AdoptUSKids

Adoption Support for Kentucky is a consortium of parent-led adoptive parent support groups throughout the state. These support groups are for any parents that have families fonned through adoption: state, private, international, or relative. Any adoptive family may use the services of ASK. Parents may have adopted a child as an infant, older child, or part of a sibling group. Adoptive parents may have adopted twenty years ago, had a child placed with them for adoption last week, or still be awaiting placement. ASK offers support groups for adoptive parents, mentoring with an experienced adoptive family, infonnation on policies and procedures, educationaVtraining programs, advocacy assistance, a lending library, statewide resource infonnation, referrals to resources, and infonnation on medical and behavioral issues. ASK is a program of the Foster/Adoptive Support and Training Center. The Foster/Adoptive Support and Training (F.A.S.T.) Center is part of the University of Kentucky College of Social Work Training Resource Center. The F.A.S.T. Center recognizes foster care and adoption as a unique commitment to the safety and well being of children. Our vision is to empower foster and adoptive families to meet their ongoing developmental needs by providing a continuum of proactive advocacy, education, and support. ASK presently serves public, private, international, and relative adoptive parents throughout the state. ASK also serves foster parents and others who are interested in adoption. ASK serves Kentucky through parent leaders. Kentucky is divided into sixteen service regions and ASK employs a parent leader for each region. Adoptive Parent Liaisons are experienced adoptive parents who understand the special needs of adopted children and their families. Each Adoptive Parent Liaison possesses strong communication skills, dedication to adoptive families, a commitment to support adoptive families and their children, knowledge of community resources, and a positive working relationship with professionals in the community. Adoptive Parent Liaisons hold one or two monthly support group meetings and training opportunities and also provide phone support to adoptive families. Adoptive Parent Liaisons collaborate with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, private agencies, and other community partners to meet the needs of adoptive families. In fiscal year 2004 (as of May), ASK served 1581 adoptive, pre-adoptive, and foster parents in support groups with 370 adopted parents attending for the first time. 1004 children were provided care during support group meetings. ASK provided phone support to 1157 parents for a total of 699 hours on support calls. ASK also provided email support to 861 parents with 302 hours of service, and 103 hours of service providing information on policies and procedures. Lastly, ASK served 614 parents through one-on-one problem-solving meetings spending 462.75 hours with parents in one-on-one meetings. ASK began in May of 2002 with parent leader training, and began support groups in fall of that year. We began collecting statistics in January of 2003 and have seen a 55% increase of families served although we have continued to operate on the same budget for the past three years.