by Kirsta Grapentine and Steve York

The special needs adoption system in Michigan is relatively sophisticated compared to systems in many other states; however, it is a system with objectives that are both simple and logical:

• Place children who are readily adoptable in a timely manner,
• Recruit families for those children who do not have an identified placement within six months of becoming available for adoption via a statewide photolisting book, and
• Monitor and report on those children who have identified families but are not adopted within one year of becoming available for adoption.

Although fairly basic to those who are immersed in it every day, many workers are confused by the different timelines, registration forms, and other pieces of documentation that are part of Michigan's adoption tracking system and its Adoption Resource Exchange. The following is a "nut shell" version of what one needs to know in order to make the system work.

Of Timelines and Tracking Lists. . .

Based on information provided to the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) by the Family Independence Agency Children's Services Management Information System (CSMIS), MARE produces monthly tracking lists of adoption eligible children. The tracking list identifies the permanent custody date of MCI wards and acceptance date for court wards, and then calculates 182 calendar days from that date into the future to produce the due date for each case. Some kind of documentation must be sent to the MARE office by the due date. If the child has been adopted, an OTR (PCA 320) will remove the child from the tracking list. If the child's goal has been changed from adoption to some other permanency plan, an FIA 5S form or an Updated Service Plan (USP) that has been signed by the FIA monitor will also remove a child from the tracking list.

They were the best of Forms, the simplest of Forms . . .

The MARE program uses several types of color-coded forms for registering children with the Exchange, as well as for gathering statistical information about children who are removed from the Exchange. Listed below are the types of forms currently used by MARE. One of these forms must be received by the due date for each case if an OTR or proof of goal change is not available.

• A blue colored Standard Child Entry Form (also known as a Standard registration)

This form is to be used for any child who does not have an approved identified family and needs to be listed in the MARE photolisting book. In order to present a positive and realistic image of the child, this form needs to be filled out completely, and be accompanied by a recent photo of the child that is clear and well-lighted. Faxed or photocopied photos are unacceptable. Forms submitted with insufficient information and/or poor photos (or no photo at all) will be returned to the worker. Please note that when forms are returned to workers, the "clock" continues ticking and agencies will be counted as late if information is re-submitted after the due date - even if the form was originally sent prior to the due date. Therefore, it is important to submit complete documentation the first time!

• A salmon/orange colored Hold Registration Form

Hold forms are to be used for children who have identified adoptive families. Children registered on hold will not appear in the photolisting book! The Hold Registration Form has two separate and distinct sides. One side is to be filled out for children who are being adopted by relatives or current foster parents. The family may be approved or in the process of being studied. The form asks for minimal information and a photo is not needed. The other side of the Hold Registration Form is to be filled out when an adoption by a recruited family (that is, a family that is NOT a relative or the current foster family) is being planned. The recruited family must be studied and approved. This side of the form also asks for minimal information and again, a photo is not necessary. A recruited family hold registration must also include the last page of the family homestudy in order for the registration to be considered complete. Once a case is placed on hold, the child will continue to be monitored by the MARE tracking system until an OTR is received by MARE.

• A green colored Child Change/Removal Form

This form should only be used for children who appear in the photolisting book and should accompany any documentation that would remove a child from the book (i.e. a hold form, FIA-5S form, or OTR). For cases where a child is being placed by another agency, the "green sheet" and documentation should be sent by the agency that registered the child on the Exchange. This form needs to be filled out completely since it helps MARE capture statistics about children being removed from the photolisting book. A green sheet should also be used to change (update) any information about a child currently listed in the photolisting book. A green sheet does not need to be filled out for children who are not listed in the photolisting book.

• A yellow colored Family Registration Form

This form is used for families who wish to be listed in the MARE Family photolisting book. This two-sided form may be filled out by the family and/or the family worker, but must be signed by both the family and the worker. A family must be approved and have a current homestudy in order to be listed in the family photolisting book. The other side of the "green sheet" (see above) is the Family Change/Removal Form. This side is to be filled out when families are being removed from the Family photolisting book or when changes (updates) need to be made in the information currently listed in the Family photolisting book.

Much ado about . . .

What if I don't have a photo?

