COAA Adoption Fair 2010

Open Adoption & Family Services and the other members of the Coalition of Oregon Adoption Agencies (COAA) proudly announce the 2010 Adoption Fair will be held on Saturday, November 13 in Portland, Ore.

The event provides prospective adoptive parents the chance to meet local adoption agencies, learn about adoption resources in Oregon and further research this choice. It will be held at Oregon Health and Science University's (OHSU) Center for Health & Healing and is sponsored by COAA, Adoption Mosaic and OHSU Family Medicine Adoption Health Services. Feel free to download the 2010 Adoption Fair flyer [.pdf 254kb] and check back for more information closer to the event.

Lights, Camera…. Action?

To celebrate our 25th Anniversary, we're launching a campaign to raise awareness about open adoption. When we established Open Adoption & Family Services (OA&FS) in 1985 -- open adoption was a new concept. Now most domestic adoptions strive to maintain some level of openness, yet the benefits of open adoption are still not widely known. Help us change that!

We've secured a pro-bono project manager who will help us create online videos and a new DVD about OA&FS, as well as public service announcements highlighting open adoption. Please see our video production wish list below and let us know if you can contribute these services or help connect us with people/organizations that may be interested in donating services for this great cause.

Thanks much and stay tuned for everything we have planned over the next year.

Video Production Wish List:

If you are a professional, know a professional in one of these areas, or if you are a skilled amateur -- we would love to hear from you!

• Video Editor to Create PBS-quality PSAs

• Sound Engineers for the dates/places below

• Animator to Create Animations/Titles/Charts

• HD Videographers for the dates/places below

• Production Assistants for the dates/places below

• Equipment Rental (jib/crane, lighting, additional audio and camera gear, potentially access to a post-production suite)

• Post Production Services (audio/color sweetening, DVD mastering and limited duplication)

Our confirmed shooting dates and locations so far are: Seattle, Sat. Aug. 7; Eugene, Sat. Aug. 21; Portland, Sat. Sept. 11.

Pregnancy Counseling

At Open Adoption & Family Services (OA&FS), we offer free pregnancy options counseling for pregnant women and couples in Oregon and Washington.

Please call us any time, day or night, to access our confidential counseling services: 1-800-772-1115.

We’re here to listen, support and empower you in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Our counselors will explore all pregnancy options with you, to help you determine the option that best suits you. Learn more about our services here.

Pregnancy Options Dialogue

Friday, October 22, Open Adoption & Family Services is co-hosting the Pregnancy Options Dialogue, a professional workshop for health-care providers organized with co-hosts the Adoption Access Network, a new national network of pro-choice adoption agencies, Backline, Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette and the Center for Health Training.

Dialogue participants will increase their skills in offering accurate and compassionate counseling and education around all aspects of pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption. Participants will also have the opportunity to network with their peers in the region. For more information, visit: www.pregnancyoptionsdialogue.org.

Oregon Adoption Class

The state of Oregon requires families to complete a 10-hour training course prior to adopting. OA&FS offers a Pre-Adoption Training Course intended for those who plan to adopt domestically. Our course meets the state’s education requirements and includes a special focus on cultivating openness in your adoption.

The next class will be held in Portland on Saturday, August 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The one-day course is comprised of six hours of on-site training and four hours of take-home materials to complete. The class will also be offered on October 23. Pre-registration is required. For fee information and to register, please call 1-800-772-1115 or e-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). You may also download a flyer about the OA&FS Oregon Pre-Adoption Training Course [.pdf 118 kb].

Tax Credit and the Affordable Health Care Act

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) signed by President Obama on Tuesday, March 23, increases the federal Adoption Tax Credit to up to $13,170 for adoptions finalized in 2010. It also makes the tax credit refundable and extends it's availability until Dec. 31, 2011.

For additional information about how this health care reform act may affect your adoption, please check out this article by the Journal of Accountancy and this Timeline of Tax Provisions by the Tax Foundation.