At Open Adoption & Family Services we are pro-choice, welcome diversity, and offer fully open adoptions with lifelong services.
"The seminar was valuable in that it gave more insight on OA&FS and the philosophy it embodies. It also made us realize we had found the right place at the right time. It took away any fears." - OA&FS Seminar Attendee
"We came to OA&FS by word of mouth with great recommendations. The philosophy of openness and honesty is a value we embrace and choose to live by." - OA&FS Adoptive Parents
"By being able to actually meet birthparents and adoptive parents, it cemented the process and expectations for us. Understanding how the birthparents are counseled made us feel like the best interests of the child are paramount." - OA&FS Seminar Attendee
"Very good services, openly welcoming and affirming for gays and lesbians." - OA&FS Adoptive Parents
"I respect the philosophical perspective of OA&FS - the commitment to everyone involved in the process. I also appreciate the recognition of gay couples and single parents." - OA&FS Seminar Attendee
In This Section
About Open Adoption & Family Services.
Open Adoption & Family Services, (OA&FS), is a non-profit, pro-choice agency that welcomes diversity. Pregnant women/couples receive compassion and unbiased support as they explore all of their pregnancy options. If they decide to plan an open adoption, they choose, meet and create a friendship with adoptive parents that is similar to an extended family relationship. Our fully open adoptions include ongoing visits and lifelong services.
OA&FS is the first and only agency in the Pacific Northwest founded on the philosophy of openness in adoption. We do more domestically-born newborn placements than any other agency in the region. Our first office opened in Eugene, Oregon in 1985. We’re now licensed in both Oregon and Washington and provide services throughout the entire United States. Our offices are located in Seattle, Portland and Eugene.
We’re also part of an innovative partnership. Open Adoption & Family Services and Friends in Adoption have teamed up to form the National Pro-Choice Adoption Collaborative (NPAC), a union of two high-integrity agencies with a shared philosophy. We’re pro-choice, not religiously affiliated, embrace diversity and offer lifelong services. With our empowerment model, we’ve become the national experts in open adoption. Each of our non-profit agencies has 30+ years of experience, and we place children up to the age of three and one-half in open adoptions. We have offices on the east and west coasts, and work with expectant parents nationwide.
Connect with us.
Are you pregnant or parenting? Or is your partner, or someone close to you, pregnant or parenting? Learn more about the support we can provide. We’re honored to offer our services to women and couples throughout the United States. If you live in the Northwest and would like to meet in person we have offices in Portland and Eugene, Oregon and Seattle, Washington or we’ll come to you. Or, connect with a call, text or fill out our online inquiry form. (OA&FS can place children in adoption up to the age of three and one-half.)
If you’re pregnant and would like to explore your options:
Call 1-800-772-1115.
A counselor can talk with you now. We’re available 24/7 to listen and provide you with a compassionate, non-judgmental space to talk about your thoughts and feelings. You’ll be treated with dignity and respect as you explore all of your options.
Text “open” to 971-266-0924.
Text answering available 9 am-5 pm PST, Monday through Friday.
A counselor will contact you shortly when submitted Monday-Friday from 9 am-5 pm PST. If outside of these hours, we’ll reach out to you the following weekday.
Para Español: 800-985-6763.
Oficinas ubicadas en Oregon y Washington. Sirviendo a mujeres embarazadas y parejas por todos los Estados Unidos.
If you’re a prospective adoptive parent:
Call for info.
Our Client Services Manager is here to help you Monday thru Friday, 9 am-5 pm PST. She can answer your specific questions and also sign you up for our free Adoption Information Meeting or Adoptive Parent Seminar! To get free info anytime fill out the online form.
For Origins Counseling inquiries:
Call 1-800-309-2146
to schedule your appointment. This line will be answered by a live person Mon.-Fri. from 9 am- 5 pm. If calling outside of these times, please leave a message and we’ll return your call during business hours. Or, use our online inquiry form.
For all other inquiries email OA&FS:
Or contact one of our offices:
OREGON
Portland (Directions)
5200 SW Macadam Suite 250,
Portland, OR 97239
503-226-4870
Eugene
315 West 10th Ave.,
Eugene, OR 97401
541-343-4825
WASHINGTON
Seattle
2815 Eastlake Ave. E., Suite 160
Seattle, WA 98102
206-782-0442
How does counseling help expectant parents?
Counseling offers you a safe place to explore all of your options. We’re here to empower you with the information you need to make the choice that feels best to you. We are honored to offer you compassion, understanding and respect.
What makes us different from most adoption agencies is that we are here to support you no matter what decision you make. We are a non-profit, pro-choice agency not affiliated with any religion, and will treat you with dignity and respect. If you’d like to meet a counselor in person, we have offices in Portland, Eugene and Seattle or we’re happy to come to you.
What to expect during pregnancy options counseling.
An OA&FS counselor will listen and provide support as you consider each of your choices: parenting, abortion or adoption. You’ll explore questions such as:
- How would each choice affect my everyday life?
- How do each of the choices fit with my values and beliefs?
- What would each choice mean to the people closest to me?
- Who can I count on to support me through this process?
- What are my plans for the future?
Your donation makes our alternative to state adoption available to those in need.
In these uncertain political times, it’s more important than ever we ensure the needs of vulnerable expectant parents and their children are being met. And with your support, you’ll make an enormous impact on the life of a child by helping to prevent them from entering foster care in the first place. Our alternative to state adoption is a humane choice for birthparents that gives these kids a way out. Help us broadcast this message and insure that child welfare workers and service providers, who work with high risk moms throughout the country, know about and can easily access our unique services.
The future of these vulnerable children matters. As a society, it is all of our responsibility to bring safety, stability and a family to their lives. No child should have their basic human rights denied. They don’t have a voice in this system, so let’s speak up for them. They deserve a home and a family who loves them.
Join us in making a difference in the lives of these children here in Oregon, and across the country. Let them know you care about their welfare. Give them the hope of a place at the table for Thanksgiving, the support of a loving family and a bright future ahead.
