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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, Nov. 3, 2006
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
Adoption Excellence Award Winners Announced
Awards kick off
November’s National Adoption Awareness Month celebration
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced 13 awards for individuals and organizations that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to increasing the number of children in foster care who are adopted.
“As National Adoption Awareness Month begins, we are pleased to recognize the Adoption Excellence Award winners for making a profound difference in the lives of children,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D. “They are our essential partners in the continuing efforts to assure safety and permanency for children through adoption.”
Adoption Excellence Awards are given annually to honor individuals, families, local agencies, private organizations, courts, businesses and states. They will be presented on Nov. 28 at a special ceremony in Arlington, Virginia.
The Bush Administration’s efforts to promote adoption include the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, a project to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States. For more information about this collaboration, go to http://www.adoptuskids.org.
In FY 2005, the total number of adoptions with public agency involvement is estimated at just below 51,500, up from about 50,700 in FY 2004. There are currently 513,000 children in the foster care system, and of these about 114,000 are waiting to be adopted.
Following is a complete list of this year’s Adoption Excellence Award winners:
Richland County Children Services
Mansfield, Ohio
In
recognition of decreasing the length of time that children in foster care wait
for adoption
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
Adoption
and Permanency Resources Division
Pasadena, California
In
recognition of decreasing the length of time that children in foster care wait
for adoption
Pennsylvania Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN)
Pennsylvania
Independent Living Services
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
In
recognition of increasing adoption of older children
Family Connections Christian Adoptions
Modesto, California
In
recognition of faith-based initiatives
Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center
Portland, Oregon
In
recognition of support for adoptive families
Casey Family Services, New Hampshire Division
Concord, New Hampshire
In
recognition of support for adoptive families
Adoptive Family Support Network
Grand Rapids, Michigan
In
recognition of support for adoptive families
Pennsylvania Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN)
Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania
In recognition of support for adoptive families
Dr. Carol “Cassie” Statuto Bevan
Washington, D.C.
In
recognition of individual and/or family contributions
Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye
New York, New York
In recognition
of individual and/or family contributions
Paul VanderVelde
Tallahassee, Florida
In recognition of
individual and/or family contributions
Jockey International
“Jockey Being Family”
Kenosha,
Wisconsin
In recognition of business contributions/initiatives
KSDK—News Channel 5
“A Place to Call Home” Program
St
Louis, Missouri
In recognition of business contributions/initiatives
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news