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Dear

Thank you for your interest in Adoptions Together. Our mission is to build healthy families and to keep them strong. Founded in 1990, Adoptions Together is a non-profit child placement agency, licensed in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. We welcome every child in need of a family regardless of race, health or special need, and are honored to have helped nearly 3,000 children join loving adoptive families. We offer the following programs:

Domestic Infant Adoption: Adoptions Together welcomes all children in need of an adoptive family. While we primarily place African American infants, adopters seeking children of other races can complete their home study with Adoptions Together and receive guidance and support in exploring options outside of our traditional

placement program. AdoptionWorks: We identify children who are waiting in State foster care for a

permanent family and match them with prospective parents. Many of the children in need of families are African American, members of a sibling group and over the age of six.

International Adoption: We work hard to find permanent homes for toddlers and older

children from Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America who are in need of a family.

Home Study and Post Placement: Our team of qualified professionals provides a complete array of home study services including pre-adoption preparation, assessment and post-placement support.

Other Services: Our mission of bringing children and families together is equaled only by

our commitment to keep families strong. We offer individual and family counseling, support groups, community and professional education, parenting seminars and summer camps.

If you would like to expand your family through adoption , we urge you to consider Adoptions Together. We wish you the best on your adoption journey. Warm regards, Janice Goldwater, LCSW-C

Friend,

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Introduction to AdoptionWorks …………………………………………………………………. Foster Care Statistics ………………………………………………………………………………….. Program Steps ………………………………………………………………………………………….. Adoption Works Fees …………………………………………………………………………………. Financing Your Adoption ……………………………………………………………………………. Adoption Subsidy Program…………………………………………….…………………………... Support Services ……………………………………………….......................................... Agency Adoption Information Meetings …………………………………….................. Next Steps and Contacts ……………………………………………………......................... Working with Adoptions Together….. ……………………………………….................... Adoptions Together Complaint Policy ……….……………………………....................

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Table of Contents

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AdoptionWorks A program for the adoption of school-aged children in foster care

The Children AdoptionWorks (AW) places school-aged children from throughout the United States with parents who reside in Maryland, DC and Virginia. Children enter the public foster care system for a wide variety of reasons, such as abuse, neglect, drug abuse in their birth families, and many other factors. Because of the traumatic experiences that chil-dren who are in the foster care system have dealt with, all of the children have special needs. Most of the children are legally free and cannot be reclaimed by their biological parents. In some cases, children are placed with prospective adoptive parents while the public agency pursues the legal termination of parental rights. These “legal risk” placements are only made when the prospective adoptive parents understand and are willing to accept the risk that a placement might disrupt.

AdoptionWorks is a program at Adoptions Together that facilitates the adoption of school-aged children who are growing up in public foster care throughout the United States. Through education, training counseling and support, AdoptionWorks prepares adoptive families to provide the loving and safe homes that we believe each child deserves.

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GIVE AN OLDER AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILD A FAMILY. YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

* SOURCE: The statistics above were gathered from the following sources: (1) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families; (2) Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb; (3) The state of Maryland, Citizen’s Review Board for Children. (4) The “age-out” stats were retrieved from a study conducted by the State of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin in June of 2000 and from another study conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services.

There are over 500,000 children in foster care today.

Approximately 118,761 of these children are waiting to be adopted.

Almost half of the waiting children are African American.

Most children enter the system because they have been abused, neglected or abandoned. These

children often wait more than 2 years to be considered for adoption.

After one year in the system, a child’s probability of being adopted drops by 50% and continues to

steadily drop the longer a child waits.

African-American children wait in the foster care system longer than their Caucasian counterparts.

Each year in the United States more than 20,000 older children “age-out” of the system, which

means they were not adopted by the cut-off age of 18, in most states, and were, therefore, forced to

leave the system to fend for themselves in society.

During the first few years of “aging-out,”

32% rely on public assistance;

27% of males and 10% of females will become incarcerated;

6 out of 10 young women become pregnant without the ability to take care of their unborn

child.

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Step 1: Training

Step 2: Home Study

Step 3: Waiting and Match

Step 4: Transition and Placement

All families who enter the AdoptionWorks program must have a home study completed by Adoptions Together. Each AdoptionWorks home study consists of three to four interviews with a licensed social worker who is experienced in older child adoption. Information is collected about the applicant’s back-ground, references are checked and a home safety inspection is completed. A report is written by the home study social worker and a recommendation is made as to whether the applicant should proceed with an adoption.

