Adoption Organizations That Provide Support to Adopted Persons, Adoptive Parents, and Families
AARP Grandparent Information Center (AARP GIC)
601 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20049
The AARP GIC is a program of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). The GIC is a primary resource for grandparents in traditional and non-traditional family roles, including grandparents raising grandchildren and step-grandparents. Among the topics addressed are grandparents traveling with grandchildren, the visitation rights of grandparents, parenting grandchildren, and grandparent support groups.
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Adoption Community of New England, Inc. Granite State Chapter
45 Lyman Street #2 South Terrace
Westborough, MA 01581
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Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA)
Morris Center for Healing from Child Abuse
PO Box 14477
San Francisco, CA 94114
Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA) supports and assists survivors of child abuse to move on with their lives. In addition, ASCA was created with the intention of guaranteeing that all survivors of childhood abuse, regardless of their financial situation, have access to a program focused on recovery from childhood abuse, including physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse or neglect.
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American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
3615 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20016-3007
The mission of AACAP, a professional medical organization of child and adolescent psychiatrists, is to promote mentally healthy children, adolescents, and families through research, training, advocacy, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, peer support, and collaboration.
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American Counseling Association (ACA)
5999 Stevenson Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22304
The American Counseling Association is a non-profit professional and educational organization that provides leadership training, publications, continuing education opportunities, and advocacy services to its members. ACA assisted in setting professional and ethical standards for the counseling profession, working towards strengthening the accreditation, licensure, and national certification of counselors.
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American Foster Care Resources, Inc. (AFCR)
PO Box 271
King George, VA 22485
AFCR is a publisher of resource materials for foster care providers, the children in care and their families, and the placing agency's staff and administration. AFCR's publications cover such topics as ADHD, discipline, sexual abuse, independent living, recruitment, and support groups.
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA)
230 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107-1538
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a federation of agencies that enables adult volunteers, through a matching and mentoring program, to serve as friends, mentors, and role models for school-aged children and teens. The BBBSA agencies provide professional casework support and locally-focused programs. Many of the agencies also provide programs for children and families in the areas of substance abuse, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, and children with disabilities.
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Boys and Girls Clubs of America
National Headquarters
1230 West Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
The Boys and Girls Clubs of America seeks to inspire and enable young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. Clubs provide specialized services and programs focusing on social issues such as family support, gang prevention, and personal safety as well as prevention programs aimed at substance abuse and premature sexual activity.
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Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)
4000 Blackburn Lane
Suite 260
Burtonsville, MD 20866
The Center for Adoption Support and Education, Inc. (C.A.S.E.), a private, non-profit adoptive family support center, provides postadoption counseling and educational services to families, educators, child welfare staff, and mental health providers in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
In addition, C.A.S.E. is a national resource for families and professionals through its training, publications, and consultations.
C.A.S.E. also has an office in Virginia:
King’s Park Professional Building
8996 Burke Lake Road, Suite 201
Burke, VA 22015
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)
SAMHSA
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment's mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by alcohol and drug abuse. CSAT works to ensure access to clinically sound, cost-effective addiction treatment that reduces the health and social costs to communities and the nation.
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Childhelp®
15757 North 78th Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Childhelp® is dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp’s approach focuses on prevention, intervention and treatment. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD®, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. Childhelp’s programs and services also include residential treatment services; children’s advocacy centers; therapeutic foster care; group homes; child abuse prevention, education and training; and the National Day of Hope®, part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month every April.
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Children of Alcoholics Foundation (COAF)
164 West 74th Street
New York, NY 10023
The Children of Alcoholics Foundation provides a range of educational materials and services to help professionals, children, and adults break the intergenerational cycle of substance abuse.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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Circle of Parents
500 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 200
Chicago, IL 60611
The mission of the Circle of Parents is to prevent child abuse and neglect and to strengthen families through friendly, supportive, mutual self-help parent support groups. Currently the Circle of Parents national network represents a partnership of parent leaders and 26 statewide and regional organizations in 25 States.
The Circle of Parents website provides links to information about the program model, local programs nationwide, children's programs, parenting resources, and more.
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Concerned United Birth Parents (CUB)
5224 Caminito Aruba
San Diego, CA 92124
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Concerned United Birthparents, Inc. (CUB)
PO Box 503475
San Diego, CA 92150-3475
CUB's mission is to provide support to birthparents who have relinquished a child to adoption, to provide resources to help prevent unnecessary family separations, to educate the public about the life-long effects on all who are touched by adoption, and to advocate for fair and ethical adoption laws, policies, and practices.
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Deaf Adoption News Service (DANS)
The Deaf Adoption News Service is a special interest group of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). It is a text-only, free listing service for waiting foreign and domestic deaf and severely hearing-impaired children.
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Domestic Violence Resource Network (D.V.R.N.)
