Second Parent Adoption
Talking Points
From: www.secondparentadoption.org
Mainly due to the substantial number of children in need of permanent homes, adoption laws should be EXPANDED to increase the number of potential adoptive parents. Who can adopt should be based on parenting ability and not on personal characteristics such as marital status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. The current legislation will allow for two unmarried parents to jointly adopt a child and would also allow an existing sole legal parent to consent to another person becoming the second parent, often to a child they are already raising together. It will also allow arrangements for extended family members, such as an aunt and a grandmother to become permanent adoptive parents to their relative children.
This legislation protects children.
This bill changes the Adoption Code to allow for two unmarried partners to jointly adopt a child from foster care, giving them the financial, legal, and emotional security of TWO parents, regardless of the parents' sexual orientation or marital status. It also allows an already existing legal parent to consent to her partner adopting the child they are raising together. This bill ensures that children will be provided with the financial support, medical insurance, social security and pension benefits and medical authorizations by both parents. Children will be further protected by this law in the event of death or separation of the parents.
All children deserve the protection of legal parent-child relationships.
Because of the substantial number of children in need of permanent homes, adoption laws since the 1970's have been EXPANDED to increase the number of potential adoptive parents. Who can adopt is based on parenting ability and not on personal characteristics such as marital status, race, religion or sexual orientation. This bill expands the number of prospective adoptive parents increasing the number of children who will benefit from adoption.
The Vermont Social and Rehabilitation Services agency, the equivalent to Michigan 's Department of Human Services, actively recruits foster/adoptive parents from the gay/lesbian community. Officials at this agency changed the policy because the number of children in foster care is significantly higher than the amount of competent foster homes available; AND, they believe gay/lesbian parents are especially effective in raising special-needs children. Vermont has approximately 1600 children waiting for permanent homes, and Michigan has more than double that amount.
Current adoption laws are costly to Michigan taxpayers. We need change.
As of July 31, 2003, 19,490 Michigan children were in foster care. It costs the state and its taxpayers $5,110 per year for one child age 0-12 and $6,314 per year for one child age 13-18 to be in foster care. Allowing two unmarried partners to adopt jointly would give a child 2 permanent legal parents and will decrease the number of children in temporary homes or facilities and will save the state money (Family Independence Agency, 2003).
In 2000, 23.6% of children age 0-18 in Michigan were on state assisted Medicaid. Second parent adoptions can ensure that BOTH parents can provide insurance for their children without having to rely on Medicaid or being UNINSURED in the event of death or separation (Kids Count, 2002 Data Book).
CARE - PO Box 2784 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-2784
caretaskforce@yahoo.com or bevdav123@aol.com
http://secondparentadoption.org
Endorsements of Second Parent Adoption
American Pediatric Association, American Psychological Association, Child Welfare League of America, North American Council on Adoptive Children, American Academy of Family Physicians, National Association of Social Workers, Washtenaw Area Council for Children, Michigan Conference National Organization of Women, Michigan Women's Commission, State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section, Michigan Federation of Business and Professional Women, Michigan Office of the Children's Ombudsman, Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan, Bishop Leidel, Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, National Councl of Jewish Women, Jewish Reconstructionist Havurah Society, Michigan Psychiatric Society, Detroit Free Press Editorial Board, JS Psychological Services, Judith Snow Ph.D - Grand Rapids, Liberty Pediatricts Ann Arbor, American Camp Association, Jackson City Human Relations Commission, PFLAG Detroit/Downriver/Jackson/St. Joseph
| Sponsored Legislation | |
Representative Condino Sponsored Legislation |
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| Additional Resources | |
American Academy of Pediatrics |
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/ |
Human Rights Campaign Foundation |
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The National Center for Lesbian Rights |
http://www.nclrights.org/publications/2ndparentadoptions.htm |
Second Parent Adoption |
http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/families/g/SPAdoption.htm |
| FreeAdvice.com | |
| The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force | |
| Pridesource Media | http://www.pridesource.com/ |
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