In 2003, Adopt New Mexico Children completed the third year of a four year contract with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. The program focuses on promotion and support services for special needs children and the families who seek to adopt them.

Special needs children are those who have significant developmental, emotional or mental health challenges that have made placement difficult. Most of these children are in or approaching their teens, making placement even more difficult.

La Familia completed 15 special needs adoptions in 2003 and initiated 22 more, most of which will be completed in 2003-04.

Training and Meetings
67 adoptive and foster families received training to prepare for the placement of special needs children in their homes. La Familia participated in more than 50 hours of meetings in relation to the Adopt NM Children contract.

Recruitment Activities
La Familia supported CYFD by assisting with several statewide activities to recruit potential adoptive families:

Adoption Exchange Telethon
Oct. 20, 2002

Run For Adoption
Nov 10, 2002

Home studies include in-depth interviews and assessment at the home and help determine the family’s readiness and appropriateness for adoption.

La Familia received 80 referrals for home studies during the 2002–03 contract year, exceeding the anticipated total by 60%. Referrals originated from Bernalillo, Cibola, San Juan, Taos, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Valencia and Torrance Counties.

Post Placement Services
The purpose of post placement services is to provide support and additional training to families who have accepted a placement for adoption. During 2002-03, La Familia managed 44 post placement referrals, including 22 new referrals, 15 referrals carried over from the previous year and several families whose referrals were terminated by CYFD or the family.

Overall, 15 families finalized adoptions. Referrals originated from Bernalillo, Cibola, McKinley, Torrance, Santa Fe, Valencia, San Juan and Sandoval Counties.

Post Decree Services
Post-decree services are provided to families after an adoption is finalized to support the integration of the special needs child into the family and to assist the adoptive parents as they learn to address the child‘s long-term needs. In all, La Familia provided services to 13 families. Referrals were received from Bernalillo, Rio Arriba, Taos, Santa Fe and Tucumcari Counties.

Pre-Placement Services
Matching
La Familia participated in or attended staffings to review potential matches for 12 adoptive children. These meetings typically involve the CYFD case manager for the child, a CYFD placement social worker, and other professionals actively involved in a placement.

Disclosure
After a child is matched to a family, but before adoptive placement can move

forward, the adoptive parents attend a special meeting with the professional team to learn the child’s history in detail. La Familia participated in or attended 23 full disclosure meetings for 34 children during 2002-03.

Calendar
The adoption calendar process is planned and tracked on a timeline which reflects the needs of the child and the adoptive family for a smooth transition into an adoptive placement. La Familia participated, helped develop, facilitated or supervised the pre-placement calendar for 14 adoptive families and 18 children.

Discharge Planning
Adoption discharge planning helps children prepare for adoption and ensures involvement in after care services, such as Special Education placement, therapy, psychiatry, and pediatric care upon placement in the adoptive home.

Support Groups
Relationships formed in adoption support groups often smooth the challenging adjustment to special needs parenting. La Familia served four counties (Rio Arriba, Bernalillo, San Juan and Taos) through 25 adoption support group meetings during 2002-03, reaching 114 participants. Child care services were provided to 98 children.

Respite
Most parents recognize the need to take a break periodically from the stresses of parenting. Respite services are designed especially to support the parents of special needs children. In the past year 47 days of respite were provided to nine families.