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Sunday, August 21, 2011

Ind. Law - "Adoption process changing with the Internet "

That is the heading to this long story today in the Gary Post-Tribune, reported by Chelsea Schneider Kirk. The story makes some very interesting points, such as:

Birth moms are more apt to find adoptive parents themselves instead of going through agencies, as resources have boomed online, according to Tina Sanchez-Wright, founder and director of Adoptions and Family Support Network. Sanchez-Wright founded the Highland-based not-for-profit in 2007.

“What I’m seeing compared to adoption 10 years ago is I don’t know if there’s been a decrease in birth moms so much as they are finding their own families. They aren’t going through agencies anymore,” Sanchez-Wright said.

But this section of the story (emphasis added by ILB) was the most surprising to me:
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary, one of the largest child placing agencies in Northwest Indiana, is seeing a notable increase in couples wanting to adopt, but a corresponding decrease in the number of birth moms. Usually, the not-for-profit has placed 10 babies by now, and averages between 10 to 15 placements a year, Kavanaugh said. This year, they’ve had one as of mid-July.

“There’s no reason why the numbers should be down,” Kavanaugh said. “No idea; we are trying to figure that out ourselves.”

Catholic Charities had hoped the Indiana General Assembly’s attempt to defund Planned Parenthood would mean more placements.

However, shortly after the state Legislature adjourned, Planned Parenthood of Indiana successfully sought a preliminary injunction barring much of the law from being enforced. The state is appealing.

“We have not seen an increase with that yet,” Kavanaugh said. “Hopefully in the near future we will.”

Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 21, 2011 02:41 PM
Posted to Indiana Law