North American Council On Adoptable Children Inc Dba Adoptable

SEE SCHEDULE O.NACAC SUPPORTS, EDUCATES, INSPIRES, AND ADVOCATES SO ADOPTIVE, KINSHIP, FOSTER, GUARDIAN, AND CUSTOMARY CAREGIVING FAMILIES THRIVE AND EVERY CHILD AND YOUTH HAS A PERMANENT, SAFE, LOVING, SUPPORTED, CULTURALLY COMPETENT FAMILY.

SEE SCHEDULE O.ADOPTIVE FOSTER KINSHIP CONNECTIONS -ADOPTIVE FOSTER KINSHIP CONNECTIONS PROVIDES SUPPORT TO ADOPTIVE, FOSTER, AND KINSHIP PARENTS ACROSS MINNESOTA. DURING 2021, WE OPERATED 28 ONGOING SUPPORT GROUPS, HELD DOZENS OF OTHER SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS, AND PROVIDED ONE-ON-ONE PEER SUPPORT TO HUNDREDS OF ADOPTIVE, FOSTER, AND KINSHIP FAMILIES. THE AFKC PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUPS HAD MORE THAN 2,225 MEMBERS WHO SHARED RESOURCES WITH ONE ANOTHER AND PROVIDED MUTUAL SUPPORT DURING DIFFICULT TIMES. WE ALSO OFFERED THREE REGULAR VIRTUAL GROUPS FOR TEENS AND CHILDREN. THESE SERVICES FOR FAMILIES RAISING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS HELPED REDUCE FAMILIES' ISOLATION, INCREASED THEIR ABILITY TO MEET THEIR CHILDREN'S NEEDS, INCREASED FAMILIES' STABILITY, AND PREVENTED ADOPTION DISRUPTIONS.

SEE SCHEDULE O.CHAMPS -UNDER CHILDREN NEED AMAZING PARENTS, NACAC AND OTHER LEAD PARTNER AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTY ARE OPERATING A CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVE TRAINING, SUPPORT, AND PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN FOSTER PARENTS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES IN AT LEAST 25 STATES OVER FIVE YEARS. NACAC IDENTIFIED KEY MESSAGES, DEVELOPED RECOMMENDED POLICY CHANGES, RAISED AWARENESS AMONG FOSTER PARENTS AND OTHERS ABOUT THE NEED FOR CHANGE, AND DEVELOPED TOOLS ADVOCATES COULD USE. WE ALSO CONDUCTED TRAINING FOR PARENTS ABOUT BUILDING THEIR ADVOCACY SKILLS AND SUPPORTED SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE POLICIES RELATED TO FOSTER PARENTING. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDED SMALL GRANTS ($2,000) TO LOCAL PARENT GROUP ASSOCIATIONS TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK TO ADVOCATE FOR FOSTER CARE REFORMS.

SEE SCHEDULE O.PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CONFERENCE -THE NACAC ANNUAL CONFERENCE, HELD VIRTUALLY, SERVED ALMOST 1,300 ADOPTIVE/FOSTER PARENTS, CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS, AND OTHERS COMMITTED TO ACHIEVING PERMANENCE FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED 27 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS WHERE THEY LEARNED HOW TO BETTER SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND OTHER CHALLENGES, RECRUIT AND PREPARE PERMANENT FAMILIES FOR KIDS, AND MORE.NACAC OFFERED TRAINING IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY TO THOUSANDS OF PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS DURING 2021 ON TOPICS SUCH AS FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS, TRAUMA-INFORMED PARENTING, RACE AND EQUITY ISSUES IN CHILD WELFARE, PARENT GROUP DEVELOPMENT, ADVOCACY, EFFECTIVE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FAMILIES, CORE ISSUES IN ADOPTION, AND ADOPTION COMPETENCE. MORE THAN 500 PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS ATTENDED TWO ONE-DAY CONFERENCES WE HELDONE ON FASD AND ONE ON RACE/EQUITY ISSUES IN CHILD WELFARE.NACAC ALSO HELPED HUNDREDS OF PROSPECTIVE ADOPTERS FIND THE INFORMATION THE NEED TO NAVIGATE THE ADOPTION PROCESS, AND THE NACAC WEBSITE PROVIDES IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ON ADOPTION ISSUES TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SITE VISITORS EACH YEAR.

