MAYOR GIULIANI AND COMMISSIONER SCOPPETTA URGE ADOPTION AGENCIES TO STEP UP ADOPTIONS
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Administration for Children's Services (ACS) Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta today addressed a coalition of adoption professionals and ACS administrators at the City's Adoption Rally '98 and encouraged them to surpass the records set in the past two years by placing even more foster children in permanent adoptive homes. Joining the Mayor were Michael Gage, the Administrative Judge of the New York City Family Court; John Johnson, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services; independent adoption attorneys; and executives of 53 foster care agencies.
Addressing the adoption specialists gathered at the rally, Mayor Giuliani said, "As every parent knows, raising a child is the most challenging, yet rewarding job in the world. And, as every child care professional knows, placing a foster child in a permanent, loving adoptive home comes in a close second. Since 1994, your hard work has resulted in a 73 percent increase in the number of foster children adopted. We have depended on you -- and you have exceeded our expectations every step of the way. But there's more to be done. That is why I am asking you to work even harder this year to complete the petitions for every child on your adoptive goal list.
"Working with the Family Court and the State Office of Children and Family Services, ACS has launched a number of initiatives designed to speed up the adoption process. Right now, there are 42,000 children in the foster care system in New York City, 14,500 of whom have the goal of adoption. Getting these children into permanent, caring, adoptive families is one of the City's highest priorities, and thanks to the excellent work of Nick Scoppetta, the hard-working professionals at ACS and the foster care agencies joining us today, we are making substantial progress toward that goal."
Commissioner Scoppetta said, "ACS has 14,500 children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted. They deserve permanent homes. Those who become adoptive parents will find that they will receive more than they give when they adopt one of these children. I thank Mayor Giuliani for taking the lead and Judge Gage and Commissioner Johnson for their commitment to securing permanent homes for these children."
ACS completed a record 4,009 adoptions in FY97, which reflects a 73 percent increase over FY94, when 2,312 adoptions were completed. Last year, ACS led the nation in the total number of adoptions, completing 20 percent of all adoptions in the United States.
New York City Family Court Administrative Judge Michael Gage, and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner, John Johnson, were on hand to emphasize the importance of permanency for New York City's foster children. ACS has launched several initiatives to expedite adoptions by streamlining internal procedures and coordinating efforts with the Family Court and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
With the help of a $4 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, ACS has developed a series of special projects designed to promote and expedite adoptions. Among these initiatives are the citywide public information campaign "Should I Adopt?" and the ACS Adoption Hotline (212- 676-WISH) where trained adoption representatives provide information to prospective adoptive parents. The Hotline, in operation during business hours, is staffed by five full-time representatives who can answer questions in English and Spanish.
In addition, the NYC Family Album, also funded by the W.K. Kellogg grant, features color photographs and informative biographies of children who have been freed for adoption. The NYC Family Album is available at adoption agencies citywide and at ACS' field offices located in each of the five boroughs. ACS has recently completed the second edition of the NYC Family Album. To obtain a copy of the Album, interested New Yorkers should call the Adoption Hotline at 212-676-WISH.
Contact Us | FAQs | Privacy Statement | Site Map