11/01/2023
November marks the beginning of National Adoptee Awareness Month, originally declared as National Adoption Month in 1995, which was established to increase awareness of adoption issues, primarily the need for adoptive families for teens in the U.S. foster care system.
Yesterday, President Biden published a proclamation which again addressed the over one 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system awaiting adoption. His latest budget vowed to dedicate tax credits and increase parental leave, and allocate $9 billion dollars to assist youth who age out of the foster care system. He concludes by saying "I encourage all Americans to honor this month by helping the children and youth in your communities secure their forever homes and find the love and connection that they need to thrive."
So there's a little tiny bit of the history, but does anyone see what is missing? Between the actual adoption and when an adoptee ages out of the system what are we doing to support them? Where are the resources, support networks, financial aid for an adoptee or a child in foster care during their formative, adolescent, teen years, and beyond? Where is the adoptee representation that is helping to shape the initiatives for National Adoption Month?
If you are an adoptee who doesn't always feel grateful, I see you. If you are having a reaction to today or someone has made a flippant comment about your adoption narrative, I see you. Adoption issues deserve and need to be recognized and talked about, but I think it's time to give the floor to the person most impacted - the adoptee. That is why adoptees advocates have chosen to recognize this month as National Adoptee Awareness Month in order to continue amplifying adoptee voices.
President Joe Biden I hope that your $1 billion to support job placement, health care, access to higher education, and other programs includes mental health scholarships for all adoptees and if it doesn't, feel free to reach out, I'd be happy to share some more of my great ideas 😀