ADOPTION SUBSIDY RESOURCE CENTER - THROUGH THE ADOPTION SUBSIDY RESOURCE CENTER, NACAC PROVIDES INFORMATION, SUPPORT, TRAINING, AND ADVOCACY ON ADOPTION ASSISTANCE IN THE U.S. AND CANADA. IN 2021, NACAC PROVIDED INFORMATION TO MORE THAN 14,000 INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THE BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ADOPTED FROM FOSTER CARE. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH IN-DEPTH INFORMATION AND ACTION TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES HAVE THE BENEFITS THEIR CHILDREN NEED TO GROW AND THRIVE. IN ADDITION, NACAC ADVOCATED FOR IMPROVED ADOPTION ASSISTANCE POLICIES IN SEVERAL STATES DURING THE YEAR AND TRAINED HUNDREDS OF PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS ABOUT ADOPTION ASSISTANCE. IN 2021, NACAC ALSO ANSWERED CALLS AND EMAILS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO HUNDREDS OF ADOPTIVE PARENTS, ADOPTION PROFESSIONALS, AND TAX PREPARERS ABOUT HOW TO CLAIM THE FEDERAL ADOPTION TAX CREDIT. ADOPTUSKIDS FAMILY SUPPORT TEAM DURING 2021, NACAC PROVIDED TRAINING TO MORE THAN 2,000 MEMBERS OF THE ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE, AND KINSHIP CARE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE VALUE OF PROVIDING SUPPORT, HOW TO ASSESS FAMILIES' NEEDS, AND MODEL PROGRAMS SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, WE DEVELOPED RESOURCES ON THE VALUE OF SUPPORTING ADOPTIVE, FOSTER, AND KINSHIP FAMILIES AND VARIOUS WAYS JURISDICTIONS CAN PROVIDE THIS SUPPORT, INCLUDING RELEASING A CURRICULUM TO TRAIN PARENT GROUP LEADERS. STAFF ALSO FACILITATED CALLS WITH STATE, COUNTY, AND TRIBAL ADMINISTRATORS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BEST SUPPORT RESOURCE FAMILIES. NATIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM FOR FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS NACAC, AS PART OF A FEDERALLY FUNDED COLLABORATION LED BY SPAULDING FOR CHILDREN, CONTINUED TO WORK ON FINALIZING, AND IMPLEMENTING IN EIGHT PILOT SITES, A NEW CURRICULUM FOR PROSPECTIVE AND CURRENT FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT CENTER ON ENGAGING YOUTH IN FINDING PERMANENCY NACAC, AS PART OF A FEDERALLY FUNDED COLLABORATION LED BY SPAULDING FOR CHILDREN, BEGAN WORK ON THIS PROJECT TO HELP STATES, TERRITORIES, AND TRIBES IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN THEIR CASE AND PERMANENCY PLANS. EARLY WORK INCLUDED PROJECT PLANNING AND RESEARCH ON EXISTING YOUTH ENGAGEMENT MODELS.COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS NETWORK DURING 2021, NACAC HELPED A FEW PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS TO IMPROVE THE SERVICES THEY OFFER TO ADOPTIVE, FOSTER, AND KINSHIP PARENTS. PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY NACAC LOBBIED FOR THE ADOPTION TAX CREDIT REFUNDABILITY ACT AND THE EVERY CHILD DESERVES A FAMILY ACT. WE ALSO SUPPORTED STATE EFFORTS TO DEFEAT SEVERAL BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOW RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION. NACAC REMAINS A STRONG PARTNER IN VOICE FOR ADOPTION, A COLLABORATION OF NATIONAL ADOPTION ORGANIZATIONS THAT EDUCATES AND LOBBIES MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ABOUT KEY ISSUES IN PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH. IN MINNESOTA, WE BEGIN WORK TO ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVED SUPPORT OF RELATIVE CAREGIVERS AND RECRUITMENT OF FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS OF COLOR.