HHS News Release

HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today announced the recipients of the Department of Health and Human Services' Adoption 2002 Excellence Awards. Secretary Shalala also called on the nation in observance of November's National Adoption Month to help find permanent and safe homes for children waiting in foster care and support families who have opened their hearts and homes to children in need.

"These awards recognize extraordinary contributions to the national effort to support adoption and promote permanency for children in foster care," said Secretary Shalala. "We honor them today for their commitment, vision and accomplishments."

The awards were announced the same day President Clinton was signing into law the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, to help thousands of children waiting in foster care to move more quickly into safe and permanent homes.

"Adoption 2002" is HHS' response to President Clinton's initiative to double by that year the number of children in foster care who are adopted or otherwise permanently placed. Many of the recommendations of the "Adoption 2002" report were included in the legislation signed by the President today. The recommendations included unprecedented financial incentives to states to increase adoptions, placing the safety of children as the paramount concern in placement decisions, and setting swifter time frames for permanent placement decisions. Also, the report recommended annual honors to those who make exemplary contributions toward meeting the President's goal.

"President Clinton has set an ambitious and critical challenge to the country to provide children in foster care with permanent homes," said Olivia A. Golden, assistant secretary for children and families. "In signing the Adoption and Safe Families Act into law today, the President gives the federal and state government partnership the tools to achieve his goal."

Today's awards recognized contributions by adoptive families and leadership by individuals as well as outstanding performance by organizations.

A committee representing non-profit adoption agencies, child welfare and adoption advocates, adoptive parents, foundations, the business community, and state and federal offices reviewed and evaluated more than 100 nominations and selected 13 winners in seven categories.

The winners by category are as follows:

Support for Adoptive Families:

North American Council on Adoptable Children, St. Paul, Minnesota

Resources for Adoptive Parents, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Athens County Children's Services, Athens, Ohio
Public Awareness:

National Adoption Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Individual Contributions:

Jack Williams, Senior News Anchor, WBZ-TV 4, Boston, Massachusetts

Sherry Coy, Adoptive Mother, Las Vegas, Nevada
Family Contributions:

The Badeau Family - Adoptive Family of 19, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Scott Family - Adoptive Family of 5, Scottsdale, Arizona

The Neal Family - Adoptive Family of 11, Greensboro, North Carolina

Philanthropy:

Wendy's International and Dave Thomas Foundation, Dublin, Ohio

Judicial or Child Welfare System Improvement:
South Carolina Families for Kids, Columbia, South Carolina

Decrease in the Time Children in Foster Care Wait for Permanency

Lucas County (OH) Children's Services, Toledo, Ohio

Contact: Michael Kharfen (202)401-9215