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Post-Adoption Services |
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Introduction Direct Service Resources Post-Adoption Services Child Development, Health, and
Medical Resources Informational Resources Appendices
Last Updated 11/10/2008
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Maine Department of Health and Human Services Adoption Program Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) In foster care, the state is the primary financial provider of the child. When the same child is adopted, the parents take on that responsibility, with the state as a supplemental resource under certain circumstances. The Adoption Assistance program that exists today was developed in accordance with federal mandates relating to Social Security legislation. A primary goal of the Maine program is to increase the number of secure, loving, and permanent homes for children in DHHS custody (or the custody of a licensed private adoption agency) who have “special needs” and who have been designated as “difficult to place”. The legal definition of “special needs” is described below. A child must have at least one of the following characteristics:
The financial and practical support provided to families who adopt these children enhances a family’s ability to create a successful adoption experience. Assistance may include the following:
Assistance provided can vary widely, depending upon a family’s specific circumstances, the resources of an eligible family, and the availability of state funds. Requests for this type of adoption assistance can be made through your adoption caseworker, or your local DHHS office. Once you are approved for adoption assistance, eligibility for services will be redetermined annually. District Funds for Post-Adoption Services Other forms of post-adoption support can be funded through separate district funds. Services are provided through licensed adoption and other human service agencies under contract with DHHS. A family requesting assistance from district funds must meet the following guidelines:
Services funded through this program may include the following:
Adoptive
and Foster Families of Maine (AFFM) Services: AFFM is the DHHS-sponsored adoptive and foster parent support organization. AFFM staff and volunteers provide information and peer support for adoptive and foster parents and children, access to an extensive book and video library, parent education programs and conferences, a website, and a monthly newsletter. AFFM staff match foster parents who have recently completed pre-service training with seasoned “mentor parents” as part of a contract with the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Child Welfare Training
Institute (CWTI) Services: CWTI collaborates with the Department of Health and Human Services in designing and coordinating training programs for foster and adoptive parents/caregivers. These workshops cover a wide variety of issues related to child development, parenting children with special needs, child welfare laws, children’s health and mental health, burn-out prevention, and navigating service delivery systems. Individuals maintaining foster care licensure and other professionals can earn continuing education credits. CWTI also coordinates the annual Foster and Adoptive Family Camp Conference (see Recreation for more information). Note: In addition to parent training, CWTI offers free on-site adoption sensitivity training for teachers and other school-based professionals. The curriculum is called “Adoption Support and Preservation” or “ASAP” and it is delivered by local multi-disciplinary training teams in all regions of the State. For more information, contact Lisa Hinckley at 626-5202. Staff Education and
Training Unit Families
and Children Together (FACT) Good
Samaritan Agency International
Adoption Services Centre
Maine
Children’s Home for Little Wanderers St.
Andres Home, Inc.
A
Family for ME Services: A DHHS-sponsored adoptive family recruitment network.
Birthline Services: Adoption information and referral. Mina
Bicknell Adoption Resource Center Services: Information, education, and support for anyone touched by adoption. Assistance with adoption searches within the state of Maine.
