Oregon on the verge of ground-breaking adoption transparency law.

The bill to expand openness and transparency in adoption -- Oregon's SB 623 -- passed the senate and is on to the house! If it becomes law, adoption files will be made available to adoptees at the age of 18 upon request without a court order. Birthparents will also be able to access these files, through a court order.  The law will be retroactive, enabling adoptees and birthparents from closed adoptions that took place decades ago to finally reunite. This is groundbreaking legislation and will be the first of its kind in the country. If it passes the house, it could be enacted as early as the fall of 2013.  

I've been serving on the Oregon Law Commission work group that's developed this legislation over the past several months. The committee is comprised of adoption agencies, adoption attorneys, adoptive parents, birthparents, adoptees and representatives from DHS, OR Department of Justice, Oregon Supreme Court and the Oregon Judicial Department. It's been a fascinating process in which everyone's voice has been heard.

Adoption is shifting dramatically. It's time for adoption practices to be transparent, high-integrity, and respectful of each of the party's needs. That's what we're all about!

How can you help? Contact your legislator and ask them to support SB 623.

Warm regards,

Marketing Update      

Putting fast facts at expectant 

parents' fingertips.

Each spring we supply all of our outreach contacts -- which number in the thousands -- with fresh materials and updates about the agency and our work. In preparation for this mailing we drill down into the needs of service providers and focus on how to add value to their efforts. One thing is clear: none of these professionals feel they have enough time to do comprehensive pregnancy options counseling. That's where a referral to OA&FS can be a life saver for them, and a lifeline for their clients. 

To facilitate this we've created a new "take one" card. This business card-sized piece includes pregnancy options, agency contact information and a QR code that can be scanned with a smart phone, taking viewers right to the pregnancy counseling section of our website. And it's small enough to slip in a pocket. 

We're tremendously excited to supply this to our contacts. Whether it's a large, high-traffic organization such as Planned Parenthood, or a small OB/Gyn clinic, now everyone can provide fast pregnancy options facts.

 Outreach News

To educate others about open adoption and services available at our agency, OA&FS staff conduct outreach presentations and free trainings throughout the region year-round. In doing this, they form important relationships that benefit all who receive services from OA&FS. 

