The bill HR 433, introduced by Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann on October 12, 2011, highlights the importance of supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day (November 19, 2011) and National Adoption Month (November). In addition to supporting National Adoption Month and Day, the bill’s purpose is also to recognize that every child in foster care deserves a permanent and loving family; and encourage the citizens of the United States to consider adoption of children in foster care who are waiting for a permanent, loving family.
To fulfill the bill’s purposes, the bill lists as its overall strategies the following:

  • Promoting national awareness of adoption and the children in foster care awaiting families;
  • Celebrating children and families involved in adoption;
  • Recognizing current programs and efforts designed to promote adoption; and
  • Encouraging people in the United States to seek improved safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.

The Senate’s version of this resolution is SR 302, which was introduced by Senator Mary Landrieu on October 20, 2011.
Did you know that….

  • There are approximately 423,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, and more than 114,000 of them are waiting for families to adopt them;
  • 56 percent of the children in foster care are age 10 or younger;
  • The average length of time a child spends in foster care is more than 2 years;
  • The number of youth who ‘age out’ of the foster care system has increased by more than 55 percent since 1999, with more than 27,000 foster youth ‘aging out’ of foster care during 2010; and
  • In 2010, adoptions were finalized for 4,800 children through National Adoption Day events in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

For more information about National Adoption Month, please visit the following websites:
http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/
http://adoptuskids.org/
http://www.mnadopt.org/
As a sidenote, CASCW is being honored by North American Council on Adoptable Children for our outstanding commitment to provide training programs for adoption to mental health and child welfare professionals. This is in response to the new Permanency & Adoption Competency Certificate program offered by CASCW. In addition, CASCW will be holding a press conference on Tuesday, November 1, to officially kick off both National Adoption Month and the PACC.
Share what your organizations are doing to recognize National Adoption Month by commenting below!