conference of State Legislatures under subcontract to JBS International, Inc., which manages the provision of technical assistance to state legislators through the Child Welfare Reviews Project, contract no. GS-10F-0285K, delivery order no. 67970, from the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Notes

1. Child Welfare Information Gateway, Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect (factsheet, available at www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.cfm#societ, 2008). 2. B.T. Kelley, T.P. Thornberry, and C.A. Smith, In the Wake of Childhood Maltreatment (Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice, 1997); www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/165257.pdf. 3. D.J. English, C.S. Widom, and C. Brandford, “Another look at the effects of child abuse," NIJ Journal 251 (2009): 23–24. 4. S.R. Dube et al., “Childhood abuse, household dysfunction and the risk of attempted suicide throughout the life span: Findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study,” Journal of the American Medical Association 286, (2001): 3089–3096. 5. N. Swan, “Exploring the role of child abuse on later drug abuse: Researchers face broad gaps in information,” NIDA Notes 13, no. 2 (1998); www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_Notes/NNVol13N2/exploring.html. 6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being: One Year in Foster Care Wave 1 Data Analysis Report, 2003 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003); www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/nscaw/reports/nscaw_oyfc/oyfc_title.html. 7. A.N. Schore, “Early relational trauma, disorganized attachment, and the development of a predisposition to violence,” in M. F. Solomon and D. J. Siegel (eds.), Healing Trauma: Attachment, Mind, Body, and Brain (New York, N.Y.: Norton, 2003). 8. Prevent Child Abuse New York, The Costs of Child Abuse and the Urgent Need for Prevention (Albany, N.Y.: Prevent Child Abuse New York, 2003); http://pca-ny.org/pdf/cancost.pdf. 9. Child Welfare Information Gateway, Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect. 10. Prevent Child Abuse America, Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States (Chicago: Prevent Child Abuse America, 2001); http://member.preventchildabuse.org/site/DocServer/cost_analysis.pdf?docID=144. 11. Child Welfare Information Gateway, Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect. 12. Prevent Child Abuse America, Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States. 13. Child Welfare League of America, Child Welfare Consent Decrees: Analysis of Thirty-Five Court Actions from 1995 to 2005 (Washington, D.C.: Child Welfare League of America, 2005); www.cwla.org/advocacy/consentdecrees.pdf. 14. Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child and Family Services Reviews Procedures Manual (Washington, D.C.: Children’s Bureau, 2006), 1; www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/tools_guide/proce_manual.htm. 15. Ibid, 109. 16. Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child and Family Services Reviews Summary of Findings Form (Washington, D.C.: Children’s Bureau, 2007), 17 ff.; www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/tools_guide/sumfinding.htm.

© 2009 by the National Conference of State Legislatures. All rights reserved.ISBN 978-1-58024-577-7

National Conference of State LegislaturesWilliam T. Pound, Executive Director

7700 East First PlaceDenver, Colorado 80230

(303) 364-7700

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(202) 624-5400www.ncsl.org