Once the home study is completed, families will work with the AdoptionWorks team to locate a child. Families will be able to inquire about children that they are interested in on sites such as AdoptUsKids.org. The AdoptionWorks team will assist families by sending out their home study, identi-fying potential matches, and advocating for the family with caseworkers around the country who are selecting families for their children. Once a family is chosen, AdoptionWorks will provide the family with all of the information about a child that we are able to obtain from the agency that is serving as the child’s guardian. Information may include a medical, social and developmental history that is col-lected from professionals involved in caring for the child. We will assist you with making a decision as to whether the child and your family are a good fit.

Individuals and families of all types are encouraged to apply. Adoptions Together works with many types of families including, single, married and with or without children.

AdoptionWorks Program Steps

Step 5: Finalization

We require all families entering the program to attend the AdoptionWorks training. AdoptionWorks conducts a 27 hour training course. The training covers topics pertinent to adopting older children from foster care including attachment issues, how children are impacted by trauma, commonly seen diagnoses, reasons why children are placed in foster care, effective discipline, family dynamics, trans-racial adoption and many more topics.

You can begin the process of finalizing your child’s adoption after the child has been in your home for a minimum of six months and the family’s social worker has recommended for finalization.

The transition for each child or sibling group will be different depending on their needs, however a fam-ily will generally have several visits with the child prior to placement. Once placed with the child, the family’s social worker will visit them once a month for a minimum of six months. The AdoptionWorks team, the family’s social worker, and the child’s caseworker will all work together to support the family and the placement.

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Fee Schedule

Application Fee $ 350.00 Training Fee $ 370.00 Home Study Fee (due with home study paperwork) $ 800.00 Program Fee (due with contract) $1,800.00 Placement Fee

At the time of placement $5,000.00 Prior to finalization of adoption $2,000.00 Fee for each additional child in a sibling group $6,000.00 Note: Many states will pay these placement fees (called Purchase of Service fees) to Adoptions Together, for their foster children to be placed for adoption with AdoptionWorks families.

Other Possible Fees

AdoptionWorks Subsequent Placement Home Study Fee $ 650.00 AdoptionWorks Home Study Update Fee $ 350.00 AdoptionWorks Annual Program Update Fee $ 500.00 AdoptionWorks Child Specific Addendum Fee $ 100.00 Additional Post Placement after 1 year of Post Placement Supervision $ 250.00

** With the Federal Adoption Tax Credit, You will be able to claim a full $13,170 tax credit in the year that you finalize your adoption, regardless of the amount of money you spent on the adoption. Therefore, you can more than cover the cost of an adoption from a state that does not pay purchase of service. **Most children who are adopted are eligible to receive an adoption subsidy. The amount of the subsidy depends upon the special needs of the child.

Note: All fees are nonrefundable

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Education and Training Services

Parent Education and Training Adoptions Together offers adoption education and parent training on a wide range of topics that address the unique needs of adoptive, blended, foster and kinship care families. Seminars and workshops cover topics such as attachment and trauma, grief and loss, parenting a teen, talking to children about adoption, navigating the birthparent relationship, managing challenging behaviors, and trans-racial adoption. We strive to make parent training affordable, convenient, and easily accessible by offering in person, online, and on-demand options for parent training and adoption education. Support Services for Children and Families Adoptions Together offers support groups for parents, children, and families that provide a safe atmosphere to share common issues and concerns. Summer camp programs are also offered to help children build self-esteem, practice social skills, explore their identity, and discuss family relationships. Special events such as the Annual Family Connections Conference are designed to educate and inform, forge connections, strengthen family bonds, and celebrate the many ways that families are formed.

Adoptions Together offers a wide array of adoption education and support services for children, families and professionals that are relevant, cost effective, and easily accessible. Our adoption education, training and support programs include:

Adoption Preparation Classes

Post-Adoption Seminars for Adoptive Families

Specialized Seminars on Domestic and International Adoption

Online and On-Demand Adoption and Parent Education Courses

Support Groups for Parents, Children and Families

Educational Conferences for Parents and Professionals

Summer Programs for Children and Teens

School Education Programs for Teachers and Administrators

Professional Development Seminars and Programs

Consultations for Professionals (e-mail and telephone)

Attachment Training Series for Professionals

For more information about the services we offer, please contact us at info@adoptionstogether.org or visit us online http://www.adoptionstogether.org/EducationTraining.aspx

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Financing Your Adoption

While adoption services can be expensive, financial programs and resources may be available to help you with these costs. At Adoptions Together, we may be able to help you locate the financial resources you may need. Whether you are eligible for adoption tax benefits, adoption assistance programs from your employer, or the adoption subsidy program, we can direct you to the information you need. You might want to begin your research with an excellent resource guide from the National Endowment for Financial Education, How to Make Adoption An Affordable Option.