Agency news.
We’re hiring!
- Check back here for future job opportunities!
OA&FS in the media.
- Rational Enquirer. Our very own open adoptee, Taylor Roghair, wrote an article about her open adoption experience for the 21st edition of the Oregon Teen Pregnancy Task Force’s Rational Enquirer It’s available in print and online. The Rational Enquirer is distributed to over 5,000 schools, health centers and social service agencies annually in Oregon. This publication is primarily by and for teens on a variety of topics regarding adolescent sexual health.
- NW Kids Magazine. OA&FS adoptive mom and magazine editor Kelley Schaefer-Levi interviews open adoptees in “The Voices of Open Adoption: A Q&A.”
- Portland Radio Project’s Community Voices. This public service program features four interviews with OA&FS community members representing different perspectives of open adoption. Hear from OA&FS Executive Director Shari Levine, birthfather Garrett, adoptive mother Heather and birthmother Sage.
- Connecting the Dots of Adoption. Becca Freimuth taps into the expertise of OA&FS Executive Director Shari Levine for this feature in Klipsun.
- Open Adoption: From Bias to Genuine Love. Author Ron Schultz of Entrepreneurs4Change interviews OA&FS Executive Director Shari Levine.
- Open adoption fosters relationships that benefit child. OA&FS Executive Director Shari Levine explains how open adoption works in this article for the Eugene Register-Guard.
- Do you have any children? A difficult question to answer. OA&FS Board Member and Birthmother Melissa Busch, (formerly Valencia-Manerini), shares her feelings about answering this typical question from a birthparent’s point of view. Picked up from RH Reality Check by the Huffington Post.
- “Think Out Loud” Open Adoption Family Holidays. In this Oregon Public Broadcasting program, OA&FS adoptive Mom Heather Allmain and other Oregonians share how their family celebrates the holidays. Heather’s contributions are about seven minutes into the program.
- Open adoption keeps birth family involved. This article from The Columbian features OA&FS adoptee Gavin Vallance, and shows how his birth and adoptive families keep their connection alive.
Our expertise: open adoption
and reproductive choices.
Media Inquiries
Interested in writing a story about Open Adoption & Family Services? Need a source for open adoption or reproductive choices information? You’ve come to the right place. Simply contact our Marketing and Development Director Sally Shuey, 503-226-4870, sally@openadopt.org. She’ll be happy to make connections for you.
Presentations
Because of our agency’s decades of experience, we often give presentations to groups both locally and nationally. For these presentations on the changing world of adoption, we draw from materials developed by OA&FS as well as other subject matter experts. Click below to download materials of interest to you. If you’d like to schedule OA&FS to speak at your organization, please contact us.
- Open Adoption in the 21st Century. Developed in conjuction with Friends in Adoption as part of the National Pro-Choice Adoption Collaborative.
- Empowering Expectant Parents. Free webinar in which service providers can learn about an engaging, client-driven all-options pregnancy counseling model in which they can assist women facing an unplanned pregnancy with their decision-making process. Also addressed is our new alternative to state adoption.
- Gay and Lesbian Parenting Facts. We welcome gay and lesbian adoptive parents. Here’s why.
- Pew Research Center Report: Millennials in Adulthood. Because we understand the needs of Millennial birthparents, they are drawn to our program and our empowerment model.
- Same Sex Adoption Laws by State. From the Family Equality Council.
- Post Adoption Statutes. Compiled by Florida’s Children First.
Counselor Sari with OA&FS adoptee Emma and adoptive parents Kevin and Joe.
Meet our staff.
Dedicated, professional and hospitous.
We care deeply about the needs of the clients we serve. Our counselors embody all that hospitiousness celebrates — working with clients in a way that gives them a sense of being completely welcomed, accepted and comfortable. Our offices are located in Oregon and Washington, and from that base counselors work with clients throughout the U.S. Their social services experience, advanced degrees and ability to navigate a wide variety of situations make them key pillars of the OA&FS mission. Our support staff enriches these efforts with specialized expertise in program management, client support, marketing and financial services.
Portland
Management and Counseling Staff
Shari Levine, MA, Executive Director
Shari has been a key part of OA&FS since 1992. She is honored to watch birth and adoptive parents cultivate and nurture healthy open adoption relationships that meet the ongoing needs of the child. As the director at OA&FS, Shari is grateful for the opportunity to advocate for OA&FS’ high-integrity open adoption model locally and nationally. Read Shari's bio. Connect on LinkedIn.
Suzie Williams, MA, Counselor, Program Manager
Suzie began working at OA&FS in 1993. She appreciates the agency’s commitment to enhancing the services provided based on what is learned from ongoing contact with clients and families. Suzie is inspired by the compassion, honesty, and integrity that birth families and adoptive families model for their children within their open adoption relationships.
Sari Prevost, MA, Counselor
Sari came to OA&FS in 2002, and loves how she is always challenged to be the best that she can be at her job. She is impressed and inspired by the families she works with that allow her to witness their transformation as they move through amazing journeys. Sari is honored to be a part of an agency that has great integrity and is truly a leader in fully open, respectful, hospitious adoptions.
Noelle Ferguson, MS, Counselor
Noelle, who joined OA&FS in 2017, has a Bachelor's degree in Education from University of Oregon and Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from San Francisco State University. She's worked with children and families for over 16 years providing developmental assessments and family support for children with special needs. Noelle is excited to be part of a progressive and dynamic team working to not only provide support and options to expectant parents but to help foster the creation of new families through openness and connection.
Ally Simone, MS, Counselor
Ally joined the OA&FS staff in 2016. She has worked with diverse populations as a counselor and case manager and is honored to be part of an organization that shares her values, respect for diversity and autonomy, and strength-based perspective. She is inspired by the ability of others to draw upon internal resources such as strength and compassion during periods of transition and grateful for the opportunity to witness the process of personal growth, healing, and relationship development that is unique to open adoption.
