Great Article on Military Family Adoption

Originally Posted By BrendaMilitary Families------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------InsideObstacles Facing Military Families Breaking Down the Barriers to Adoption Pluses of Military Families What About All That Moving? What if a Family Is Transferred Overseas? Sally Anne Bowen is in the middle of packing for her family. She is used to this routine. Her husband Kevin, an Air Force major and squadron commander in North Carolina, is being transferred. Like most military families, they have moved before. This time they are moving a few more pounds than usual--the Bowens' adopted son, 3-year-old Bradley.This is the second time the Bowens are moving with an addition to their family through adoption. When they were stationed in Arizona, they adopted a toddler named Ashley, now 6. Major Bowen also adopted Mrs. Bowen's daughter Layla at that time. "We're not through yet," says Mrs. Bowen. They are hoping to add yet another child to their family. The Bowens are registered with the National Adoption Exchange in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are waiting to be matched with one of the 100,000 children across the country who needs a permanent home.Harold and Ernestine Davis, who are stationed at an Army base in Germany, have not been as fortunate. After consulting infertility specialists for years, they decided to pursue adoption as a way to build their family. They have been trying to adopt for 6 years. During that time they have faced a problem experienced by many military familiesfinding an agency that is willing to work with them knowing how often many military families move. The Davises are never stateside longer than 24 months at a time. Unfortunately, they have been stationed in States that have long residency requirements in order to complete an adoption and strict rules about both prospective parents attending orientation and training meetings. "We've tried to explain to the agencies that my husband can't just call and say he can't come to work," says Mrs. Davis. "I don't think they understand that we have to live by different rules than the civilian world."According to Jodi Nyalko of the National Military Family Association in Alexandria, Virginia, many military families find themselves in the same situation as the Davises, rather than the Bowens. Through her work and as an adoptive mother and a military spouse, she has seen many families desperately wanting to adopt but unable to find an agency willing to work with them. As a result, a valuable resource of families willing and wanting to adopt is not being tapped.But the environment is changing. As the number of waiting children continues to grow, some social workers are beginning to reexamine their beliefs and to look for ways to accommodate military families.[back to top]Obstacles Facing Military FamiliesAdoption has never been easy for those in the military. Traditionally, only the most persistent and resourceful families have been able to adopt. Because many military families move often, most agencies have been reluctant to begin the adoption process with anyone in the service. Likewise, knowledge of social workers' attitudes and agency policy has kept military families from applying to adopt."The issue of relocation is one of the major problems our families have faced when they are considering adoption," confirms Al Smith, Deputy Director of the Family Service Center at the Naval Development Station in South Weymouth, Massachusetts. Smith stresses that although the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) allows a child from one State to be adopted by a family who moves to another State, some agencies are still uneasy about placing a child who will move across State lines. ICPC is an informal agreement between certain States--one that an individual agency may or may not choose to implement. "Strong advocacy has to come from the families," says Smith. "They have to prove that their new agency in California is just as thorough and stringent in its homestudy and follow up processes as their original agency in Massachusetts."[back to top]Breaking Down the Barriers to AdoptionUntil recently, military families have been hindered by adoption agency rules and stringent criteria that they are not able to meet, such as lengthy residency requirements, mandatory meetings that conflict with work schedules, and home ownership. Realizing the negative effects these rules have created, a few agencies have changed their procedures in order to encourage the adoption of children with special needs by families in the military.With the support of a federal grant, Welcome House, an adoption agency based in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, sponsors information nights on military bases in the Delaware Valley to talk about adoption, and more specifically, to describe the types of children who are waiting to be adopted. They have instituted a 6-week homestudy program for military families that accommodates the families' schedules and takes place on the military base, making it convenient for families who live in or around the area to attend. Other innovative federally supported projects have been started by adoption agencies in Virginia, Arizona, Alaska, Tennessee and Washington, DC, to break down the barriers that military families face when wanting to adopt. These agencies see military families as a neglected resource with many of the attributes of successful adoptive families.