Month: March 2010

What’s new with federal child welfare financing?

In November 2009, there were over 40,000 registered lobbyists in Washington, DC.  Not one of these lobbyists was working without a bias for children in need of families.  Unlike big industries with money, orphaned children do not have a voice on the Hill or a presence in DC.  This is exactly the reason CCAI exists.  We represent the needs of children by using our unique relationship with Congress to cut through the noise of many voices who seek federal policymakers’ ears to ensure that the needs of orphans and foster children are heard.

Yesterday, a member of our Advisory Board and longtime supporter of CCAI, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced a bill to use revenue from a new online gambling tax for foster care programs.  McDermott’s bill will be a companion bill to a bill that will legalize online gambling.  There are several other bills currently pending in Congress that address federal financing for foster care.

Just earlier this week, President Obama signed into law the health care legislation which includes an extension to the Adoption Tax Credit.  The Adoption Tax credit was originally set to expire the end of 2010, however, this new provision increases the tax credit from $12,170 to $13,170 for adoptions occurring after January 2010, and extends the tax credit to the end of 2011.  CCAI will be releasing a 411 Report on the history and future of Adoption Tax Credit next month to give more information on why it was introduced and how it is working.  Be sure to check our website for this report.

Another hot item related to child welfare financing is President Obama’s proposed FY 2011 budget.  CWLA published a report to analyze how Obama’s proposed budget will impact federal financing of child welfare programs and services.

CCAI continues to monitor legislation that will impact foster care and adoption, as well as provide education and resources to policy makers as they work to introduce and pass legislation that will affect vulnerable children around the world.

Counting down to ‘FYI Season’

It’s no secret around here that summer is one of the most exciting and favorite times for CCAI.  With our programs in full swing, and almost as many interns as staff members, there’s a certain energy in the office that cannot be matched.

Now, those of us in DC are finally putting away our winter coats, driving around with our windows rolled down, and anxiously awaiting the cherry blossoms‘ peak bloom.  But we think what’s even more exciting  is that in just 2 months the 2010 FYI Class will be ascending on DC to start this year’s FYI program.

Picture of the 2009 FYI Class taken during the retreat to Danville, PA

Just earlier this week one of our FYIs from last summer called the office.  We’re privileged to not only share a life-changing  summer with these interns, but to also be included in their lives months and years after they return to their homes.  John Paul said something to us so touching that I asked him if I could share his thoughts.  I believe his words are powerful and speak to the influence of the FYI program much better than any CCAI staff member ever could.  John Paul said,

John Paul, left
‘When I came to the FYI program, it was different.  I had never experienced a program for former foster youth that treated us like capable adults or expected us to be able to surpass our peers.  Chelsea, Emily, Mark, Rebecca, and Kathleen pushed us and encouraged us when times got hard.  My supervisor from last summer and I still talk to each other and have lunch together when I visit DC. During the FYI program, I learned so much about myself and my abilities that I have been able to push pass the fear that I might not be good enough for the real world.  Every time things start to get hard or I start doubting that I can do something, I just remember the experiences I had with the FYI program and how I could do things I never thought I’d be able to do.  I got the opportunity to do something that so few people my age get to do, let alone former foster youth.  Without the FYI program, I know that I would never be aware that I could be as good as anyone else, if not better.’

Please continue to check back as we continue to prepare for the arrival of 12 extraordinary students who will soon be making their way to DC to forever impact the lives of foster children as they too are forever changed.

An Intern’s Perspective: Inside CCAI

This week marks the beginning of my third month as an intern at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

When I first began working here in mid-January, I knew exactly what I hoped to gain from my internship—work experience, exposure to federal policy, and a better understanding of the international adoption process that brought my cousin to the United States last year. However, I wasn’t really sure what would be expected from me. Coming into my internship, I had some knowledge of CCAI and its activities, but only a vague image of the role that I would play in the organization. Part of me was afraid that I would spend the entire spring doing menial tasks.

It didn’t take long for that to change. Within my first week on the job, I was taking notes at a State Department briefing on the state of intercountry adoptions in Haiti. Since then, I have done everything from updating the CCAI website, to researching pending foster care legislation for our bimonthly newsletter. A couple of weeks ago, I was on the phone all day alerting members of congress about an opportunity to sign on to a letter concerning adoptions from Nepal.