Support Staff
Sally Shuey, Marketing & Development Director
Sally brought her love of all things marketing to OA&FS in 2012. Tasked with directing the communications, fundraising and events efforts for the agency, She's inspired by the OA&FS mission and welcoming spirit. Sally specializes in strategic marketing, social media, web design and print production, and uses these platforms to connect people in need of pregnancy counseling and open adoption services to OA&FS.
Lori Maas, Client Services Manager
Lori has been at the support helm of OA&FS since 1999. She explains the agency's child-centered philosophy to prospective adoptive parents, and helps them get started with the process when they choose to work with OA&FS. Lori also provides ongoing support to adoptive parents and counseling staff, and is proud to work for an agency that so honestly reflects her own values.
Cindy Lee, Fiscal Manager
Cindy joined OA&FS in 1996. She began her tenure as Office Manager, and added fiscal responsibilities in 1999. Cindy also coordinates IT and HR for the agency. She loves the diversity of her job and appreciates the amazing staff she works with on a daily basis. Cindy takes great satisfaction in working for a non-profit that's continually evolving and finding new ways to be more inclusive and transparent in the services it offers.
Melissa Mulally, Outreach Coordinator
Melissa joined the OA&FS team in 2017. She supports community partnerships with organizations by providing the agency’s latest resources and coordinating trainings. She admires the welcoming, transparent nature of OA&FS and is moved by the positive outcomes of open adoption. Melissa is honored to communicate and connect service providers with the impactful services provided by the agency.
Eugene
Management and Counseling Staff
Jan Jamieson, BA, Regional Supervisor / Counselor
Jan became a part of OA&FS in 2005. She loves the opportunity to work with and meet so many amazing, insightful, generous people. Jan is honored to watch as open adoptions unfold over time, especially when she hears stories from birthparents, adoptive parents, and their children talk about how much they all care about one another.
Irie Hoffman, M.Ed., Counselor
Irie began working at OA&FS in 2010. She appreciates that OA&FS is a progressive, extremely supportive, inclusive agency. As a counselor, she is always taken aback by the grace and selflessness she witnesses in her clients. Irie appreciates that OA&FS empowers people to be their best, and she is honored to support the lifelong connections that are created.
Adam Thomas, Outreach Coordinator
Adam began working at OA&FS in 2016 as Outreach Coordinator. He enjoys working for a non-profit where women and couples are valued and not only have a chance to learn about all of their options, but have an opportunity to make a decision based on their own individual wants/needs. He feels it an honor being part of an organization that stands up for people’s rights and that he has the pleasure of being surrounded by counselors that truly take their work to heart each and every day.
Seattle
Management and Counseling Staff
Heather Goldy, MSW, Regional Supervisor
Heather has been a social worker since 1997, and became a counselor at OA&FS in 2010. She loves engaging with families and children as they process a deep array of emotions, and she highly values the cutting edge information, education, and research brought to staff, adoptive parents and birth parents. Heather says it is a privilege to witness the respectful, caring, thoughtful nature in which two families come together through open adoption.
Delphine Veith, MSW, Counselor
Delphine joined OA&FS as a counselor in 2015. She appreciates being part of people’s journeys at a pivotal time in their lives, and being able to witness the unfolding of new families and relationships over time through open adoptions. Delphine is proud of the progressive history of OA&FS, including providing full options counseling for expectant parents. She strives to support everyone in making informed and empowered decisions for themselves and for their children, and enjoys the diverse group of people she interacts with through this work.
Lynn Skirven, LCSW-A, Counselor
Lynn comes to open adoption with a variety of experiences in child welfare. After working in the foster care system, she recognized the importance of building a healthy and deep connection between birth an adoptive families. Lynn is drawn to OA&FS' progressive and empowering approach to open adoption.
Erin Parshall, MA LMHCA, Counselor
Erin joined the Seattle OA&FS team in 2018.
Support Staff
Katie Lightner, Office Manager / Outreach Coordinator
Katie joined the Seattle OA&FS team in 2018.
Eastern Oregon
Angie Lunde, MTE (MA), Counselor
Angie joined the team at OA&FS in 2007 after a career in parent education and family support. She values working with pregnant women and couples as they face difficult choices, and she appreciates the opportunity to witness the hospitious nature of adoptive parents as they welcome birth families into their lives. Open adoption fits with Angie’s belief in the importance of honesty and integrity in relationships.
Eastern Washington
Marianne Harris, MS, Counselor
Marianne has been a part of the OA&FS team since 2009. She appreciates watching open adoption relationships form as “extended family.” Marianne enjoys supporting adoptive families, and she says advocating for women who are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of her work.
Hear from families living in open adoptions.
We’re amazed by the abundance of misinformation concerning open adoption. One of the ways we counter this is by sharing stories from OA&FS families. These first-person narratives give voice to the many benefits of child-centered open adoptions.
Have a take you’d like to share? Stories are welcome from all points of the adoption constellation. Please contact Marketing & Development Director Sally Shuey at sally@openadopt.org. She’ll be very happy to hear from you.
About open adoption.
The field of adoption has undergone sweeping changes over the years. In fact, according to a recent research project by the Donaldson Adoption Institute (a national adoption think tank), the era of closed adoption is over. In their report, “Untangling the Web: The Internet’s Transformative Impact on Adoption” they state that, since the process of finding birth relatives is accessible and commonplace, closed adoptions are a thing of the past.
At Open Adoption & Family Services, we have been cultivating and supporting open adoptions since our inception in 1985. In an open adoption, birthparents choose adoptive parents after reading a comprehensive packet of materials about them. They meet and create a relationship that is similar to an extended family. Since our expertise is in the area of relationship development, we work with birth and adoptive parents to help them build a strong and healthy foundation to their open adoption relationship. Together, they create a legally enforceable adoption agreement that outlines their ongoing visits.
Ongoing contact provides birthparents with the reassurance that their child is thriving in the adoptive home. This helps them feel at peace with their decision. Knowing that the birthparents fully support the adoption, the adoptive parents feel secure in welcoming the birthparents into their lives.