Maine
State Adoption Reunion Registry Services:
Adoption records for persons born or adopted in Maine. Does not
provide adoption search services. Support groups operate on the idea that people with common circumstances, values, and challenges can provide effective emotional and practical support for each other. They also promote the concept that people can surmount life’s hurdles most successfully and with greater well-being when they have others to cheer them on. During group meetings, members take turns providing and receiving support. In this way, each member is both an expert and a person seeking expertise. Prior to joining a group, it is important to assess your current needs and concerns and decide if you can commit to regular attendance at meetings. It takes time to feel comfortable and to understand how the group works. With any support group, there are some general guidelines that should be adhered to in order to provide a safe and supportive environment for participants. Principles such as maintaining confidentiality (what is shared in the group stays within the group) and being respectful should be clearly stated and upheld during group sessions. Members should speak from their own experiences and refrain from making judging statements about others in the group. Prior to your first meeting, contact the identified coordinator and ask him or her to describe how members keep the group a safe place for sharing. If you discover that the group does not give adequate attention to creating a safe environment, you will probably want to seek support elsewhere. Population-specific groups In some cases, groups target parents with specific circumstances, such as single parents, parents with children who have attachment issues, same sex parents, or parents who have adopted children from another country. In addition to providing general support for adoptive parenting issues, these groups address the unique concerns, barriers, and challenges presented by the group members’ shared circumstances. “Kinship” groups target adoptive parents who are related to their adoptive children, e.g. grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. and recognize the special difficulties with setting boundaries and role confusion that are inherent in kinship adoption. Groups for Children and Adolescents Some communities have peer groups available for adopted children and adolescents. Social workers, mental health professionals, adoptive parents, or adult adoptees usually run these groups. When a child forms supportive relationships with other adoptees and learns that his or her concerns and experiences are shared, feelings of isolation can be greatly relieved. Groups for younger children usually involve play activities that are both fun and educational. As with parent groups, some children’s groups target specific subgroups of adoptive children, such as sexually abused children, children adopted from other countries, or birth and adopted siblings. The following pages list all of the known active support groups within the state of Maine. The information was current at the time of the last revision, but you may find that some of the information is no longer accurate. We welcome updates at any time, and will edit the information for the next edition of this resource guide and its on-line version. For additional information on support groups for adoptive parents, contact: Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (800-833-9786), Maine Parent Federation (800-870-7746), Casey Family Services (207-772-4110), Care Community (207-945-4240), Maine Children’s Home (207-873-4253), or the DHHS district office (see Appendices) serving your community. [Androscoggin] [Aroostook] [Cumberland] [Franklin] [Hancock] [Kennebec] [Knox] [Lincoln] [Oxford] [Penobscot] [Piscataquis] [Sagadahoc] [Somerset] [Waldo] [Washington] [York] Kinship
Support Group [Support Groups by County] [Top]
Adoptive Families Celebrate Contact: Peggy Bouchard Telephone: (207)365-4022 Location: Sherman Mills
Adoption Support Group Contact: Lois Goodrich Community Health and Counseling Services Telephone: (207)532-5510 Location: Presque Isle
[Support Groups by County] [Top]
Adoptive Parents of Challenging Children Adoptive Parents Peer Support Group Kinship
Support Group Maine
Adoption Placement Services Maine Families With Children From Asia Parent Support Group [Support Groups by County] [Top]
Post-Adoption Support Group Contact: Susan Knowlton Telephone: 1-866-662-2739 Location: Ellsworth
[Support Groups by County] [Top]
Kinship Support Group Contact: Barbara Kates, Family Connections Telephone: 1-800-833-9786 Location: Augusta
Post-Adoption Support Group Contact: Caroline Hutchinson, LSW, Maine Children's Home Telephone: (207)622-1552 Location: Augusta/Waterville area
[Support Groups by County] [Top]
Adoptive Children’s Group (ages 9-15) Contact: Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine Telephone: (207)827-2331 or 1-800-833-9786 Location: Old Town
Kinship Support Group Contact: Barbara Kates, Family Connections Telephone: 1-800-833-9786 Location: Bangor
Parent Support Group Contact: Marge Parcak, Maine Adoption Placement Services Telephone: (207)941-9500 Location: Bangor
Parent Support Group Contact: Bette Hoxie, Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine Telephone: 1-800-833-9786 or (207)827-2331 Location: Old Town/Bangor area
[Support Groups by County] [Top]
Kinship Support Group Contact: Barbara Kates, Family Connections Telephone: 1-800-833-9786 Location: Dover-Foxcroft
[Support Groups by County] [Top]
Mid-Coast Adoption Families Contact: Robin Rushlau Telephone: (207) 737-8450 Location: Brunswick
[Support Groups by County] [Top]
Kinship Support Group Contact: Barbara Kates, Family Connections Telephone: 1-800-833-9786 Location: Machias
[Support Groups by County] [Top]
Southern Maine Support Group for Foster and Adoptive Parents Contact: Pam Thurlow Telephone: (207)490-0052 Location: Southern Maine [Support Groups by County [Top]
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