Resource Guides for Adoptive and Special Needs Families

Three recently updated annual resource guides offer information for current and prospective adoptive families and families of children with special needs.

The National Adoption Directory, compiled by the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse (NAIC), is available online as a searchable database at NAIC's website (http://www.childwelfare.gov/nfcad/index.cfm). Search by State or by the following subject areas:

• State officials (Adoption Specialist, Foster Care Manager, Licensing Specialist, Interstate Compact for the Protection of Children (ICPC) administrator)
• State Adoption Exchange/Photolisting Service
• State Reunion Registry
• State Confidential Intermediary Service
• Attorney Referral Service
• Regional/District Public Agencies
• Local Public Agencies
• Licensed Private Adoption Agencies
• Adoptive Family Support Groups
• Search Support Groups

NAIC also can provide a hard copy of the Directory for a fee of $25; call toll-free 888-251-0075 or email naic@caliber.com.

Look for practical information in Adoptive Families' 2001 Adoption Guide. Prospective adoptive families can find an overview of adoption options and essays by experts on agency adoption, independent adoption, open adoption, international adoption, and adoption from foster care. Other articles feature new adoption-friendly laws and rulings, as well as personal accounts from adoptive parents on a variety of topics.

Reference sections define terms, recommend books, and list resources for all kinds of adoptive families. Specific directories include the following State-by-State listings:

• Members of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys
• State Adoption Units
• National Adoption Organizations
• Adoptive Parent Support Groups
• Licensed Adoption Agencies

Order a print version of Adoptive Families' 2001 Adoption Guide for $9.95 online at: www.AdoptiveFamiliesMagazine.com or call 1-800-372-3300. (Editor's note: the original link is no longer available. More information can be found at www.adoptivefamilies.com.)

Exceptional Parent's 30th Anniversary Resource Guide helps parents deal with the challenge of a disability. It includes directories with hundreds of organizations dedicated to specific disabilities, Parent to Parent support programs, and federally funded programs. New resources this year are a State-by-State listing of Vocational Rehabilitation Programs and a specialized Canadian Resource list of organizations. The guide also indexes all the following items that appeared throughout 2000 in Exceptional Parent magazine:

• New Products column
• Search & Respond column (questions and replies to various topics)
• Titles of all articles

The winners of Exceptional Parent's Exceptional People Awards, who were nominated by readers and President's Committee on Mental Retardation are also profiled.

The directories listed in the Exceptional Parent's 2001 Resource Guide are available online at: http://www.eparent.com. A comprehensive print version can be ordered for $19.95 through the website or purchased at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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