The Adoption Project Launches in Tennessee to Transform Adoption and Foster Care System
New organization’s initial focus will be making Tennessee the most adoption-friendly state in the country.
NASHVILLE, TN – The Adoption Project launched today to advocate for public policy changes that will make it easier to build families through adoption. Its initial focus will be making Tennessee the most adoption-friendly state in the country.
Adoption and foster care policy are incredibly complex, governed by a combination of state, federal, international, and foreign law depending on the type of adoption a family is seeking. The Adoption Project will research current policies that exist across the country regarding every aspect of adoption – from the moment a birth parent decides to place a child to the point the adoption is finalized and throughout the lifelong relationship between the child, adoptive parents, and birth parents. It will also identify or develop best practices for the child welfare system, focusing on the best interest of the child to achieve a safe, loving, permanent family.
The organization will be led by Jeremy Harrell (bio), a seasoned government relations strategist, as President and Chief Executive Officer. Jennifer Donnals (bio), formerly Chief of Staff at the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS), will serve as Chief Operating Officer. Both Harrell and Donnals are adoptive parents and bring their respective personal and professional experiences navigating the child welfare system to their roles at The Adoption Project.
“There were many times where we found ourselves frustrated by the adoption process. We would talk to other people who experienced similar challenges, and almost everyone agreed the process was too difficult,” Harrell said. “Then we would talk to people engaged in foster care and hear heartbreaking stories about the kids who never find a permanent family.”
“There are great people and great organizations working as best they can within the child welfare system, but it became increasingly apparent for us that someone needed to focus on changing the system itself.”
Children who linger in foster care consistently underperform their peers academically, and the statistics are sobering for children who age-out of the system without being adopted into a permanent family.
3% graduate from college.
20% will become homeless.
50% will develop substance abuse issues.
60% of boys will be convicted of a crime.
Ultimately, The Adoption Project will work with policymakers to propose transformational changes to adoption and foster care policy to destigmatize placing a child for adoption, streamline the adoption process, foster strong bonds and permanence for families, and encourage support for birth parents so that every child finds a family.
Two advisory committees have been recruited to support The Adoption Project’s work. Former Governor Bill Haslam will serve as honorary chair of The Founder’s Committee, which will advise on direction and strategy. Former First Lady Crissy Haslam will serve as honorary chair of The Policy Committee, which will help identify key changes to improve the system. The board of directors and committee members are listed here. The organization is continuing its outreach to additional stakeholders and interested parties, and The Policy Committee is expected to expand over time.
“Across Tennessee, agencies and non-profits are doing a lot of great work to facilitate adoptions and provide wrap-around services for children and foster and adoptive families,” former Governor Bill Haslam said. "But these organizations are operating within a difficult system that we all agree can be a lot better."
“The Adoption Project will focus on public policy to help build a child welfare system that genuinely focuses as much as possible on the best interests of the children and families involved," Haslam continued. "By making it easier to unite children and families, we can make Tennessee the most adoption-friendly state in the country.”
Harrell continued, “We’re grateful to the Lee administration and General Assembly for all of the good work done so far to improve the system for vulnerable children. The Adoption Project is ready to partner with them to continue building on those accomplishments.”
ABOUT THE ADOPTION PROJECT
The Adoption Project is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization focused on adoption-friendly public policy. We are working to build a policy model which destigmatizes placing a child for adoption, streamlines the adoption process, fosters strong bonds and permanence for families, and encourages support for birth parents so that every child finds a family and every searching family finds a child. Visit AdoptionFriendly.org.
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