Open adoption relationships are built on a foundation of mutual respect. In an open adoption, adoptive parents and birthparents value one another’s unique role in the child’s life. By witnessing this relationship, the child feels an unconditional acceptance of his full identity. The child has direct access to information about his history and answers to his questions. This allows for healthy development of the child’s identity and self-esteem. Children need to know that these important people believe in them, love them, and celebrate them.
OA&FS is a non-profit, pro-choice agency that offers an empowerment model to expectant parents. They are treated with dignity and respect as they explore all of their pregnancy options. They are empowered with extensive information so they can make the decision that feels best to them. Regardless of their choice, they receive compassion and support.
We honor diversity and welcome same-sex couples, single parents, as well as married couples. Our fully open adoptions include ongoing visits and lifelong services. We provide adoption-related counseling, relationship guidance and mediation. We have a thriving open adoption community, with ongoing events throughout the year, including a birthmother’s retreat. All services are free of charge to expectant parents and birthparents.
At OA&FS, our goal is for all of our clients – birthparents, adoptive parents and open adoptees – to feel at home in their open adoptions. Feeling at home is the reassuring sense of being completely welcomed, accepted and comfortable.
Adoption has changed tremendously since the days of closed adoption. Adoption has come out of the shadows and shed decades of secrecy. Now birth and adoptive parents form natural friendships that meet the ongoing needs of the child. Adoption is an experience they can all regard with pride.
Written by Shari Levine, MA. Shari is the Executive Director of Open Adoption and Family Services and has been with the agency since 1992. She’s also the adoptive mom of two children who were born and raised in open adoptions. Shari has very close relationships with both of their birthmoms.
Connect with the experts in all-options counseling and open adoption.
Open Adoption & Family Services (OA&FS) and Friends in Adoption (FIA), two non-profit, high-integrity, national agencies have formed The National Pro-choice Adoption Collaborative, (NPAC). Our agencies are very unique in that we are pro-choice, not religiously affiliated and do not discriminate.
Much misinformation still exists about adoption. Many unsuspecting women fall prey to exploitative, for-profit adoption facilitators. Additionally, over 95% of adoption agencies are religiously affiliated, advocating an anti-choice agenda and antiquated adoption practices.
NPAC provides an empowerment model to expectant parents, and will truly honor your individual choice. We are the experts in open adoption. The genuine and lasting child-centered relationship is at the core of our high-quality option adoptions. Over the past thirty years we’ve placed nearly 4,000 children.
Learn More About NPAC
Access tools and resources to empower expectant parents with our free webinar.
Expectant parents deserve access to unbiased, accurate information about all of their pregnancy options: parenting, abortion and adoption. Learn about an engaging, client-driven all-options pregnancy counseling model in which you can assist women facing an unplanned pregnancy with their decision-making process.
You’ll also become familiar with our new alternative to state adoption. Many high risk moms assume that adoption is an adversarial process of losing their child to the state. Learn about our new pre-emptive step to state adoption in which these moms can proactively plan an open adoption for their child.
View webinar video.
Watch “Empowering Expectant Parents” as presented by Shari Levine, OA&FS Executive Director. Want to learn more? These additional resources can help.
- Guttmacher Institute statistics on unintended pregnancy.
- Abortion pill/medication pill details.
- Surgical/in-clinic abortion process.
- Planned Parenthood.
- Abortion Care Network.
- Backline Abortion Resources.
- Open Adoption & Family Services options counseling.
- Backline Toll-Free Talkline.
- Pregnancy options workbook.
- OA&FS process description: how you choose adoptive parents.
- OA&FS’ large diverse pool of families.
- OA&FS adoption planning process.
- OA&FS placement and entrustment video.
- OA&FS alternative to state adoption process, videos.
- Open adoption experiences: Sharene’s Story video.
- Open adoptee Brianna on open adoption video.
- Open adoptee videos.
View and download slides.
Present at your convenience with these slides and the printable versions of all the support documents listed below (in order of appearance).
- Outline for Options Counseling
- Tools for Your Agency
- Pregnancy Options Questions to Consider
- Planned Parenthood Abortion Types Frequently Asked Questions
- Difficult Questions/Statements
- Options Counseling Resources
- Myths and Facts about Open Adoption
- Placement and Entrustment Ceremony VIDEO
- 15 Reasons to Choose OA&FS
- Important Questions to Ask When Comparing Adoption Services
- Pregnancy Options and Open Adoption Resources for Service Providers
The future we work towards.
What should adoption look like five or ten years from now? Whose voice will affect the trajectory of adoption? At OA&FS we gain our insights from listening to the experiences of open adoptees. This infographic traces the history of adoption over decades, and brings us to a new level of understanding about what adoptees truly need.
Infographic: The Adoption Reform Movement Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Click on image to view full size, download and print.
Publications with first hand experience.
At Open Adoption & Family Services, we’ve learned so much from working with expectant parents and families who are in the midst of making decisions regarding reproductive choices and open adoption. We feel strongly that this learning should be shared, and regularly publish original articles that illuminate the multi-dimensional experiences of our clients. Read our annual reports and “Open Page” newsletters below for stories, insights and continuing education.
“Open Page” Newsletter
Our “Open Page” newsletter is now a blog, however you can access back issues here:
- Spring 2014 (PDF). Articles include: Openness as an Attachment Enhancer, Talking with your Child about Their Adoption, Make Lasting Connections Through Groups, Teen Affinity Group, Agency News — Birthmothers’ Retreat, Out-of-State Placements UP, Origins Therapy.
- Summer 2013. Articles include: Celebrating Marriage Equality in Washington, Adoption Transparency Law, How to Talk About your Open Adoption, Agency News — Marketing and More, Birthmothers’ Celebrated at Retreat.
- Fall 2012 (PDF). Articles include: Hospitality in Action; Keep OA&FS in the Loop. This keepsake edition provides a unique picture of how truly hospitious open adoptions work in the real world.