Per agreement with the Family Independence Agency - Adoption Division, MARE may return Child Entry Forms that are not accompanied by a photograph and/or those which contain poor quality photographs. The forms will be returned to the registering agency with the expectation that they will be returned to MARE complete with recent good-quality photos. If the registration form is returned to the MARE office after the 182nd day due date, it will be counted as late.

Exceptions may be made in cases where arrangements have been made with MARE ahead of time to obtain a photo of the child. Exceptions may also be made for older children who refuse to have their photo featured in the photolisting book. All exceptions should be requested from the program director at MARE.

Photos submitted should be recent and of good quality (school photos are best). Photos that are dark, blurry, and otherwise unacceptable will be returned. Faxed and/or photocopied photos are also unacceptable. Polaroid (instant) photos should be used only as a last resort. Please remember that a MARE staff person is available in the tri-county area to assist agencies in photographing children.

But I have an 'almost-studied' family . . .

Often times a family's worker will inquire about a child only to have the child's worker say "I have a family who is almost through the homestudy process that would be perfect for this child. I'm not taking other families right now."

Workers need to know that families with completed and approved homestudies are to be given priority when inquiring about a child listed with MARE. Of course, if the child has a pre-existing relationship with a family who has not been studied who wishes to adopt, that must certainly be taken into account when determining what family is best for that child. However, if two appropriate families express interest in meeting and adopting a child, the family with the completed homestudy is to be given first consideration.

In cases where a recruited family is in the process of being studied for a child when the child's due date arrives, the child must still be registered in the photolisting book because the child has not been matched with an approved family. Workers must still take calls from other workers who have families interested in that child and should keep a list of these families in case the identified family is not approved. Families, their workers, and MARE staff become frustrated when children registered in the MARE book are not truly available, and it detracts from the credibility of the photolisting book. If a child's worker truly believes that the family they are currently studying is the best possible placement for the child, that worker should relay this information to anyone who calls. The child's worker should then make it a priority to complete the family's homestudy in a timely manner. If the child continues to appear in the photolisting book for longer than a month, the credibility of the child's worker and agency could be jeopardized, and other workers and families may become angry and escalate their concerns to the adoption supervisor and beyond.

What if adoption is no longer the goal?

If a child listed on the MARE tracking list or in the photolisting book subsequently has his or her federal goal changed to something other than adoption, MARE must be given supporting documentation that shows what the new goal is or will soon be. This will remove a child from the tracking list and/or photolisting book. This supporting documentation includes: a FIA-5S form that shows the new goal or an Updated Service Plan (USP) signed by the FIA case monitor that indicates what the new goal will be.

How do I update case information for a child in the photolisting book and/or a child registered on "Hold?"

For children in the photolisting book: MARE regularly sends requests to workers to update photos and descriptions of children in the book if the photos and stories are more than one year old; however, workers may update photos and stories at any time without waiting for the one-year update requests. Workers can simply send in new photos and write new information on the green "Child Change Form" or any piece of paper. The new photo and/or information will appear in subsequent issues of the photolisting book.

For children registered on "Hold": Sometimes the family that was identified to adopt the child when the worker originally submitted a "hold" registration form is no longer the family that is going to adopt the child. If adoption with the original family does not proceed and the agency has another family identified, the worker should let MARE know by either filling out another "hold" registration form with the new family's name, or by phoning the MARE office so that the child's case file can be updated with the correct family. If the child's worker has no other identified families available, the child must be registered with MARE immediately for recruitment in the next issue of the photolisting book.

The message on the tracking list reads: "Hold Expired; Report for FIA Review." The same family is going to adopt, it's just taking longer than expected.

The message "Hold Expired; Report for FIA Review" appears when a child is "on hold" and it is one year past the permanent custody date (acceptance date for court wards). Although case workers should always feel free to update the MARE office on the status of a case, the message cannot be eliminated nor the due date extended until that case has been reviewed by an FIA Zone Manager. These FIA officials are given a list on a quarterly basis of FIA and private agency cases that are either overdue or expired. Once a case is reviewed, a new message is given and an additional six months is provided for the agency to complete the adoption.

But the information on the tracking list is inaccurate!

