Press Release - FIRST-EVER GRANTS TO PROMOTE ADOPTION AWARENESS

Grants to Promote Adoption Awareness.

Announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

October 15, 2001

For Immediate Release

Contact:ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215

HHS AWARDS FIRST-EVER GRANTS TO PROMOTE ADOPTION AWARENESS

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced the release of $8.6 million in grants to start a new program to raise awareness about adoption as anoption for pregnant women.

The four grant recipients will train health care workers at federally funded health centers and clinics to provide pregnant women with information about adoption, as well as other options, when providing counseling and other services.

"Women should know that adoption often makes sense both for themselves and for their unborn children," Secretary Thompson said. "These grants are animportant step in making sure that every pregnant woman who is considering her alternatives understands the benefits of adoption."

Congress authorized the new training program as part of the Infant Adoption Awareness Act included in the Children's Health Act of 2000. The lawrequires HHS to develop and implement programs to train staff at federally funded health centers and clinics to provide adoption information andreferral to pregnant women on an equal basis with other alternatives presented to the women.

HHS has developed a set of best-practice guidelines for the grantees to follow when providing this training. These guidelines were developed inconsultation with 29 experts in the fields of adoption, child welfare, health services and counseling.

"These grants are an important step in making sure that every pregnant woman who is considering her alternatives understands the benefits of adoption,"HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., said. "Potential adoptive parents are waiting to welcome children into theirhomes, and all children deserve a chance to flourish in a loving, permanent family. This program will bring us closer to helping both parents and children."

The National Council for Adoption, based in Washington, D.C., received $6.1 million to implement a national training program. The other grantees will develop state and regional training programs. The grants will be jointly administered by two HHS agencies, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The recipients of the awards, the scope of their projects and the funding levels follow:

National Council for Adoption Washington, D.C. National in scope	$6,112,916
Spaulding for Children Southfield, Mich. Statewide in scope, with a national dissemination plan	$1,368,166
Harmony Adoptions of Tennessee Maryville, Tenn. Regional in scope	$626,430
Arizona Children's Association Tucson, Ariz. Statewide in scope	$515,116

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

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