[back to top]Pluses of Military FamiliesAgencies that work with military families find in them many of the positive attributes they are looking for in adoptive families. Among these are ethnic diversity, access to adoption benefits, and availability of medical resources.Ethnic DiversityMilitary families are prime resources for the large number of waiting children who come from minority cultures. Forty percent of military families are families of color; three-fourths of these are African-American. Military bases and civilian neighborhoods where military personnel live tend to be ethnically diverse, providing ideal settings for the many children of color waiting for permanent families.The Bowens, whose son is biracial, are especially thankful for this aspect of military life. "Military communities are so accepting of different cultures," explains Mrs. Bowen. "I never realized how accepting until recently. We've begun looking for a new home since my husband will retire soon. We've noticed that some communities are not as welcoming as the military community. We have to be very careful to make sure that in the community we ultimately select, Bradley will not be the only child of African-American heritage at the school or in the neighborhood."Access to Adoption BenefitsMilitary families are entitled to adoption benefits of up to $2,000 a year for reasonable and necessary expenses associated with adoptions finalized after October 1, 1990, whether they are infant adoptions, intercountry adoptions, or adoptions of children with special needs. The benefits cover the following: Public and private adoption fees charged by an agency in a foreign country; Placement fees, including fees charged to adoptive families for counseling; Legal fees, including court costs, in connection with services that are unavailable to military personnel through their legal assistance office; Medical and hospital expenses of a newborn; and Medical expenses incurred by a birthmother. Benefits are paid after an adoption is finalized, and apply to both singles and couples. Currently these benefits do not cover travel costs, either foreign or domestic, nor in some cases do they cover medical expenses for the child after placement in the home and before the adoption is finalized. However, there are legislative efforts underway to get this changed, if not in fiscal year 94, then hopefully in fiscal year 95.Availability of Medical ResourcesMilitary personnel and their families are eligible for free care at any military medical facility. If treatment is not available through a military hospital, the patient is referred to a civilian hospital. The cost at a civilian hospital is covered under CHAMPUS, a health insurance program that, like many civilian plans, requires a copayment. But, unlike other medical insurance carriers, the military does not have a waiting period for preexisting conditions, a barrier that frequently prevents civilian adoptive families from adopting children with special medical needs.There is a special option that military parents can exercise so that their adopted child can receive medical benefits during the period before an adoption is finalized. They can apply to the Secretary of their branch of the service for the child to be a "Secretary designee." They should inquire about this process with their commanding officer. Also, if they are adopting a child with special needs, just because they are in the military it does not mean they should turn down any benefits that may already come with the child, such as eligibility for medical services under Medicaid.[back to top]What About All That Moving?The Bowens have moved 4 times in their 12-year marriage. The Davises have moved 8 times in 16 years. They, like all military families, accept this as part of their job. They try to accentuate the positive impact of moving."I was an Air Force `brat'," says SallyAnne Bowen. "During my childhood, we moved back and forth between the United States and Europe every 3 years. When you move so often, you realize that you can't waste time being shy or stand-offish. You soon realize, since most of the other kids in school are also military brats, that if you want to have any friends, you need to accept everyone regardless of their race, sex, or religion. As an adult I've found that the same is true of spouses. Now, if we could only get the rest of the world to be so understanding."Master Sergeant Bob Cornyn and his wife, Linda, who have adopted many children with special needs, also believe that the mobility of military families should not be seen as a disadvantage when raising children. "We've lived in France, Germany, Belgium, and Korea," says Cornyn, "and in the States we've lived in Georgia, Massachusetts, and Washington. Our children are more aware of the diversity of cultures both in the United States and overseas than children who stay in one town throughout their childhood."[back to top]What if a Family Is Transferred Overseas?For many adoption agencies, it's the overseas issue that perplexes them. Most agencies are unsure of what to do when a family contacts them from overseas or is transferred overseas while in the process of adopting. Adoption agencies need to be aware that families living on military installations can adopt children from the United States through the ICPC because U.S. military bases are considered U.S. soil. Therefore, these are not international adoptions; they are interstate adoptions."There's a misconception about military families adopting while overseas," says MariAnne Clarke, Deputy Executive Director of the National Adoption Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Many people don't realize that it's really as easy as any other adoption between States." The Interstate Compact is completed between the State where the child resides and