Of course, that isn’t to say that I don’t do my fair share of clerical work. As one of only two interns in the office, I spend a lot of time doing things like entering people into our database, editing spreadsheets, and answering the phone.

But while I used to think that stuffing envelopes and making copies was nothing but busy work, that has changed in the time that I have spent at CCAI. No matter how many envelopes I stuff, or how many copies I make—I have never once felt like any of the work I do here is meaningless. We have such a small office that the impact of my work is readily apparent, and such a close-knit staff that it is always appreciated.

The view from behind my desk.

A lot of things have changed since I started working here, but my personal favorite change has been to the wall in front of my desk. Initially it was pretty boring to look at, but I have started to decorate it over the past few weeks. Each sticky note has some words of wisdom or inspiration passed on to me from a member of our staff. At the end of my internship, I hope that I can look up and see an entire wall filled with notes.

And, much like I can say now that CCAI is helping me to change my wall into something that I can enjoy looking at, I hope that I can someday look back and say that I helped them change the world into a place where more children and families can enjoy living.

CCAI Congratulates Sandra Bullock and The Tuohy Family on Movie, The Blind Side’s Success

Since November of 2009, millions of Americans have been flocking to the theater to see the Blind Side, a movie based on the inspiring real life story of NFL Player, Michael Oher, and his adoptive parents, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.  We were all thrilled to see the movies’ incredible success culminate last week in leading lady, Sandra Bullock’s, receipt of an Oscar for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy.    Last September,  CCAI had the great privilege of honoring Sean and Leigh Anne as one of three 2009 Angels in Adoption.  Having had the honor of spending two days with these real life heroes, I can say that the movie is but a glimpse of the incredible people that they both are.

The morning after the Oscars, Leigh Anne sat down with the Today show to discuss her reaction to “Sandy’s” big win.  Leigh Anne puts into terms what we all know to be true.  First, that we as a country cannot afford to continue and sit by while tens of thousands of children age out of a foster care system without ever having the promise of a permanent, loving family fulfilled.  As she so beautifully puts it, in doing so, we are taking the risk that the man or woman with the ability to cure cancer will instead get lost in a life on the streets. And her second point is equally powerful.   Making a difference in the lives of children in foster care is something we can all do something about.   Some of us may feel called to be a foster or adoptive parent to these youth.  Others may feel called to mentor them.  And others still may choose to use their voice to speak out on their behalf.  Whatever our calling might be, the important thing is that we step up and answer it.

It is my sincere hope that we have yet to see the real impact this movie has had on the minds and hearts of Americans.  It is my fervent prayer that the message of this movie inspires Americans to learn how they might make a difference in the life of a young person like Michael.  And in the meantime, CCAI will continue to use its voice to speak out for these amazing young people and the impact that having a loving family can have on their lives.

Rebuilding Haiti

Now that many of the cameras have left Haiti and we’ve viewed the last footage as the heroic volunteers pull from the rubble, we must now refocus our attention on the good people who remained to set about the daunting and important work of “rebuilding” a nation.  Our work initially after the earthquake was to work with Members of Congress, the State Department, and USCIS to finalize adoptions and process visas of children who were just weeks and a final signature away from coming home permanently to their forever families.

Haitian boy in orphanage after earthquake

In an earlier post, our Executive Director, Kathleen Strottman, shared her views on the need to not merely rebuild the child welfare system that existed in Haiti prior to the earthquake, but to take this opportunity to build a better child welfare system, taking lessons learned from other disasters, such as the 2004 tsunami.  Just last week we released our CCAI Position Statement on the Orphan Needs in Haiti.  In this statement, we call on U.S. and international officials to observe the principle that the optimal setting for a child to be raised is in a family, among other principles.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper reported last month a story entitled, “Haitians Want Orphans to Stay”.  What is so disappointing about this video

is that it shows how people continue to fail to see that it is not only food and walls that are required for children to survive and thrive, it is the love and support from a family.  While orphanages are meant to meet the basic needs of children, there are some needs that only families can provide–that sense of security and constant love that every child will continue to need well beyond childhood and into adulthood.  This is why we are continuing to fight for the children of Haiti, as well as children in the U.S. and around the world, to have their basic right to a family finally met.