FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, October 23, 2002
Contact: ACF Press Office (202) 401-9215

HHS AWARDS $4 MILLION TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADOPTION

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced about $4 million in awards to 13 organizations to help eliminate barriers to adoption for children with special needs. The awards are part of the Adoption Opportunities Program.

"These awards will help agencies find permanent and loving homes for some of our hardest-to-place children, those who are older or have special emotional or physical needs," Secretary Thompson said. "These children deserve the warmth and love of a real family, and will bring much joy to their adoptive parents."

This year's awards will support projects that increase adoption of minority children, provide services to families after they have adopted a child, and offer respite care for families who adopt special needs children.

"I am pleased that we are able to support these fine private and public organizations that are doing so much to match children with adoptive parents," said Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., assistant secretary for children and families. "They are making a great contribution to securing a better future for our children."

Today's awards are part of the Bush Administration's broader efforts to help children find adoptive homes. In July, President Bush launched a new Web site, http://www.adoptuskids.org, which features photographs and biographies of more than 6,500 children in foster care. Developed as a public-private partnership, the site is designed to raise public awareness, recruit adoptive families for waiting children and supply information and referral services to prospective adoptive families. In September, HHS' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced a $22 million, five-year cooperative agreement with the Adoption Exchange Association in Denver to run the Web site.

The awards may be renewed each year for three years under the program. ACF administers the Adoption Opportunities Program. A list of award recipients and first year funding amounts follows:

Developing Projects for Increasing Adoptive Placement of Minority Children

Loving Homes, Inc.	Denver, Colo.	$250,000
Adoptions Together, Inc.	Silver Spring, Md.	$300,000
Another Choice for Black Children, Inc.	Charlotte, N.C.	$300,000
DePelchin Children's Center	Houston, Texas	$220,000

Developing Projects For Post-Legal Adoption Services

Family Resources, Inc.	Davenport, Iowa	$154,450
Lutheran Social Services of Kansas and Oklahoma	Wichita, Kan.	$300,000
Center for Family Connections	Cambridge, Mass.	$267,185
Every Child, Inc.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	$299,928
Coordinators/2, Inc.	Richmond, Va.	$300,000
Easter Seals NH/VT, Inc.	Berlin, Vt.	$299,670

Developing Projects for Respite Care as a Service For Families who Adopt Children with Special Needs

Bienvenidos Family Services	Los Angeles, Calif.	$300,000
Family Support Services of the Bay Area	Oakland, Calif.	$300,000
Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services	Springfield, Ill.	$300,000
Office of Community Services	Baton Rouge, La.	$300,000

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