an agency in the State of legal residency for the prospective parents.Agencies can also train military personnel to complete homestudies for families. "We've trained base social workers and clergy in the past," says Clarke. "They have proved to be very thorough. They can also supervise the family from the time the child arrives until the adoption is finalized."There are some agencies that have bureaus abroad to help Americans who are waiting for an adoption to be finalized when their transfer comes through. The Pearl S. Buck Foundation in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, has worked with military families in Asia for years. It has bureaus in countries with large U.S. military populations, such as Japan, Korea, and Guam. These branches employ qualified social workers who have developed a working relationship with the military personnel stationed in these countries. The foundation is now using its experience to help families who are stationed throughout Europe and want to adopt.Agencies that do not have such resources abroad can call on the services of International Social Service, American Branch (ISS/AB) in New York City. ISS/AB is an international network of professional social work agencies working in more than 13 countries, including Germany, France, and other countries where U.S. military personnel are often stationed. ISS/AB can help agencies monitor families who have been transferred before an adoption has been finalized. See the resource section at the end of this article for the address and telephone number of ISS/AB.There are a number of agencies that are very willing to place children with U.S. families living abroad. The resource section also provides the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of these agencies.Social workers who are concerned that a child with special needs may not receive necessary services if the adoptive family is sent to some remote part of the world need not worry. Smith explains that "the Navy has a policy that prevents personnel from being transferred to remote areas that cannot provide the support needed for children with special needs, including adopted children." Under the "Exceptional Family Member Program,"no member of the military can be transferred to a duty station where specialized medical care is not available for a family member who needs it.Smith also points out that transfers do not occur as often as in past years. The end of the Cold War has brought about changes in the priorities of the Department of Defense, allowing families to stay in one place longer. "One of the peace dividends that has paid off for military families is that they will now be able to comply with adoption agency residency requirements that have prevented them from adopting in the past," Smith says.ConclusionThere are nearly 100,000 children in the United States waiting to be adopted. More than 60 percent are African-American. Many have physical, mental, or emotional challenges or are brothers and sisters who want a home together. Agencies cannot afford to shun all military families, simply on the basis of their being in the military. Each family should be looked at individually. Many military families have demonstrated that they are excellent resources for waiting children.In fact, military families have attributes that make them especially desirable as adoptersח ethnic diversity, access to adoption benefits, and availability of medical resources. Although adoption agencies traditionally have been reluctant to work with military families because of their frequent moves, they are beginning to recognize that military families have advantages to offer children."We were skeptical when we first began to work with military families in Pennsylvania and New Jersey," says Kelli Harris, Program Coordinator of Welcome House. "But we have found that they have a good sense of community, and that the well-being of their families is a high priority. Military communities are racially and ethnically mixed, and there is a built-in support system.""Additionally, military families do not seem to be scared off by the 'special needs' label that many of our kids have," continues Harris. "Most of the families I have worked with are interested in adopting older children or sibling groups. Most have parenting experience and realize that the resources available to military families will allow them to accommodate a child with a disability."Smith echoes those thoughts. "Military families have as much viability as civilians when it comes to parenting adopted children. We just have to educate social workers about the positive aspects of families in the armed forces if we are to break the myths that follow us from base to base."PostscriptWhat happened to Ernestine and Harold Davis? Once they were armed with the correct information, they contacted an agency in Pennsylvania--their State of legal residency--and completed their paperwork. Soon, they flew to Pennsylvania to visit with a sibling group with whom they were matched. Recently, 3-year-old twins Brittany and Brandon moved to Germany with their new family. According to Mrs. Davis, "Everything went smoothly once the agencies found out how it was done."Written by Gloria Hochman and Anna Huston of the National Adoption Center for the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse, 1993BibliographyJones, Susan. "Savvy Navy Family Adopt 13--9 From CAP," Adoption Link. Rochester, NY: Children Awaiting Parents, Fall 1992, pp. 1-2.Vandenberg, Joy. "Adapting to Adopting," OFF DUTY (U.S. at-home edition). Costa Mesa, CA: Off Duty Enterprises, Sept-Oct 1992, pp. A12-A14.Adoption Professionals Experienced in Military