• On March 4 OA&FS Eastern Washington contract Counselor and Outreach Coordinator Marianne Harris presented our services to 50 medical students at Pacific Northwest University in Yakima, WA.  PNWU is an osteopathic medical school and the students present were all pediatric and OB/GYN medical students.  They chose OA&FS for their presentation on adoption because they felt the agency was very progressive in their approach to birthmothers and adoptive families.  They were particularly interested in our process in regards to birthmothers and hospital procedures.  They had many questions and said the presentation was very helpful in preparing them to work with women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.  The university is expanding to include a Master's in Nursing program as well as a Physician's Assistant program and would like Marianne to come back and present again when these programs are up and running. 
• On March 27, Eugene Counselors Irie Hoffman and Linda Kostur presented to 20 youth in a classroom at Linn-Benton Juvenile Detention Center. They requested we discuss options for pregnant and parenting youth with an emphasis on adoption. There was a high level of participation and a lot of thoughtful questions and comments. We will be presenting there every other month as they found it to be very informative and helpful.
• On April 2 Eastern Oregon Counselor, Angie Lunde, made a presentation to 12 Child Protective Services case workers at the LaGrande office for the Department of Human Services.  Questions centered on the relative adoption rule and the possibility for families with children in care to still be given the option of planning an open adoption through Open Adoption and Families Services.  Angie was able to assure them that the relative adoption rule applies only if DHS has custody of the child and not then if she is actively engaged in a reasonable adoption plan and a judge transfers the wardship from DHS to OAFS.   Angie has noted an increase interest on the part of DHS caseworkers to learn more about our services as their rules become increasingly complicated. 
• On April 11, Executive Director Shari Levine, presented to 20 students and teachers at the Springdale Job Corp in Troutdale, OR. This organization is a no-cost education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16 through 24 improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training. The students live on campus and receive intensive job training in an educational setting. The students were very engaged in the presentation and asked thoughtful questions. The teachers were very appreciative of having access to a non-biased, all-options pregnancy counseling organization for their students. The director was excited for us to speak to the students on an annual basis. "Thanks for taking the time to come and speak with our students. I think your program is wonderful and am thankful for the chance to have your mission shared with our students." Anna.
• Portland Counselor Lindsey Martin staffed an exhibitor table at the Adolescent Sexuality Conference in Seaside, Oregon on April 22 and 23.  There was a lot of interest in our services from a wide variety of attendees and presenters, from teens, to prospective adoptive parents. Most of the interest was from service providers who work with youth and families, who appreciated the unbiased, all-options counseling that we provide to expectant parents, in addition to the lifelong access to counseling services provided to all members of the adoption constellation. In addition to presenting information about Open Adoption & Family Services, Lindsey also attended workshops and learned information about ways to engage and empower youth in services and healing-informed practices.
• On April 24 Eugene Counselors Jan Jamieson and Irie Hoffman met with therapist Susan Kelly Crane at The Sage House, a new local private practice, to share information about Open Adoption & Family Services and to discuss Kelly's interest in providing counseling services to individuals who have been involved in adoption.  Thank you Kelly for creating an opportunity to share about our programs!
• On April 25 Seattle Counselor Courtney Gray presented information about open adoption to four residency program doctors at Providence St. Peter Family Medicine. They have a teen clinic and were especially thankful to discuss techniques and tips for talking with teens about pregnancy options. Attendees were also happy to know of OA&FS as a referral source for options counseling and adoption planning, and how OA&FS has served clients referred by their clinic in the past.
• On April 24, Counselor Maria Villegas presented information on open adoption, options counseling, and OA&FS services to a group of 20 caseworkers who work for DSHS Public Health in Seattle. These caseworkers work directly with women accessing services through the state.  These caseworkers found the information helpful and look forward to continuing to refer their expectant parent clients to our agency.
• On April 26, Eugene Counselor Jan Jamieson presented information about open adoption, all options counseling and OA&FS to two health classes of 30 students each at South Albany High School.  Sophomores, juniors and seniors attended the classes and contributed insightful comments to encourage and create thoughtful discussions.  Thank you to Jennifer Thibert for the invitation to speak in your classes and to all of the students who participated.  

Gatherings 

Attending gatherings is an important way to be better equipped and prepared for adoption.  Plus you get the benefits of developing friendships within the OA&FS community!  We look forward to seeing you.

Portland

Date: Thursday, May 9, 6:30-8:00 pm

Topic: Eco-Cleaning with Jen Coleman from the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC). Jen will be joining us to talk about ways to reduce toxins where you live, work and play. The mission of OEC is particularly focused on protecting Oregonian's from birth through adolescence! Come with your questions!   

Where: Portland OA&FS office, 5200 SW Macadam Ave., #250

Please RSVP to lori@openadopt.org by Wednesday May 8.

It will be a snack and drink potluck so bring something to share if you'd like.

Eugene

Date: Wednesday, May 22, 7:00 pm

Topic: Family Books

Where: Eugene OA&FS office, 315 W 10th Avenue

Please RSVP to  lori@openadopt.org

Date: May 7, 7-9:00 pm 

Topic: Creating Your Family Book

Where:  2100 Building, 2100 24th Ave S.  

Please RSVP to kstallman@openadopt.org

Attention Puget Sound families, do NOT miss this opportunity to get more details about this new creative way we will be asking families to present themselves. Watch your inbox for a more thorough description of what we will be covering. Also, a reminder that we have no gatherings during the summer months and will resume our monthly meeting in October and hope to see everybody August 17 at Magnuson Park from 11:00 am-2:00 pm with the Reptile Man! 

Out of State/Area Waiting Families Group 

Topic: Developing and Maintaining Close Relationships with Out of State Birthparents.

Teleconference Instructions: The OA&FS conference call-in room number is 530-881-1000, use participant code 252531#.

