Post-Adoption Support Services
Post-Adoption and Search Programs
We recognize that adoption is a life long process. Our post-adoption and search programs offer a continuum of services that respect the relationships among all members of the adoption triad – the adoptee, the birth parents, and the adoptive parents. In all circumstances, confidentiality and our clients’ best interests are our primary concerns.
When appropriate, we provide information and referrals for those seeking additional counseling around issues related to placing a child for adoption, being adopted, and parenting.
Curiosity and a sense of connection to another member of the adoption triad are very natural, and the need to access medical background information can be a reality. In accordance with Massachusetts state law, our adoption search program offers assistance to all members of the adoption triad obtain information about an adoption that involved them. We can provide a non-identifying profile of an adoptee’s birth parents, make available a profile of the family that adopted the child, or explore and determine whether a birth parent or adoptee is interested in providing additional information and/or mutual consent to be contacted. We maintain records of all members of the adoption triad and encourage all clients to update their records at any point with important information and/or current depositions regarding the release of identifying information.
For more information about our Post-Adoption and Search Programs, contact one of the following individuals:
Wendy Vandenhoeck
Catholic Charities Adoption Program
617-268-9670
wendy_vandenhoeck@ccab.org
Download adoption search related material:
Catholic Charities Guide to Search and Reunion (PDF)
Adoption Search Application for Adoptees (PDF)
Adoption Search Application for Birth Parents (PDF)
Adoption Search Application for Siblings (PDF)
Massachusetts General Law Regarding Search and Reunion (PDF)
Post-Adoption Services – Adoption Journeys
Merrimack Valley Catholic Charities provides post-adoption support services through Adoption Journeys. This program is provided throughout Massachusetts as result of a collaboration between Child & Family Services, Inc. (lead agency), Children’s Services of Roxbury, Children’s Aid and Family Service of Hampshire County, and Merrimack Valley Catholic Charities. Funding is provided by the Department of Social Services.
Our Adoption Journeys program provides services to families in northeast Massachusetts and the Metro Boston regions. The program is a network of supportive services for adoptive families and for families who have been granted permanent legal guardianship. Services provided include information and referral, a regional response team to help families reduce stress, advocacy and coordination of these efforts, support groups, trainings regarding the unique needs of adoptive families, and social activities.
For more information about Adoption Journeys, contact Jami Zarella at 978-685-5930 ext. 228 or jami_zarella@ccab.org.
Pregnancy Counseling
Considering whether or not to parent your child is a difficult decision. Catholic Charities provides free counseling to pregnant individuals or couples, or parents of very young children to determine whether the plan of adoption may be the right decision for them and their child.
The goal of our pregnancy counseling program is to provide individuals and couples with the information they need and support them while they make an informed and uncoerced decision. Experienced social workers actively involve pregnant individuals and couples, and parents of very young children in designing a plan for adoption. Parents will have the opportunity to choose a family with which they feel comfortable. They can even meet and get to know them if they wish. Support is offered if they decide to parent the child themselves, and interim care is available if they need more time to make a decision.
Catholic Charities is a licensed adoption agency that works closely with several other well-established programs to find families that match the wishes of parents interested in making a plan of adoption.
For more information about Pregnancy Counseling, contact one of the following individuals:
Wendy Vandenhoeck
Catholic Charities Adoption Program
617-268-9670
wendy_vandenhoeck@ccab.org
Erin Heenan
Catholic Charities North
781-593-2312
erin_heenan@ccab.org
Janice Anderson
Catholic Charities South
508-587-0815
janice_anderson@ccab.org
Infant Adoption Training Initiative
The Infant Adoption Training Initiative is a nationwide unified curriculum developed through a grant awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services. Developed under the Infant Adoption Training Initiative model established by Spaulding for Children, the program provides training that augments public health employees’ knowledge by providing them with the skills necessary to sensitively present adoption as an option. All persons employed by public or private, non-profit health care facilities that provide physical, not mental, health care services to pregnant women and teens are eligible for the free training. Catholic Charities partners with Child & Family Services of New Bedford, Children’s Aid & Family Service of Hampshire County, and Catholic Charities Diocese of Worcester County to provide these services. For further information regarding free training session types and schedules or to register, please refer to http://www.iaatp.com.
For more information about the Infant Adoption Training Initiative, contact Wendy Vandenhoeck at 617-268-9670 or wendy_vandenhoeck@ccab.org.