- Spring 2012 (PDF). Articles include: Feeling at Home in Your Open Adoption; Gritter Event; Developing Resiliency: Seven Core Beliefs; Milestones and Changes by OA&FS Birthmother and Birthmother Mentor Bethany; Communicating to Resolve Issues also by Bethany.
- Winter 2011. Articles include: About My Open Adoption by Ariel (Open Adoptee); Why We Chose Open Adoption by Ariel’s Family; Milestone Reached with DHS; OA&FS Sister Agencies; The Birthmom to Birthmom Connection by Liane (OA&FS Birthmother).
- Summer 2011. Articles include: New OA&FS Web Site Launches, Creating Community by OA&FS Adoptive Mother Lisa Adriance, Becoming A Family by OA&FS Adoptive Father Scobie Puchtler, Resource for Seattle-Area Families by OA&FS Adoptive Mother and AFFGS Volunteer Toni Higgs, Bulgarian Adoption Professionals Visit OA&FS, Open Adoption: What Do You Want the World to Know? and more.
- Fall 2010, (PDF). OA&FS 25th Anniversary Issue, articles include: Raising Awareness About Open Adoption; Remembering Annette Baran; Meet Board Member April Vanderkamp (Open Adoptee); Pregnancy Options Dialogue in Portland; Birthmother Retreat 2010; Volunteer Spotlight: A Birthmom Shares Her Wisdom; OA&FS Joins the Adoption Access Network.
- Winter 2010. Articles include: Opening Adoption: A National Trend; Do You Have Any Children? by Birthmom and OA&FS Board Member Melissa Busch; Study Includes OA&FS Families; Culture, Race and Opennness; Birthparent Grief and Openness; Support for Adoptive Parents.
- Summer 2009 (PDF). Transracial adoption issue, articles include: Preparing for Transracial Adoption; Pregnancy Options Dialogue, Interview with Claire (Open Adoptee adopted transracially); Lifegivers: An Annual Retreat for Birthmothers; Words from Adoptive Parents Who Adopted Transracially; Resources for Transracial Adoption; A Transracially-Adopted Child’s Bill of Rights.
- Winter 2008 (PDF). Articles include: Dialogue with David (Open Adoptee and OA&FS Board Member); Rain or Shine Children’s Book Now Available; This I Believe by Ashleigh (Birth sister of Lela); Adoption Dialogue; Dan Savage; Making Room In Our Hearts book review by Kathleen Silber; OA&FS Teen Panel and Birthmother’s Story DVDs Available.
- Spring 2008 (PDF). Articles include: Benefits of Birthfather Involvement; Birthfather’s Matter; Including Birthfathers?; Juno movie review by Shari Levine (OA&FS Executive Director); 2008 Client Survey.
- Summer 2007 (PDF). Articles include: Out of Touch 2: Guidance from a Birthparent on Maintaining Contact; Sharing the News: Why Adoptive Parents Might Slip Out of Touch by Carol Merwin (OA&FS Board Member and Adoptive Mother); Life Challenges Can Create Distance; Insights from Lifegivers Retreat
- Spring 2007 (PDF). Articles include: Openness Without Contact?; Out of Touch: Why Some Birthparents Are Unable to Stay in Contact; Honoring Sibling Connections; Tool Kit for Creating a Culture of Openness In Your Adoption; Ask Astrid; Openness A to Z by Carol Merwin (OA&FS Board Member and Adoptive Mother).
Learn along the way, with these resources.
Adoption by LGBTQ Parents
Books and Publications:
Organizations:
The Adult Adoptee Perspective
Websites:
- Lavender Luz. Blog about adoption and mindful living.
Books and Publications:
- Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self by David Brodzinsky, Marshall D. Schechter and Robin Marantz Henig
- Journey of the Adopted Self: A Quest for Wholeness by Betty Jean Lifton
- May the Circle be Unbroken: An Intimate Journey into the Heart of Adoption by Lynn C. Franklin with Elizabeth Ferber
Attachment and Adoption
Books and Publications:
- A Child’s Journey Through Placement by Vera Fahlberg
- Adopting the Hurt Child: Hope for Families with Special Needs Kids by Gregory Keck, PhD, and Regina Kupecky, LSW
- Attaching Through Love, Hugs, Play: Simple Strategies to Help Build Connections with Your Child by Deborah D. Gray
- Attachment-Focused Parenting: Effective Strategies to Care for Children by Daniel A. Hughes
- Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today’s Parents by Deborah D. Gray, MSW
- Attachment, Trauma, and Healing: Understanding and Treating Attachment Disorder in Children and Families by Terry Levy and Michael Orlans
- Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control: A Love-Based Approach to Helping Attachment Challenged Children with Severe Behaviors by Heather T. Forbes, LCSW and B. Bryan Post
- Building the Bonds of Attachment by Daniel A. Hughes and Jason Aronson
- The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family by Karyn B. Purvis, PhD, David R. Cross, PhD., and Wendy Lyons Sunshine
- Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience after Neglect and Trauma by Deborah D. Gray, MSW
- A Secure Base by John Bowlby
- Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft by Mary Hopkins-Best
- When Love is Not Enough: A Guide to Parenting Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder by Nancy Thomas
Classes:
- Adoption Learning Partners offers a variety of online courses related to adoption, attachment and parenting.
- Strengthening Attachment with Your Child. Adoption Mosaic class offered at various times thoughout the year in Portland.
Organizations:
- The Children’s Program. A Portland-based team of experienced clinicians who provide diagnostic, therapeutic and educational services to children, adolescents, and families.
- Cooper House. A Seattle-based group of professionals who are trained to understand and treat social and emotional problems that arise in infancy and early childhood.
- Kinship House. Consultation, therapy and educational services for children who have been touched by foster care and adoption, located in Portland.
- The Center for Adoption Support and Education. They are based on the East Coast and offer webinars, downloadable handouts and book recommendations that are attachment friendly.
- The Attachment Center of Central Oregon. This program in Bend, Oregon offers outpatient therapy, training, consultation, and supervision.
