Advocacy

National

Adoption Rhode Island has a long history of advocating for national child welfare legislation.

Adoption Rhode Island played a critical role in advocating for the passage of the Adoption Safe Families Act. The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA, Public Law 105-89) was signed into law in 1997. Adoption Rhode Island shared expertise with Senator John Chafee and worked to help to achieve passage. ASFA was considered the most dramatic legislative change in child welfare in decades.

Today, there are efforts amongst professionals, academics and policymakers to re-examine ASFA’s impact on racial disparity and disproportionality in child welfare and to seek potential reforms that will result in fewer family terminations and more safe and supported reunifications.

Adoption Rhode Island has partnered with Congressman James Langevin on numerous occasions to address issues such as unregulated custody transfers, identity theft in foster care and promoting and supporting legislation that would expand the availability of post- adoption services.

Adoption Rhode Island recently joined the National Adoption Tax Credit Workgroup to advocate for legislation that will make the tax credit fully refundable. This will allow more families who adopt from foster care to benefit from this law.

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Adoption Rhode Island has testified in Congress on numerous occasions.

Topics included:
  • The benefits of the federal Adoption Opportunities program in providing opportunities for states to innovate and respond to the needs of the adoption community,
  • The importance of Adoption Incentive funds to help states build adoption competent systems
  • The benefits of child focused recruitment services.
  • The need to better address the challenges that adoptive families face.

Adoption Rhode Island has received several national awards for our work including: the Congressional Angel in Adoption Award and the Drenda Lakin Award for post adoption support services.

Adoption Rhode Island is an active member of the Board of Directors of Voice for Adoption. Our CEO sits on the Legislative Policy Committee of the Board. The Voice for Adoption. Voice for Adoption (VFA) develops and advocates for improved adoption policies, work with members of congress, policy makers, partner organizations, and agencies to encourage sound policies that are in the best interest of our nations waiting foster children.Examples of policy work of VFA

Adoption Rhode Island has consistently advocated against LGBTQ discrimination in adoption and foster care. We have contributed to numerous letters to members of congress in support of The Every Child Deserves A Family Campaign and the Equality Act.

Just as important, we have expressed our opposition to HHS proposals to eliminate data collection on LGBTQ foster children and parents, the House budget amendment by Congressman Aderholt that would have required states to allow taxpayer-funded foster care and adoption agencies to turn away qualified parents based on religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or family structure and opposition to migrant child separation and entry into the US foster care and adoption systems.

Local

Adoption Rhode Island has contributed to numerous Rhode Island state policies and laws regarding adoption and foster care. Some examples of legislation we have actively supported through advocacy, testimony, participation in commissions and/or study groups include:

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Legislation that ensures that pre- adoptive families receive a thorough and consistent family background disclosure process in adoption

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Legislation that provides parental leave benefits to foster and adoptive families

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Legislation that provides adult adoptees with original birth certificates,

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Legislation that provides grandparents visitation in certain circumstances.

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Legislation that establishes requirements for the Office of Child Advocate regarding instances involving a child fatality

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Legislation that expands the eligibility of foster care to include 18-21 year olds.

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An executive order to prevent youth from aging out of foster care during a pandemic.

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A bill that requires every superintendent of schools to create an annual report on the progress and status of academic achievement of foster youth. If foster youth are disproportionately failing to meet academic standards, a remediation plan would be developed

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A bill that reduces the age from 25 to 18 as the age which a person who is adopted in the state of Rhode Island would have unrestricted access to their original birth certificates.

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Darlene Allen, CEO was named to Governor McKee’s Transition Committee and served in a leadership role on the Children and Youth Subcommittee. Learn more about the recommendations this subcommittee made to the Governor following his first 100 days.