AdoptionEllen W. CareyAdoption SpecialistU.S. Dept. of Health and Human ServicesChildren's Bureau330 C Street, SWWashington, DC 20201(202) 205-8652Kelli HarrisProgram CoordinatorWelcome House Social Services of the Pearl S. Buck FoundationPO Box 181Green Hills FarmPerkasie, PA 18944(215) 249-1516Stephanie HendersonProject CoordinatorPorter Leath Children's Center868 N. Manassas StreetMemphis, TN 38107(901) 577-2500International Social Service American Branch95 Madison AvenueNew York, NY 10016(212) 532-5858Melody JamesonProject DirectorFairbanks Counseling and AdoptionPO Box 71544Fairbanks, AK 99707(907) 456-4729Carolyn JohnsonExecutive DirectorNational Adoption Center1500 Walnut StreetSuite 701Philadelphia, PA 19102(215) 735-9988Dr. Hubert KellyProject DirectorRecruitment of Military FamiliesDC Department of Human ServicesRandall School, First and I Street, SWWashington, DC 20024(202) 727-5947Brenda Kerr, Program SpecialistJacquelyn Kidd,Program CoordinatorVirginia Dept. of Social Services730 E. Broad StreetRichmond, VA 23219-1849(804) 662-1291Joe Kroll, Executive DirectorNorth American Council on Adoptable Children970 Raymond AvenueSuite 106St. Paul, MN 55114-1149(651) 644-3036E-mail: nacac@aol.comWebsite:Marcie Velen, Project DirectorArizona Children's Home Association2700 S. Eighth AvenueTucson, AZ 85725(602) 622-7611Military Personnel with Knowledge of Adoption IssuesIris BullsFamily Programs ManagerOffice of the Asst. Sec. of DefenseForce Management & PersonnelOffice of Family Policy, Support and ServicesThe Pentagon 3A280Washington, DC 20301-4000(703) 697-7191Master Sergeant Bob CornynFort Lewis Army Base7807 50th St. EastPuyallup, WA 98371(206) 922-2751Sydney HickeyAssociate DirectorNational Military Family Association6000 Stevenson AvenueSuite 304Alexandria, VA 22304(703) 823-6632Col. James SchlieOffice of the Asst. Sec. of the Army Manpower and Reserve Affairs111 Army PentagonWashington, DC 20301-0111(703) 693-7618Al Smith, Deputy DirectorFamily Service CenterNaval Air StationSouth Weymouth, MA 02190(617) 786-2581/2983Agencies Able to Place Children with U.S. Citizens Living AbroadBe sure to find out the rules and regulations of your official U.S. State of residence (where you vote) and satisfy them.A.M.O.R.12 Grenoble CourtMatawan, NJ 07747(908) 583-0174NY: (718) 967-0262Adoption Advisory Council2448 Stuart StreetBrooklyn, NY 11229(718) 332-4163Adoption Alliance859 Stirrup LaneWarrington, PA 18976(215) 343-0758Adoptions UnlimitedPO Box 462Chino, CA 91708(714) 621-5819(619) 435-4114Aloha Adoption Services591 Industry DriveTukwila, WA 98188(800) 682-2678(206) 575-99001406 Hoa Koa Pl.Honolulu, HI 96821(800) 642-3678(808) 261-0630American Adoption Agency1228 M Street, NW Second FloorWashington, DC 20005(202) 638-1543Americans for African Adoptions8910 Timberwood DriveIndianapolis, IN 46234(317) 271-4567Associates in Adoption CounselingPO Box 15231Kansas City, MO 64106(816) 746-4279Bay Area Adoption Vices465 Fairchild DriveSuite 215Mountain View, CA 94043(415) 964-3800Cambridge Adoption and Counseling Associates, Inc.Mailing address: PO Box 190Cambridge, MA 02142Street address: 80 Mt. Auburn StreetWatertown, MA 02172(617) 923-0370Casa Del Mundo, Inc.44 Main StreetFlemington, NJ 08822(908) 782-9393Children's Home Society of Minnesota2230 Como AvenueSt. Paul, MN 55108(612) 646-6393China's ChildrenPO Box 700101Tulsa, OK 74170(918) 481-9822Christian World Adoption, Inc.270 W. Coleman BoulevardSuite 100Mount Pleasant, SC 29464(803) 856-0305Chrysalis House2134 W. Alluvial AvenueFresno, CA 93711(209) 432-7170Creative Adoptions, Inc.10711 SW 104th Miami, FL 33176(305) 596-2211Dillon International, Inc.7615 E. 63rd Place So.Tulsa, OK 74133(918) 250-1561Families For Children10 Bowling GreenPointe Claire, Quebec, Canada H9S 4W1(514) 697-7296Family Network, Inc.Main Office: 284 Foam StreetSuite 103Monterey, CA 93940(800) 888-0242Branch offices:Suite 10 Edwardsville Prof. Park Edwardsville, IL 620259378 Olive Street RoadRoom 320St. Louis, MO 63132(314) 567-0707811 CherryRoom 319Columbia, MO 65201(314) 449-3231Family Partners Worldwide1254 Piedmont Avenue, NEAtlanta, GA 30309(404) 872-6787 (404) 874-3280 for Latin AmericaFlorida Adoption and Children's Center11410 N. Kendall Drive Suite 306Miami, FL 33176(305) 274-2811Friday's Child580 Middletown BoulevardSuite 101DLanghorne, PA 19047(215) 752-8031Holy Cross Child Placement Agency, Inc.929 Olive StreetShreveport, LA 71104(318) 222-78925 Thomas Circle, NWWashington, DC 20005(202) 332-1367International Families 5 Thomas Circle, NWWashington, DC 20005(202) 667-5779Limiar2373 Brunswick LaneHudson, OH 44236(216) 653-8129Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan3200 W. Highland BoulevardMilwaukee, WI 53208(414) 342-7175(414) 342-2933New Families, Inc.15959 S.W. 172nd AvenueMiami, FL 33187(305) 887-1898New Hope Child and Family Agency2611 N.E. 125thSuite 146Seattle, WA 98125(206) 363-1800Option of Adoption504 E. Haines StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19111(215) 843-4343World Child-Frank Adoption and Assistance1400 Spring StreetSuite 410Silver Spring, MD 20910(301) 589-3271Rainbow House/Friends of Children of Various Nations19676 Highway 85Belen, NM 87002(505) 865-5500Small Miracles International, Inc.1380 S. Douglas Boulevard Suite 101 Midwest City, OK 73130(405) 732-7295550 S. OliverWichita, KS 67218(316) 686-7295Voice for International and Domestic Adoption (VIDA)354 Allen StreetHudson, NY 12534(518) 828-4527 or(518) 758-7300[back to top]This material may be reproduced and distributed without permission; however, appropriate citation must be given to the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.