Children’s Books
Books and Publications:
- And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
- Beginnings: How Families Come to Be by Virginia Kroll and Stacey Shuett
- Did My First Mother Love Me? A Story for An Adopted Child by Kathryn Ann Miller
- Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester
- The Mulberry Bird: An Adoption Story by Anne Braff, Ph.D. Brodzinsky and Angela Marchetti
- Rain or Shine by Hilary Horder Hippely and Margaret Godfrey
- Tell Me a Real Adoption Story by Betty Jean Lifton and Claire A. Niyola
- Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
- Sam’s Sister by Juliet C. Bond and Dawn W. Majewski
- The Skin I’m In: A First Look at Racism by Pat Thomas
- Megan’s Birthday Tree: A Story About Open Adoption by Laurie Lears and Bill Farnsworth
- What Makes a Family? By Gil Bar-Sela.
- When Joel Comes Home by Jim Fowler
- Tapestry Books. Children in multiracial families often find themselves questioning their place in their family, school, and community. Their questions of self-identity can be explored through this literature.
Grief
Books and Publications:
Open Adoption
Websites:
- Adoptive Families. The resource and community for adoption parenting.
- Birthmom Buds. Support for birthmoms and pregnant women considering adoption.
- Lavender Luz. Blog about open adoption parenting and mindful living.
Organizations:
- OA&FS Peer Mentor Programs. For OA&FS clients including birthparents, adoptive parents and adoptees.
Books and Publications:
- Adoption Without Fear by James L. Gritter
- Adoptive Families articles about open adoption.
- Children of Open Adoption by Kathleen Silber and Patricia Martinez Dorner
- Dear Birthmother by Kathleen Silber and Phyllis Speedin
- Domestic Adoption: Myths & Reality by Eliza Newlin Carney for Adoptive Families Magazine
- Hospitious Adoption by James L. Gritter
- The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant by Dan Savage
- Making Room in Our Hearts by Micky Duxbury
- The Open Adoption Book: A Guide to Adoption without Tears by Bruce Rappaport
- The Open Adoption Experience – From Making the Decision Through the Child’s Growing Years by Lois Ruskai Melina
- Out of the Shadows: Stories of Adoption and Reunion by Linda Back McKay
- Sacred Connections: Stories of Adoption by Mary Ann Koenig, photography by Niki Berg
- The Spirit of Open Adoption by James L. Gritter
Research:
- The Adoption Option by Center for American Progress
- The Birthparent Perspective by Adoptive Families Magazine
- Emotional Intellligence in Children of Open Adoption (PDF) by Open Adoption & Family Services
- Openness in Adoption: From Secrecy and Stigma to Knowledge and Connections by the Donaldson Adoption Institute
- Untangling the Web: The Internet’s Transformative Impact on Adoption by the Donaldson Adoption Institute
Origins Therapy
Websites:
- Donor Conception Network. A site that welcomes couples and individuals – heterosexual, lesbian, gay, single, married, divorced or cohabiting – who are facing issues about donor conception at any stage, and would like to hear the experiences of those of us who have been there before. (UK-based.)
- Donor Sibling Registry. A registry that offers an opportunity for donor conceived people (children and adults) to make connections with half siblings and donors by mutual consent of all parties.
- What is Assisted Reproductive Technology? U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formal definitions of ART.
- The Adoption Institute. Provides leadership that improves laws, policies and practices – through sound research, education and advocacy – in order to better the lives of everyone touched by adoption.
Books and Publications:
- Building Your Family with ART. by Elizabeth Larsen for Adoptive Families Magazine. A look at choices American families are making as infertility treatment technology advances.
- X, Y, and Me. this website carries a series of children’s books to assist parents in disclosing their conception by assisted reproduction and donor. They believe that every child has the right to know of his/her circumstances and their special story that occurred before they were born.
Parenting the Adopted Child
Websites:
- Adoptive Families magazine has numerous parenting resources.
- Oregon Department of Education early Intervention services links and directory.
- Washington State Department of Early Learning early intervention services directory.
Books and Publications:
- Adoptive Families Magazine handouts on parenting the adopted child.
- Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today’s Parents by Deborah D. Gray, MSW
- The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption by Lori Holden with Crystal Hass
- Raising Adopted Children, Revised Edition: Practical Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent by Lois Ruskai Melina
- Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the Adopted Child by Holly van Gulden and Lisa M. Bartels-Rabb
- Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother by Jana Wolff
- Talking With Young Children About Adoption by Mary Watkins and Susan Fisher
- Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Parents Knew by Sherrie Eldridge
- Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past by Jayne E. Schooler and Betsy E. Keefer
- Breastfeeding Your Adopted Baby article for adoptive mothers.
Classes:
- Discipline and the Adopted Child: Ain’t Misbehavin’ Adoption Learning Partners online course.
- The Neufeld Institute classes and information for making sense of kids — developmental science in practice.
- Northwest Adoptive Families Association baby and toddler care classes for adoptive parents, waiting families groups and social events.
- Seattle Neufeld Community current listings of classes in the Seattle area inspired by the work of Dr. Gordon Neufeld.
Parenting and Discipline Strategies
Websites:
- Hand in Hand Parenting has classes, resources and support for parents of young children and professionals who work with them.
- Healthy Children created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, this website covers topics such as physical and emotional health, child development, car-seat safety, immunizations, general safety tips and injury prevention, literature recommendations, and links to other resources.
- Zero to Three promotes the health and development of infants and toddlers.
Books and Publications:
- The Emotional Life of the Toddler by Alicia F. Lieberman, Ph.D
- Hold on To Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate, MD
- Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child: The Heart of Parenting by John Gottman, PhD
- Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn
Pregnancy Options
Websites:
- Choice Links. A part of Abortion Care Network that provides a variety of resources for information on pregnancy options as well as birth control, sexuality, infertility, and finding the resources to pay for an abortion.
Organizations:
- Backline. Toll-free talk line provides unconditional and judgment-free support for the full spectrum of decisions, feelings and experiences with pregnancy, parenting, adoption and abortion.