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
6400 Flank Drive, Suite 1300
Harrisburg, PA 17112
| Fax: |
(717) 545-9456 |
| TTY: |
1-800-553-2508 |
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1-800-787-3224 |
| Toll-Free: |
1-800-537-2238 |
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1-800-799-SAFE (7233) |
| Website: |
http://www.nrcdv.org/ |
Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Domestic Violence Resource Network (D.V.R.N.) strives to strengthen the existing support systems serving battered women, their children, and other victims of domestic violence. Each of the five resource centers partners with community-based domestic violence programs; State coalitions; local, State, and Federal government agencies; Indian Tribal organizations; policymakers; and others involved in assisting victims of domestic violence to identify and respond to emerging information and technical assistance gaps. The centers include the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence; the Battered Women's Justice Project; the Resource Center on Domestic Violence, Child Protection and Custody; the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence; and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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F.A.I.R. Visions, Inc. (Foster Adoptive Information and Resource)
610 South 16th Street
Monroe, LA 71202
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Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption (FRUA)
PO Box 2944
Merrifield, VA 22116
FRUA is an international parent support network for families who have adopted or are in the process of adopting from the former Soviet Union, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and other Easter European countries. FRUA is not an adoption agency nor do they place children.
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Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth
P.O. Box 13505
Silver Spring, MD 20911-3505
The Family and Youth Services Bureau is part of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. FYSB is dedicated to supporting young people and strengthening families by providing runaway and homeless youth service grants to local communities. The Bureau has also created a support network that includes a national hotline and referral system for runaway and homeless youth, training, onsite consultations, and the dissemination of information.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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Foster and Adoptive Family Suport Systems Inc. Herkimer County (FAFSS)
5419 Graham Road
Utica, NY 13502
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Foundation for Grandparenting
108 Farnham Road
Ojai, CA 93023
The Foundation For Grandparenting is dedicated to raising grandparent consciousness to better the lives of grandchildren, parents and grandparents through education, research, programs, communication, and networking.
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General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC)
1734 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036-2990
The General Federation of Women's Clubs is the world's largest and oldest women's volunteer organization. GFWC's members include business owners, teachers, elected officials, homemakers, corporate executives, college students, and retirees. The organization's members are united by dedication to community improvement through volunteer service. GFWC advocates for conservation, quality education, health, civic awareness, safety, and crime prevention. The Federation's Advocates for Children Program is a referral and networking resource for Club members interested in assisting children. The program focuses on advocacy on behalf of children, prevention, and on improving public awareness of the importance of early intervention.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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Grandparent Support Circle
3333 West Arthrington #150
Chicago, IL 60624
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Grandparents Rights Organization (GRO)
100 West Long Lake Road
Suite 250
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
The Grandparents Rights Organization is a national volunteer nonprofit organization founded in 1984 by executive director Richard S. Victor. GRO's purpose is to educate and support grandparents and grandchildren and to advocate their desire to continue the grandparent-grandchild relationship, which may be threatened by the death or divorce of the parents.
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GrandsPlace - Grandparents and Special Others Raising Children
154 Cottage Road
Enfield, CT 06082
GrandsPlace is a support and information organization (Web site only) comprising grandparents (and foster parents, aunts, uncles, and step-parents) who wish that their grandchildren lived in safer, healthier environments. The GrandsPlace Web site provides a forum in which caregivers can discuss their concerns and offer support.
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Healthy Families America (HFA)
200 South Michigan Avenue
Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60604
Healthy Families America, a program of Prevent Child Abuse America, promotes child health and development and positive parenting through voluntary home visits by trained staff.
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Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
222 South Central, Suite 305
St. Louis, MO 63105
The Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative is a national foundation whose mission is to help youth in foster care make successful transitions to adulthood.
Formed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Casey Family Programs, the Initiative brings together the people and resources needed to help youth make the connections they need to education, employment, health care, housing, and supportive personal and community relationships.
As a grant-making foundation, the Initiative supports successful community-based efforts that create opportunities and build assets for youth leaving foster care through grants, technical assistance, and coalition building with multiple stakeholders. Grants are made to qualified nonprofit organizations or governmental agencies by invitation only.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Opportunity Passport - http://www.jimcaseyyouth.org/opportunitypassport.htm
The Opportunity Passport™ helps participants learn financial management; obtain experience with the banking system; save money for education, housing, health care, and other specified expenses; and gain streamlined access to educational, training, and vocational opportunities.
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Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN)
PO Box 5585
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
The central mission of the Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network is to network groups and individuals related to Korean adoptions. KAAN facilitates dialogue, promotes resource sharing, and disseminates information. KAAN works with its members, the Korean American community, and the Korean government to promote awareness of Korean adoption issues and develop programs that will benefit both the adoption and Korean communities.
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Korean Focus for Adoptive Families
1906 Sword Lane
Alexandria, VA 22308
Korean Focus is a support organization for families with children from Korea. Korean Focus provides families, adoptees, adoptive parents, and birthparents touched by Korean adoption with information and programs on Korean culture and the adoption experience. Korean Focus is nonprofit, parent-directed, and agency-independent.
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National Adoption Center (NAC)
1500 Walnut Street
Suite 701
Philadelphia, PA 19102
General Scope: The National Adoption Center expands adoption opportunities for children throughout the United States, particularly children with special needs and from minority cultures.