Community Gatherings

Check out the following community events and resources organized by other OA&FS adoptive parents in your area:

Portland

Prospective adoptive parents Deb & Corey Omey have started a group for OA&FS waiting families in the Portland area to meet and socialize.

When: Tuesday, May 21, 6:30 pm 

Where: AliceGray's house, 2503 NE 34th Avenue, Portland

RSVP: alicegraygregory@gmail.com, 503-327-3619

Announcements

Congratulations:   

• Congratulations to Josh and Johnathon Hawley-Molloy who welcomed their daughter Kylie Sharon Hawley-Molloy into their family on March 23.  Josh and Johnathon have been working with Hawaii International Child and learned about Kylie's birthmother about a month ago. Kylie arrived a little earlier than expected. Johnathon and Josh, who live in Hawaii, were on another island so they scrambled and were able to meet Kylie the day after she was born.  All are doing well at home and are excited to begin the next chapter of their lives!  

• In the early morning hours of April 3, Scott and Teresa Blackman of Portland witnessed the incredible delivery of their beautiful daughter in Bend. Both Scott and Teresa agree that this was a life-changing experience and are forever grateful to their daughter's birthmother for inviting them in. Despite the smooth delivery, things became more complicated shortly thereafter. The next day their birthmother was having second thoughts and after discussing her decision with her mother, she felt like she wouldn't be able to survive the loss associated with placing the baby. Teresa and Scott were understandably devastated but communicated their respect for their birthmother's decision and their care for her through various text messages. Over the next couple weeks Teresa and her daughter's birthmother were in frequent contact and when they were asked if they were still open to receiving the placement of the baby, Teresa and Scott decided they were. Their birthmother has so much love and respect for them and felt so strongly about them parenting her daughter, she decided to place the baby after parenting her for two weeks. So on April 18 Teresa drove down to Redmond and spent the next two days transitioning the baby with her birth family.  While this was not the plan originally designed, everyone involved made extremely selfless decisions along the way. Their compromises and sacrifices will no doubt communicate the love they all have for this gorgeous baby and one another for years to come. They are all looking very much forward to their first visit in early May. 

• On April 7 Mary and John Schuster of Seattle, Washington, were just returning from vacation when they got the call that their son, John Robert Jordan Schuster had been born that morning.  Mary and John chose Jack's name honoring his two grandfathers and his birthmother, Angel, for whom Jordan is a very important name.  Mary and John used the time driving to Oregon to adjust to their totally unexpected news. Mary and John's hospitious meeting with Angel during their brief hospital time was enough to convince Angel to reject a belief in closed adoption and commit to seeing Jack and his family at least two times/year.  After a blessing by a nun in the hospital chapel, Mary and John gave Angel rosary beads of special family significance as a symbol of the birthmother's inclusion in their family.  

Adoption Related Events

Adoption Mosaic Run Mama Run 5K/10K

Sunday May 12, 8:30 am check in/registration

Mt. Tabor Park

Contact: info@adoptionmosaic.org

Top Ten Things Adoptive Kids Wish Their Parents Knew: Live Webinar

Tuesday May 14, 5:00 pm 

adoption Learning Partners

Contact:  info@adoptionlearningpartners.org

LBGTQ Adoptive Parent Support Group

Thursday May 16, 6-8:00 pm

Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi Ave., Portland

Contact: info@adoptionmosaic.org  

Trust-Based Relational Invention Training

Friday May 17 & Saturday May 18, 9 am-4 pm

Solid Rock Church, 10500 SW Nimbus Avenue, Portland

These workshops provide necessary skills to better impact the well-being of children who are struggling to make healthy connections.

Contact: info@boysandgirlsaid.org

African-American Hair Care (Part One of Three)

Sunday May 26, 3-5:00 pm

Adoption Mosaic, 3534 SE Main, Portland

Contact: info@adoptionmosaic.org

The Adoptive Child's Perspective: Forming New Attachments After Trauma and Foster Care

Thursday May 30, 9 am-12 noon

Providence Cancer Center Amphitheater, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland 

Contact: orparc@nwresource.org