- Birthmom Buds. Support for birthmoms and pregnant women considering adoption.
Books and Publications:
- Pregnancy Options Workbook. Accurate, non-biased information on pregnancy options.
- Pregnant? Adoption is an Option by Jeanne Warren Lindsay
- The Third Choice: A Woman’s Guide to Placing a Child for Adoption by Leslie Foge & Gail Mosconi
Prenatal Drug and Alcohol Exposure
Websites:
- Oregon Department of Education. Useful links and directory of early intervention services for the state of Oregon.
- Washington State Department of Early Learning. Guide to early intervention services offered in Washington.
Books and Publications:
- Adoption & Prenatal Alcohol and Drug Exposure: Research, Policy, and Practice by Richard P. Barth, Madelyn Freundlich, David Brodzinsky and Child Welfare League of America
- Early Intervention: Spotting Problems in Your Child’s Development Adoptive Families article that includes information on developmental milestones, as well as accessing early intervention.
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet by the Centers for Disease Control
- The Mystery of Risk: Drugs, Alcohol, Pregnancy, and the Vulnerable Child by Ira Chasnoff, MD This is an excellent book and a must-read for adoptive parents contemplating adopting a child with any kind of substance exposure. Dr. Chasnoff is one of the nation’s leading researchers in the field of prenatal exposure to alcohol and illicit drugs.
Classes:
- Adoption Learning Partners Webinar: FASD: Risk, Development, and Intervention. Dr. Ira Chasnoff explains the physical and developmental impact of pre-natal alcohol exposure on children as they grow.
Organizations:
- Babies First! is a nurse home visiting program in Lane County for families with children up to one year of age who have experienced prenatal drug exposure or prematurity. Nurses provide parents with information to help them overcome or cope with potential issues related to these risks and connect with other medical or support services.
- CaCoon is a nurse home visiting program in Lane County that provides support to families with medically fragile infants.
- Center for Adoption Medicine, University of Washington Medical Center. Information and articles on prenatal drug/alcohol exposure, various medical issues, parenting and attachment tips.Doctors specializing in adoption medicine are available for phone consultation, as well as pre-adoption and post-adoption clinic appointments.
- Child Development and Rehabilitation Center. With locations in Portland and Eugene, the center provides comprehensive diagnosis, evaluation, and management of various conditions including developmental delay, speech and language disorders, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and orthopedic impairments. CDRC serves individuals birth to 21 years of age. A primary care physician referral is necessary.
- Early Childhood Cares. Developmental screening, early intervention and early childhood special education to children (birth to school age) who have developmental delays. Educational services may include home visits and parent consultation; education in community preschools; speech, physical or occupational therapy; behavior or autism consultation. All educational services are free to eligible children.
- March of Dimes. Fact sheet on the effects of smoking during pregnancy. The March of Dimes also has information on pregnancy and various risk factors.
- Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS). Specialists are available to consult with prospective adoptive parents about prenatal drug or alcohol exposures. They also have an excellent website providing information on the effects of a variety of drug exposures (prescription and illicit), plus information on other medical issues and pregnancy.
- Pediatric Interim Care Center, (PICC) This center located in Kent, WA cares for drug exposed infants that are in the custody of the state. Founder Barb Drennen works closely with pediatricians at University of Washington in caring for these premature newborns. She’s happy to talk to prospective adoptive parents considering adopting a drug exposed infant. Rather than cite research, Barb can share her knowledge that is based on her experience and what she has witnessed. Both Barb and the PICC website have information on how to care for an infant exposed to drugs, as well as what symptoms you can expect to see. She can give hands-on instruction or consult over the phone, 253-852-5253.
- University of Washington’s Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit. An information specialist can provide information on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, potential effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and parenting interventions for those raising a child affected by prenatal alcohol exposure.
- Washington State Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network, (FAS DPN). This organization is a network of four Washington State community-based interdisciplinary FASD diagnostic clinics linked by the core clinical/research/training clinic at the Center on Human Development and Disability at the University of Washington in Seattle. Any parent who adopts a child with documented prenatal alcohol exposure is strongly encouraged to contact the clinic and explore and learn more about the diagnostic process and the importance of early intervention. We recommend reviewing this site prior to your adoption.
Reference
- Adoption Information Exchange. A comprehensive listing of adoption resources in Western Washington state for prospective and current adoptive families, birthparents and adoptees.
- Coalition of Oregon Adoption Agencies, (COAA). A state-wide coalition of adoption agencies that serve the state of Oregon, of which OA&FS is a member.
- Oregon DHS Policy. Rules, policies, tools and resources for the Oregon Department of Human Services.
- Sex Etc. Comprehensive sexual health and education information by teens for teens.
Special Needs and Mental Health Issues
(See also Prenatal Drug and Alcohol Exposure for other special needs resources.)
Websites:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Act Early. Facts about developmental screening, autism spectrum disorders, Asperger Syndrome, cerebral palsy, vision loss, intellectual disability, hearing loss, ADHD and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. An A to Z index with fact sheets on birth defects and developmental disabilities.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness, (NAMI). Find out more about specific mental illnesses with this comprehensive listing.
- National Institute on Mental Health, (NIMH). Child and adolescent mental health facts.
- University Of Chicago Adoption Center. Online library of educational videos for parents considering special needs adoption. They also offer pre-adoption referral medical and behavioral assessments to parents anywhere in the country.
Reference:
- Adoption Information Exchange. A comprehensive listing of adoption resources in Western Washington state for prospective and current adoptive families, birthparents and adoptees.
- Coalition of Oregon Adoption Agencies, (COAA). A state-wide coalition of adoption agencies that serve the state of Oregon, of which OA&FS is a member.
- Oregon DHS Policy. Rules, policies, tools and resources for the Oregon Department of Human Services.
- Sex Etc. Comprehensive sexual health and education information by teens for teens.
Transracial Adoption, Race and Multi-Racial Issues
Websites:
- MAVIN is a national non-profit organization that builds healthier communities by providing educational resources about Mixed Heritage experiences.
