Adoption Network Cleveland (ANC) is hosting a celebration in Columbus the evening of Thursday, March 19, 2015 as part of "Opening Day" when Ohioan's, adopted between 1964-1996, can first apply for their original birth certificates. The celebration continues the following day on March 20^th when ANC is also planning a mid-day ceremony with the Ohio Department of Health. Adoptees will hand over their notarized Adoptee Records Request form to the Division of Vital Statistics to request access to their original birth certificates.

 This celebration is the result of a 25-year effort led by Betsie Norris, founder and Executive Director of Adoption Network Cleveland, to provide access to original birth certificates for all Ohio-born adoptees. In 2013, Betsie, an adult adoptee, launched a campaign called "ROAR" (Restore Ohio Adoptee Rights). It is the signature name behind the grass-roots organization formed to implement the campaign. A major breakthrough occurred when Governor John Kasich signed into law Substitute Senate Bill 23 on December 19^th. This new law gives 400,000 adults adopted between 1964 and 1996 access to their original birth certificates.

 

Jean Strauss chronicled Betsie's tireless journey leading to this historic event in an all-inspiring, powerful documentary entitled, "An Adoptee ROARed in Ohio: The Betsie Norris Story". Jean also created another video, "Walking Through Ohio's New Adoption Records Laws". Click here to access both films. 

For more information, visit the Adoption Network Cleveland. Find answers to frequently asked questions here. 

Here's a look at the newly revised OCWTP Trainer Feedback Survey. After each learning activity you'll have the opportunity to inform our system (e.g., tell us what went well and what did not, highlight your positive experiences, or suggest improvements to make our system better). Whether it's a link in an email, QR code, or paper form; RTCs will make the survey available to you. Your ongoing feedback is essential in making sure we provide quality and effective learning activities for Ohio's staff and caregivers.

Thank you for helping us make the OCWTP great! 

If you've been around the OCWTP for any amount of time, you've no doubt heard it referred to at some point, as a Comprehensive, Competency-Based Inservice Training system, or CCBIT. In a CCBIT system competencies are key. Like the sun in the solar system, everything in a CCBIT system (including the Individual Training Needs Assessment and Individual Development Plans) revolves around competencies, therefore it's crucial that you understand what they are and how they work.