GOVERNOR CRIST ANNOUNCES NOVEMBER AS NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH
~~ ~Calls on Floridians to consider adopting teenagers from state foster care~ ~~
November 2, 2009
Contact:
GOVERNOR’S PRESS OFFICE
(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE – In recognition of National Adoption Month, Governor Charlie Crist today encouraged renewed focus on adopting teenagers from state foster care. Teenagers are one of the hardest-to-place groups of children in foster care. Last December, the Florida Department of Children and Families created the “Longest Waiting Teens” initiative to encourage the adoption of teenagers. The goal is to find families for the 103 children – including teenagers and their siblings. Since the initiative began, 26 have been adopted.
“I am proud that since I became Governor, we have seen record-breaking numbers of adoptions, with almost 10,000 foster children finding loving and caring families,” said Governor Crist. “We must continue to make the extra effort to find adoptive families for foster children who are older, as well as those in sibling groups or who have special needs.”
The “Longest Waiting Teens” project identifies youth who have been in foster care the longest and are readily available for adoption. The initiative helps community-based care organizations focus on finding adoptive families for the youth, and caseworkers develop new strategies to meet this goal. Many of the teens currently in foster care have been there for more than five years, and a disproportionate number of them are African American males.
Governor Crist applauded the Florida Department of Children and Families for receiving $9.75 million in federal bonus funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The federal adoption incentive rewards states for adoptions of older children in foster care or those with special needs. Under the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, a total of $35 million in adoption incentive bonuses is going to 38 states and Puerto Rico, with the next highest award going to Texas, which received nearly $5 million.
Since July 1, 2009, more than 600 adoptions of foster children have been finalized and approximately 200 completed adoptions are anticipated during November 2009. Earlier this year, Governor Crist announced Florida’s record-breaking 3,777 adoptions through Florida’s public adoption system during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009. This record follows the previous year’s record of 3,674 in 2007-08, up from 3,079 in 2006-07. Additionally, during the 2008-09 fiscal year, Florida saw the fewest children entering foster care since 2003. As of July 1, 2009, there were 19,797 children in out-of-home care, down 32 percent (9,483 children) from 29,280 children in January 2007.
To learn more about the Governor’s Explore Adoption initiative that focuses on adopting teens, siblings groups and children with special needs from state foster care, please visit www.AdoptFlorida.org or call 1-800-96-ADOPT.
NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH
WHEREAS, many children in Florida are living in substitute care and need loving, nurturing and permanent adoptive families to help them achieve their full potential; and
WHEREAS, brothers and sisters who are separated in the foster care system long to be adopted by the same family; many older youth living in foster care feel they may be too old to be adopted, yet they want a sense of belonging that adoptive parents can provide; and some children who wait the longest for permanent homes are children with disabilities or medical conditions and they need families who will embrace them and experience the unique rewards of adopting a child with special needs; and
WHEREAS, adoption provides unique opportunities to change a child’s life and enrich the life of the adoptive parent or family that welcomes them; and
WHEREAS, the Governor’s Award-Winning Explore Adoption Initiative highlights the benefits and positive outcomes of adoption and provides the tools for finding forever families for Florida’s kids in care; and
WHEREAS, Adoption Sunday, observed the second Sunday of November, provides an opportunity to engage faith and spiritual leaders in promoting adoption as a positive way to grow families, and to raise public awareness of foster children awaiting adoption; and
WHEREAS, November 21, 2009 is National Adoption Day and families and children all over our great state of Florida will celebrate the joy of family on this day and during the whole month, while remembering our children who still need a forever family; and
WHEREAS, approximately 850 children are currently available to be matched with adoptive families and the many families who have already adopted children deserve and require agency and community support in the days and years ahead;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Charlie Crist, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby extend greetings and best wishes to all observing November 2009 as National Adoption Month.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 1st day of November, in the year two thousand nine.
Charlie Crist
Governor