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This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. News Release
HHS AWARDS $4 MILLION TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADOPTIONHHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced about $4 million in awards to 13 organizations to help eliminate barriers to adoption for children with special needs. The awards are part of the Adoption Opportunities Program. "These awards will help agencies find permanent and loving homes for some of our hardest-to-place children, those who are older or have special emotional or physical needs," Secretary Thompson said. "These children deserve the warmth and love of a real family, and will bring much joy to their adoptive parents." This year's awards will support projects that increase adoption of minority children, provide services to families after they have adopted a child, and offer respite care for families who adopt special needs children. "I am pleased that we are able to support these fine private and public organizations that are doing so much to match children with adoptive parents," said Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., assistant secretary for children and families. "They are making a great contribution to securing a better future for our children." Today's awards are part of the Bush Administration's broader efforts to help children find adoptive homes. In July, President Bush launched a new Web site, www.adoptuskids.org, which features photographs and biographies of more than 6,500 children in foster care. Developed as a public-private partnership, the site is designed to raise public awareness, recruit adoptive families for waiting children and supply information and referral services to prospective adoptive families. In September, HHS' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced a $22 million, five-year cooperative agreement with the Adoption Exchange Association in Denver to run the Web site. The awards may be renewed each year for three years under the program. ACF administers the Adoption Opportunities Program. A list of award recipients and first year funding amounts follows: Developing Projects for Increasing Adoptive Placement of Minority Children
Developing Projects For Post-Legal Adoption Services
Developing Projects for Respite Care as a Service For Families who Adopt Children with Special Needs
### Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news. Last Revised: October 23, 2002 |