The tracking list is a two-way flow of information that is updated every month. As soon as workers/supervisors notice any inaccurate information (i.e. date of birth, a.k.a. names, permanent custody dates, child is still a temporary ward, etc.) please notify the MARE office. For changes that affect MARE due dates, we may ask for supporting documentation (such as an amended permanent custody order.)

I thought I sent that piece of documentation a long time ago!

Adoption workers have numerous responsibilities and may easily overlook sending MARE a necessary piece of documentation. For this reason we send Registration Notices for all cases one month prior to the MARE due date. For private agencies, we also send an Overdue Notice when the due date has passed and no documentation has been received. Monthly tracking lists indicate what documentation has been received for a case and the date it was postmarked. Please note that the OTR date field on a tracking list indicates the date that the OTR was postmarked to MARE, not the date the OTR was issued. The tracking list will also indicate any other upcoming due dates. MARE also sends Receipt of Documentation notices on a weekly basis indicating any documentation that has been received at the MARE office.

The MARE system may seem like an epic saga when, in fact, it is really only a matter if following timelines, sending proper documentation, and providing quality service to waiting children and families. For children who are adopted in a timely manner or who are supported by the safety net of a tracking system, it is truly "all's well that ends well!"

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Using Media for Recruitment

by Donetta Hayes

Television, radio, and print, even the Internet and sites on the World Wide Web, have all been used successfully to raise awareness about adoption in general, and about specific children who are waiting for families. With these forms of media outreach, hundreds, even thousands of families can be reached in a short period of time. The photo in the local newspaper of a smiling child, the sound of a teenager's voice on the radio, the video clip of a sibling group on the evening newscast, all serve to make waiting children "real" to potential adoptive families. Once people are made aware of the reality of waiting children, they are often motivated to act.

Listed below are some suggestions on using various forms of media effectively for recruitment purposes. It is important to note that not all forms of media may be appropriate for every child. Ultimately the caseworkers and/or therapists should use their professional judgement when deciding what type of special recruitment should be done, if any is to be done at all.

• Television: If the child is of speaking age, it is usually best to have a child who is comfortable speaking positively about adoption. It is also important that the child fully understands (to the best of his or her ability) that many people will see them, including possibly their friends and peers. Children should be fully prepared for being interviewed and having a camera crew in attendance.
• Print Media, Internet access, and Web Sites: When featuring children in print, the accompanying photos should be current and of high quality. Photos should be well-lighted and provide a clear view of the child's face. School photos and good "snap shots" are best; Polaroid photos generally do not reproduce well. Many agencies and exchanges have developed their own Web sites on the Internet. As with print media, the importance of high quality photos on the Web site can not be overstated. Web sites also offer the capability of adding video and/or audio clips that help bring the child to life. The written descriptions in print or on the Internet should be kept current and include appropriate strengths and challenges of the child, and the type of family that may best serve that child's needs.
• Radio: Although it lacks the appeal and visual impact of video, radio can still be used as a viable recruitment tool. The sound of a child's voice talking about his or her hopes for an adoptive family can have a powerful impact on prospective families. It will be important to select a child who is able to articulate his or her own feelings and hopes for the future. While school aged children and teens might be best suited for this type of recruitment, young children are also capable of speaking from the heart and should not be ruled out.

When utilizing any of these forms of media, it is vital that people and/or systems are in place to respond to inquiries from the public. Nothing will do more to discredit your message than to ask for families and then not be able to respond to those who inquire. Everyone who inquires deserves the courtesy of a response. Even if the person is not appropriate for the particular child that was featured, or you are fortunate enough to find a family for that child from the ones who inquired, the other families should not be filed away or forgotten. They can be encouraged to consider the other children who are waiting in your agency. Families could also be referred to other agencies and resources. Opportunities such as trainings through the Bandele Project or the Michigan Foster & Adoptive Parents Association, even local family support groups, all help keep potential adoptive families interested and involved. It is well-known in the adoption community that the best adoptive families are ones who are informed and retained.

Using any form of media for recruitment purposes presents unique considerations as well as opportunities. These methods should never be used in ways that could be interpreted as being exploitative, and any recruitment efforts should be guided by the philosophy that the worker is looking for appropriate families for children and not children for families. If workers rely on their own training and sensitivities to guide them, their efforts to reach potential families through mass media will almost always be a positive experience for them and, most importantly, for the waiting child.