Portland:
- Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) is a grassroots organization that helps empower Asian and Pacific Islanders through a variety of programs that focus on community organization, cultural work, political advocacy, and leadership development.
- El Centro Milagro (Miracle Theatre) provides Latino theatre, culture, and arts education for the enrichment of all communities.
- Hacienda Community Development Corporation is a Latino Community Development Corporation that strengthens families by providing affordable housing, homeownership support, economic advancement and educational opportunities.
- Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) offers a wide array of programs and services to foster understanding, compassion and communication between Oregon’s established communities and newest arrivals.
- IRCO Africa House provides culturally specific services to African refugees and families that emphasize family unity, strength, and community cohesiveness.
- IRCO Asian Family Center provides culturally specific services for Asian and Pacific Islander communities that focus on early childhood development, parent education and support, youth services, and health education programs.
- KairosPDX is a non-profit organization that focuses on delivering excellent, equitable education to underserved children, their families and their communities.
- Latino Network is a Latino-led education organization, grounded in culturally specific practices and services that lifts up youth and families to reach their full potential.
- MAVIN is a national non-profit organization that builds healthier communities by providing educational resources about Mixed Heritage experiences.
- The Mixed Heritage Center offers a clearinghouse of information and resources relevant to the lives of people who are multiracial, multiethnic, transracially adopted, or otherwise impacted by the intersections of race and culture.
- Native Youth and Family Center (NAYA Family Center) provides culturally specific programs and services that guide Native youth and families in the direction of personal success and balance through cultural empowerment.
- Portland African American Leadership Forum (PAALF) is a movement of African American leaders and officials that are committed to the revitalization and sustainability of a vibrant African American community.
- Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives (PCRI) offers resident services that give families culturally specific skills and support necessary to achieve self-sufficiency, begin the process of wealth creation and, in many cases, become–and remain–successful homeowners.
- Self-Enhancement Inc. (SEI) is a non-profit organization that helps youth and families, especially African Americans and others living in poverty, to realize their full potential through learning opportunities in the areas of academics, health and wellness, and performing arts.
- Unite Oregon represents the merger of two organizations – Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) and Oregon Action (OA) – to address racial and economic disparities and strive to improve quality of life by offering programs within the community that focus on civic engagement, policy advocacy, leadership development, and community organization.
- Urban League of Portland (ULPDX) offers a variety of programs that help empower African Americans and others within the community through advocacy, services to seniors, family health and wellness, youth and workforce development.
Seattle:
- Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington (AAAW) is a non-profit organization that provides mentoring, fellowship and educational opportunities for Asian American and Pacific Islander adoptees and their community.
- El Centro de la Raza provides a unique blend of bilingual and multicultural services and programs that focus on children and youth, education and asset building, community building and development, and environmental justice.
- Families of Color Seattle (FOCS) is a non-profit organization that strives to build a strong community by supporting families of color through parenting programs, resource-sharing and fostering meaningful connections.
- Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington is an organization that is committed to sharing Japanese and Japanese American culture and heritage by creating, funding, and supporting multicultural and inter-generational education that celebrate diversity, art, culture, and language.
- Seattle University: Office of Diversity and Inclusion consistently holds cultural events for students and community members to attend.
- United Indians of All Tribes provides educational, cultural and social services that reconnect indigenous people in the Puget Sound region to their heritage by strengthening their sense of belonging and significance as Native people.
- Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle is a non-profit organization that empowers African Americans and underserved communities to thrive by securing educational and economic opportunities.
Eugene:
- The Chinese American Benevolent Association (CABA) is a non-profit organization that promotes education, arts, and cultural programs related to Chinese, Chinese Americans, and Asian Americans.
- Communities of Color and Allies Network (CCAN) creates a safe space that fosters friendships and networks for people of color, social justice allies, and equity workers. Meetings are held on the first Friday of every month.
- The Eugene & Springfield Asian Council is a non-profit organization that presents events and activities that stimulate a better understanding of Asian and Asian-American cultures.
- Honoring Our New Ethnic Youth (H.O.N.E.Y.) is a non-profit organization that provides support and advocacy for the enhancement and acceptance of multiracial persons and their families.
- University of Oregon: The Division of Equity and Inclusion partners with many others on campus to host culturally specific events throughout the year.
- University of Oregon Multicultural Center (MCC) brings together students, faculty, and the community at large to promote personal growth, cultural pluralism, community education, positive social change, and an end to human oppression.
Books and Publications:
- Adoptive Families Magazine has an abundane of resources relevant to multiracial families, from books, to websites, to articles.
- Adoptive Families Magazine articles on celebrating heritage.
- Adoptive Families Magazine articles on exploring culture.
- Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib by Jaiya John
- Does Anyone Else Look Like Me?: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Multiracial Children by Donna Jackson Nakazawa
- Hate Hurts: How Children Learn and Unlearn Prejudice by the Anti-Defamation League, Caryl Stern-LaRosa, and Ellen Hoffheimer Bettmann
- In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda M. Roorda
- Inside Transracial Adoption by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall
- Loving Across the Color Line: A White Adoptive Mother Learns about Race by Sharon E. Rush
- Of Many Colors: Portraits of Multiracial Families by Gigi Kaeser and Peggy Gillespie
- Tapestry Books. Children in multiracial families often find themselves questioning their place in their family, school, and community. Their questions of self-identity can be explored through this literature.
- Tapestry Books lists books to introduce parents to the issues surrounding mixed families.
- What Are You? Voices of Mixed-Race Young People by Pearl Fuyo Gaskings
- Why Are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Daniel Tatum
Classes:
- Conspicous Families. Adoption Learning Partners course on challenges when adopting a child of a different race or ethnicity.
- Beyond Culture Camp: A Guide for Professionals. Adoption Learning Partners webinar on impacts of being adopted by parents of a different ethniciy.
- Beyond Culture Camp: A Guide for Parents. Adoption Learning Partners webinar on impacts of being adopted by parents of a different ethniciy.