CATHOLIC CHARITIES CYO’S NEW ADOPTION PARTNERSHIP

Editor's Note..The following expands on the article time stamped prior to this regarding the New Alliance between the San Francisco, Roman Catholic Archdiocese, and a more Gay Friendly Agency which will help to place children for adoption...needless to say this alliance is causing quite a stir in the conservative RC Press.

August 2, 2006

San Francisco, CA ­Catholic Charities CYO announced today that the agency’s Adoption Network has developed a new strategic partnership that will help more foster children in California find permanent homes with loving families.

Catholic Charities CYO, in a collaborative effort in conjunction with California Kids Connection, the state-wide adoption exchange provided by non-profit Oakland-based Family Builders By Adoption - and the State Department of Social Services, will expand the State-wide information and referral link for families to support the public county agencies that have responsibility for the welfare of over 82,000 children in out-of-home care.

Catholic Charities CYO Executive Director Brian Cahill noted, “Catholic Charities CYO has been privileged to serve the Bay Area for nearly 100 years in promoting and facilitating adoptions. As our agency moves towards its centennial year of service, this transition to a larger collaborative effort is timely and bolsters the effectiveness of both of our programs, as it utilizes Internet technology to open the minds and hearts of so many potential parents.”

Family Builders By Adoption Executive Director Jill Jacobs explained, “The collaboration will allow us to expand the program, to add more resources and more staff, and will ensure permanent families for more children and youth in foster care. We estimate that the partnership with Catholic Charities CYO will more than double the number of children being posted on the site, and ultimately, many more being adopted each year.”

Cahill continued, “It is a privilege to be working with Jill Jacobs and the Family Builders team. They are a highly-respected, quality organization, and this exciting new partnership allows us to greatly expand and leverage our resources within the current child welfare system.”

Following the decision of the Boston Archdiocese to close its adoption program, Archbishop George H. Niederauer asked Catholic Charities CYO to conduct an in-depth review of the agency’s current Adoption Network. He explained, “I asked them to design a new program that will greatly assist the large number of children trapped in California’s foster care system. They responded most effectively. They took the time to research and plan a strong, collaborative support program that will have greater impact than ever before on the children waiting to be adopted, in a way that is compatible with both Catholic moral teaching and the requirements of civil law.”

“Families searching for children will have access to profiles and photographs of thousands of children to consider for adoption with a simple process via the website www.cakidsconnection.com. In a second component, Catholic Charities CYO, as part of its expanded parish outreach efforts in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties, will work with the parishes of the San Francisco Archdiocese and reach out to find caring families for these most vulnerable children in our midst.” Archbishop Niederauer explained. “Catholic Charities CYO will work with the pastors and parish staffs to develop and implement a program that will communicate to our parishioners the immense need for adoptive families for at risk youth, encourage parish families to consider whether they might be able to open their hearts to such a child, and provide information and guidance for those families who signal an interest.”

Cahill explains the transition, “Catholic Charities CYO will not be involved in individual home studies, specific family/child matching, adoptive placements or finalizations. We will shift our focus and substantial financial and staff resources to education, outreach, information-sharing and linking inquiring families to the county and private agencies that can take potential parents to the next step on the pathway to adoption, which will directly help more families and children get connected.”

Cahill concluded, “We are grateful that our new Archbishop helped us to craft a solution which allows us to continue to serve the tremendous needs of these vulnerable children, which will provide substantially greater breadth, reach and numbers than we have been able to accomplish in the past.”