Federal Tax Credit The Hope for Children Act of 2001 provided for a $10,000 tax credit for adoption and this amount in-creases each year (up to $12,150 in 2009). The amount decreases if your Adjusted Gross Income is over $182,180 and is phased out at $222,180 (check with IRS for current amounts). Consult your tax advisor and/or IRS Publication 968, Tax Benefits for Adoption. The common interpretation of this law is that international adoptions are eligible for the credit in the year their adoption was finalized in the country. For complete information, click here. ** Adoption Tax Credit is Refundable. The health care reform bill made the federal adoption tax credit refundable as of 2010—meaning adoptive families can benefit from the credit even if they do not have tax liability. This change makes the credit much more accessible to lower and moderate income fami-lies. The IRS released guidance stating that adoption tax credit amounts carried forward from previous years are also refundable, so even parents who adopted as long ago as 2005 can benefit from the new law. If parents claimed the credit on their tax return for adoptions from 2005 to 2009 and have been carrying it forward on each return, with their 2010 taxes they can be paid for any remaining amount of the credit that they have not yet received. Parents who didn't file for the credit originally will need to amend past tax returns.

Employee Benefit Programs Perhaps your employer is among the roughly 25% of companies in the United States that offer some form of adoption benefits to their employees. Typical benefits may include reimbursements of adoption expenses; paid leave in addition to vacation time, sick leave, or personal days; and unpaid leave. Reimbursement amounts can run from $1,000 to $10,000. To find out whether your employer offers adoption benefits, contact the human resources office where you work. Even if your company does not now offer adoption benefits, you may be able to persuade your employer to do so. Studies have shown that adoption benefits are among the most cost-effective advantages an employer can offer. The Child Welfare Information Gateway can help you and your em-ployer to establish an adoption benefits program.

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Military Benefits for Adoption The military will reimburse active-duty personnel for most one-time adoption costs up to $2,000 per child, whether adopting a Domestic healthy infant or older child, or a child from abroad. (Travel costs, foreign or domestic, are not covered.) There is a maximum reimbursement of $5,000 in a given year, even if both parents are in the military. Reimbursement is made only after the adoption is finalized and only if the adoption was provided through a state adoption agency or a not-for-profit private agency. Adoption and placement fees that may be reimbursed include:

Fees for birth parent counseling Legal fees and court costs Medical expenses - hospital expenses of the biological mother and newborn infant.

The military's Exceptional Family Member Program is designed to ensure that the adoptive families of children with special needs are assigned to duty stations where the child's needs may be met. In some instances, a military family caring for an adopted disabled child may receive monthly assistance up to $1000 under the military's Program for Persons with Disabilities. While the military has long provided health care for adopted children, as part of the health benefits provided by the Federal government to military personnel and their dependents, it is now available for adopted children as soon as they are placed in your home, rather than having to wait until the adoption is finalized. Moreover, military health care does not require a waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Military personnel may make use of leave programs similar to those offered by civilian employers. Re-imbursements and benefits apply whether the adopting parent is single or married and whether the adoption is completed in the US or overseas. **NOTE: Independent adoptions, or adoptions provided through a for-profit adoption agency, do not qualify for military reimbursements. For more information about adoption for military families, visit the web at www.nmfa.org. Credit Cards and Frequent Flyer Miles Families adopting through the International Adoption Program typically travel overseas to complete their adoptions. You can use frequent flyer miles to reduce the cost of airfare significantly. Many credit card companies offer frequent flyer miles as incentives. Check with your individual credit card issuers to see if this benefit is available to you. Adoption Loan Information Please contact the National Adoption Foundation to explore grants and loans specifically for adoption www.nafadopt.org

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Adoption Subsidy Program Families who adopt children with special medical, emotional, and/or developmental needs; older children; or members of a sibling group may be eligible for an adoption subsidy from federal and state governments. This financial assistance is available to ensure that families who adopt these children have the necessary services and financial resources to meet their children's ongoing needs. Subsidies fall into three categories:

Monthly Financial Assistance. This type of subsidy is designed to remove financial barriers for families who adopt children with special needs. Nearly all children in public foster care who are waiting to be adopted are eligible for this type of assistance. Subsidies are awarded on a case-by-case basis and vary depending on the needs of the child. Annual reviews of subsidies are conducted to ensure that the child still qualifies for assistance. Eligibility for the subsidy is based solely on the needs of the child; the adoptive parents’ financial resources do not determine whether a child is eligible for a subsidy.