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On July 5, 2022, the Rhode Island General Assembly announced that the Trauma Informed Schools Act had been signed into law. The legislation aims to implement trauma-informed practices in schools across the state and create a community where all adults working in schools are educated on the implications of adverse childhood experiences and their implications to teaching and learning. With a trauma-informed community, adults will be prepared to recognize and support students who may be experiencing toxic stress and trauma. Adverse childhood experiences are potentially traumatic events that occur before 18-years-old. About 47% of students have had at least one adverse childhood experience. Further, 90% of students screened for trauma in Providence, Rhode Island had at least one traumatic exposure in their life. With this bill signed into law, schools throughout Rhode Island will become a safer, more stable, more supportive environment for students and staff

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On February 22, 2023, Adoption Rhode Island's CEO and Executive Director, Darlene Allen, was appointed to the Trauma Informed Schools Commission at the meeting of the State Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. The Commission intends to conduct a review and assessment of existing trauma-informed school and community-based resources and initiatives across Rhode Island. Additionally, the Commission will inform the development of a trauma-informed school implementation plan and research, identify and catalogue state, federal and philanthropic sources that align with this work.

Explore the Details

Legislation that ensures that pre- adoptive families receive a thorough and consistent family background disclosure process in adoption

Explore the details:

Legislation that provides parental leave benefits to foster and adoptive families

Explore the details:

Legislation that provides adult adoptees with original birth certificates,

Explore the details:

Legislation that provides grandparents visitation in certain circumstances.

Explore the details:

Legislation that establishes requirements for the Office of Child Advocate regarding instances involving a child fatality

Explore the details:

Legislation that expands the eligibility of foster care to include 18-21 year olds.

Explore the details:

An executive order to prevent youth from aging out of foster care during a pandemic.

Explore the details:

A bill that requires every superintendent of schools to create an annual report on the progress and status of academic achievement of foster youth. If foster youth are disproportionately failing to meet academic standards, a remediation plan would be developed

Explore the details:

A bill that reduces the age from 25 to 18 as the age which a person who is adopted in the state of Rhode Island would have unrestricted access to their original birth certificates.

Explore the details:

Darlene Allen, CEO was named to Governor McKee’s Transition Committee and served in a leadership role on the Children and Youth Subcommittee. Learn more about the recommendations this subcommittee made to the Governor following his first 100 days.

Explore the details:

On July 5, 2022, the Rhode Island General Assembly announced that the Trauma Informed Schools Act had been signed into law. The legislation aims to implement trauma-informed practices in schools across the state and create a community where all adults working in schools are educated on the implications of adverse childhood experiences and their implications to teaching and learning. With a trauma-informed community, adults will be prepared to recognize and support students who may be experiencing toxic stress and trauma. Adverse childhood experiences are potentially traumatic events that occur before 18-years-old. About 47% of students have had at least one adverse childhood experience. Further, 90% of students screened for trauma in Providence, Rhode Island had at least one traumatic exposure in their life. With this bill signed into law, schools throughout Rhode Island will become a safer, more stable, more supportive environment for students and staff

Explore the Details

On February 22, 2023, Adoption Rhode Island's CEO and Executive Director, Darlene Allen, was appointed to the Trauma Informed Schools Commission at the meeting of the State Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. The Commission intends to conduct a review and assessment of existing trauma-informed school and community-based resources and initiatives across Rhode Island. Additionally, the Commission will inform the development of a trauma-informed school implementation plan and research, identify and catalogue state, federal and philanthropic sources that align with this work.

Explore the Details

The CEO and Executive Director of Adoption Rhode Island, Darlene Allen, has participated on numerous child fatality panels of the Office of the Child Advocate and provided expert recommendations to the final reports.

The CEO of Adoption Rhode Island is the Chair of the Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families and serves on the legislative subcommittee. The Coalition’s mission is to promote the safety, health and success of children and youth from infancy to adulthood. To accomplish this RICCF advocates for a comprehensive and effective network of social, emotional, health, educational, and economic supports and services for Rhode Island’s children, youth and families.

Learn more about RICCF policy priorities.

Members of Adoption Rhode Island are often contacted by the media, legislators and government officials to provide information and support on a range of issues impacting foster and adopted children, youth and families