Training Specific: Through the Learning Center, adoptive parents and prospective adopters can take an online parenting course, The Adoption Roadmap, to expand and enrich their understanding of adoption. The course focuses on parenting skills, especially those needed to raise children with special needs, advocacy strategies to help a family identify and secure services for its child, and an appreciation of adoption as a distinct form of family building. The Learning Center is funded by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. For additional information, please see http://www.adopt.org/whatwedo/index.html#The%20Learning%20Center.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
P.O. Box 18749
Denver, CO 80218
General Scope: The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCDAV) is a tax-exempt membership organization that works to stop violence in the lives of women and children by representing a network of shelters, safe homes, and counseling programs.
The Coalition's efforts include helping to set priorities for Federal funding, producing various publications, sponsoring national conferences, developing and promoting model programs, operating a clearinghouse for information and technical assistance, fostering public policy, promoting public awareness, and providing direct services.
Training Specific: The University of Colorado at Denver’s Graduate School of Public Affairs now offers its Master of Public Administration degree with a Concentration in Domestic Violence Program Management and Policy Development through a distance-learning format. For additional information, please see http://www.ncadv.org/unsorted/EducationOpportunties_162.html.
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National Council for Single Adoptive Parents (NCSAP)
P.O. Box 567
Mount Hermon, CA 95041
The National Council for Single Adoptive Parents (formerly the Committee for Single Adoptive Parents) was founded to inform and assist single people in the United States who want to adopt children. The Council supports the right of adoptable children to have loving families, regardless of differences in race, creed, color, national origin, or disability. The National Council for Single Adoptive Parents is a member of the Joint Council on International Children's Services and the North American Council on Adoptable Children.
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National Council of Birthmothers (NCOB)
P.O. Box 99769
Seattle, WA 98199-0769
The National Council of Birthmothers supports the rights and interests of birth mothers in adoption issues, especially those involving the rights of adult adopted persons. The Council asserts that it is the right of all people to have an unaltered official birth record, regardless of adoption status.
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National Foster Parent Association (NFPA)
7512 Stanich Avenue
No. 6
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
General Scope: The National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) is a nonprofit volunteer organization. The NFPA's purpose is to bring together foster parents, agency representatives, and people in the community to improve the foster care system.
NFPA promotes coordination, cooperation, and communication among foster parents, foster parent associations, child care agencies, and other child advocates in an effort to encourage the recruitment and retention of foster parents.
Training Specific: Links to training opportunities, a Speakers Bureau, and tools and resources are available from the home page.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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National Respite Coalition (NRC)
4016 Oxford Street
Annandale, VA 22003
The mission of the National Respite Coalition, an initiative of the ARCH National Respite Network, is to secure quality, accessible, planned, and crisis respite services for all families and caregivers who need them to strengthen and stabilize families and enhance child and adult safety. The Coalition works to achieve these goals by preserving and promoting respite in policy and programs at the national, State, and local levels.
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Parents Anonymous, Inc.
675 West Foothill Boulevard
Suite 220
Claremont, CA 91711-3475
Parents Anonymous helps parents provide nurturing environments for their families. The organization is dedicated to strengthening families through strategies that promote mutual support and parental leadership. For State and local contacts, visit the Parents Anonymous website.
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Parents As Teachers National Center, Inc. (PAT)
Attn: Public Information Specialist
2228 Ball Drive
St. Louis, MO 63146
Parents as Teachers (PAT) is an international early childhood parent education and family support program serving families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten. The program is designed to enhance child development and school achievement through parent education accessible to all families. It is a universal access model.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- MELD - http://www.parentsasteachers.org/site/pp.asp?c=ekIRLcMZJxE&b=1703959
Since mid-2005, Meld has been part of the Parents as Teachers National Center family of services, strengthening families through facilitated parent education and support groups. These parent programs improve the capacity of families to support, nurture, and guide their children.
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Spaulding for Children (SFC)
16250 Northland Drive, Suite 120
Southfield, MI 48075
Spaulding for Children finds permanent homes for children that have been in the foster care and adoption system the longest. It specializes in finding and training adoptive families for the placement of special needs children.
The National Child Welfare Resource Center for Adoption (NCWRCA), part of the Children's Bureau Training and Technical Assistance Network, is located at Spaulding. For more information, see the separate listing for the NCWRCA.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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Survivors of Incest Anonymous (SIA)
World Service Office
P.O. Box 190
Benson, MD 21018-9998
Survivors of Incest Anonymous (SIA) is a 12-step, self-help recovery program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous. There are no dues or fees. Confidentiality and anonymity are essential to the program. SIA is for men and women, 18 years and older, who were sexually abused as children.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- 12 Steps - http://www.siawso.org/Default.aspx?pageId=5142
Although SIA has strong roots in the twelve steps created by AA, SIA has chosen to modify the AA Twelve Steps to reflect the unique needs for recovery from the effects of sexual abuse and incest in our childhoods.
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