Medical Assistance. Children in subsidized adoptions are also eligible for a medical subsidy through a new Medicaid-managed care program.

One-Time Subsidy. This nonrecurring payment, which may be offered in addition to the monthly financial subsidy, is designed to cover specific expenses or special services related to the adoption of a particular child or children. Reimbursable expenses may include adoption placement fees, court costs, attorney's fees, required health and psychological examinations, transportation, and reasonable costs of lodging and food for the child and/or the adoptive parents when necessary to complete the placement or adoption process.

To be eligible for any subsidy, a child must first meet both of the following two requirements:

A public child welfare agency must hold guardianship of the child It has been determined that the child could not be placed for adoption without a subsidy

To be eligible for any subsidy, a child must also meet one of the following requirements:

The child must be six or older, but has not reached the age of 18 years The child must be a member of a minority group The child must have a physical or mental handicap and/or be emotionally disturbed The child must be a member of a sibling group which is to be placed together

If you are interested in adopting a child who may be eligible for an adoption subsidy, we will assist you in applying for a subsidy for your child.

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Join us for an information meeting (schedule below). Our information meetings are held at our office locations. For directions, please click on the links provided. You can also register for the Information Meetings by clicking on the date of the meeting. Registration is recommended.

You can also contact us directly. We’d love to hear from you!

Need more Information? Phone: (301) 439-3900 | E-mail: info@adoptionstogether.org

2014 INFORMATION MEETINGS

Calverton 4061 Powder Mill Road Suite 320

Calverton, MD 20705 Directions

Baltimore 5750 Executive Dr. Suite 107

Baltimore, MD 21228 Directions

Virginia 457A Carlisle Dr.

Herndon, VA 20170 Directions

***Because of limited seating and to be considerate of other families, we kindly request that you do not bring children to Information Meetings. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

Calverton Baltimore Virginia

February 18, 2014 January 14, 2014 January 9, 2014

April 15, 2014 March 11, 2014 February 6, 2014

June 17, 2014 May 13, 2014 March 6, 2014

August 19, 2014 July 8, 2014 April 3, 2014

October 21, 2014 September 9, 2014 May 1, 2014

December 9, 2014 November 11, 2014 June 4, 2014

July 10, 2014

August 7, 2014

September 4, 2014

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Next Steps……

>> Learn more about Home Studies

>> Complete an Application

>> Contact us:

Carol Edelstein AdoptionWorks Program Director

E-mail: cedelstein@adoptionstogether.org Phone: 410 402 1117

Kerry Pachino

AdoptionWorks Program Coordinator E-mail: kpachino@adoptionstogether.org

Phone: 410 402 1112

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Our Mission Adoptions Together is committed to building, healthy permanent families by providing the highest quality child placement services, lifelong support to children and their families and advocacy for continuous improvement of child welfare systems.

Our Guiding Principles To help us make the right decisions, we have developed these guiding principles about how we can best serve our clients.

The best interest of the children who need our help comes first.

Adoption is the best option when children cannot safely be raised by their birth families.

Children should be part of their permanent families as quickly as possible.

Openness and honesty in adoption is healthy for children.

Adoptive parents should be informed decision-makers in the adoption process.

Adoptions work best when adoptive parents continually learn about child development and how

it is impacted by adoption.

The best adoptions are built upon trust and honesty.

Adoption is a lifelong process.

Full disclosure about the physical and psychological well-being of children being placed for

adoption is essential for adopted children and their families.

Education, support and guidance from qualified adoption professionals before during and after

placement helps adopted children and their families succeed.

The ability to be a good parent does not depend upon wealth, race, religion, marital status, sexual

preference, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

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Complaint Policy

At Adoptions Together, we welcome your feedback about how we can improve the quality of services that we provide. First Step: We encourage you to talk openly and honestly with our staff if you have any concerns about working with us. Second Step: If the staff member with whom you are working does not adequately address your concerns, please speak to his or her supervisor. Third Step: If the above is unsuccessful, you can bring your concerns and suggestions for improvement to Janice Goldwater, Executive Director and founder of Adoptions Together. You can reach Janice via email at jgoldwater@adoptionstogether.org or via telephone at 301-439-2900. If your concerns are not resolved through informal communications with our staff and Executive Director, you can file a formal written complaint with our Quality Assurance Committee. Your formal complaint will be promptly investigated and you will receive a response within no more than 30 days. If you do file a complaint, no retaliatory action will be taken against you. For more information or to receive a formal complaint form, please contact the Quality Assurance Committee Chair via email at QualityAssurance@adoptionstogether.org.