More than a decade ago, a dream came into being at the Coalition – a vision of statewide post-adoption support services for families and young people.
We made the case with legislators. We talked with leadership at the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. When we learned there was not good data on what services would best support families, we partnered with Cornell University to conduct a statewide survey of adoptive parents.
Parents and Professionals Identify Post Adoption Service Needs in New York State
During the winter of 2009/2010, a survey was undertaken to help determine the post adoption service needs of families in New York. The final report included information on current programs in NYS, research on post adoption service needs of families, the survey results, and recommendations for future services. This survey remains the only one of its kind in New York and directly lead to the state’s implementation of Regional Permanency Resource Centers.
The final report below includes information on current programs in New York, research on post adoption service needs of families, the survey results, and recommendations for future services.
- Final Report: Parents and Professionals Identify Post Adoption Services Needs in New York State (pdf)
- Complete Survey Response Data (pdf)
Available county specific information can be obtained by contacting the Coalition directly.
- The Coaltion’s submission to the 2/4/2015 New York State Human Services Budget Hearing (pdf) for information about the need for services
- Advocating for Post Adoption Support: Tools to Promote Parent-Led and Child Driven Services (pdf)
As a result of this advocacy work, in 2016, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) launched the Regional Permanency Resource Center initiative. The Coalition was one of twelve organizations chosen to initiate regional post-adoption and post-guardianship support programs. Our Adoptive and Guardianship Assistance Program for Everyone (AGAPE) came into being.
Since then, the Coalition’s AGAPE has grown to serve nineteen counties – or one-third of all counties outside of New York City. For the families who desperately need support, and for the children and youth who need and deserve the stability of loving, permanent families, we opened up additional offices on both Long Island and Ithaca. The Coalition staff grew form one employee under an Executive Director to over twenty!
We continue to build and grow the Coalition’s role and place in New York’s child welfare world and we continued to work; building on existing relationships and considering the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.