David Grislis of Narragansett, Rhode Island shares a new story on National Adoption Month. Enjoy the presentation and please reach out with any questions.

1. NATIONAL ADOPTION
MONTH
David Grislis

2. • I am a huge proponent for adoption and foster care
• Following and aiding in any way I can with foster
care programs or adoption programs is one of my
life’s passions
• I feel that in someway I will always be involved in
this amazing process to help children find the
perfect family and families find the perfect child
• No matter the age, everyone deserves a family
around them

3. • As you may know, November is National Adoption
Month
• The Children’s Bureau initiative brings a lot of
attention to children that await a permanent family
and home
• The Children’s Bureau initiative is closely supported by
Child Welfare Information Gateway and AdoptUSKids
• These organizations do amazing work and really shine
a light on the need for adoption in the United States

4. • The initiative for this month has been focused around finding older
youths a permanent home
• The current slogan is “We Never Outgrow the Need for Family.”
According to a recent study, youth ages 15-18 make up 5% of the
foster care population
• This population is currently pegged around 84,778 children
• This period in a child’s life is absolutely critical to have a strong
foundation to fall back on
• The current initiative of focusing more intently on this age range will
help decrease school dropout, violence, unemployment,
homelessness, and interactions with the law
• These children need a supportive family to help them excel and
shoot for greatness and success

5. • For more video based information on National
Adoption Month you can find a full gallery of
clips on the Child Welfare website here
• You can also find tons of more information on
events, stories, webinars, and more from the
links listed on the next slide

6. USEFUL LINKS
• Explore the History of National Adoption Month
• View the We Never Outgrow the Need for Family illustration by AdoptUSKids
• Find information for adoption professionals, including recruiting families for older youth
• Browse information for prospective adoptive families on adopting older youth from foster care
• Hear firsthand stories of youth waiting for adoption
• Peruse examples of how agencies and communities can spread the word about National Adoption Month
• Read the 2014 Presidential Proclamation for National Adoption Month—2015 coming soon
• Read the Children's Bureau Message
• Watch the Webinar - National Adoption Month 2015:We Never Outgrow the Need for Family

7. David Grislis
Thank you very much for reading and if you have any
questions regarding adoption or foster care please use
the contact form here!