County launches ‘exceptional’ children adoption program

By Elizabeth Marie Himchak

The county has launched a campaign that encourages adoption of “exceptional” children who face the possibility never leaving the foster system.

The adoption-eligible children — around 45 to 50 annually in San Diego County — are deemed “hard-to-place” because of their age; behavioral, developmental, psychological or medical disabilities; or are siblings who do not want to be separated.

The Exceptional Families Adoption Campaign is being designed to inform locals about these children seeking permanent homes like the 400 or so other children who are adopted annually in San Diego County.

“We are renewing our commitment to our foster children to do everything we can to find them loving, permanent homes,” said Supervisor Dave Roberts, whose Third District includes Rancho Bernardo. “We are going to be aggressive not only to increase public awareness, but in our efforts to recruit new adoptive parents.”

Roberts, the father of five adopted children who are now ages 4 to 17, said he and his spouse learned about the possibility of adoption while at the San Diego County Fair 15 years ago. A year later, they adopted their oldest son and over the years adopted three more sons and a daughter, some of whom are biological siblings.

“It completely changed our lives, raising a child,” Roberts said, who called fatherhood “a wonderful experience.”

He said being a father led to him eventually having a public career. “Having kids got me involved with educational issues and has given me a chance to give back to the community,” Roberts said. “I see the challenges faced by working families.”

Roberts said all children deserve to have “a loving family for life.” That is why he is pleased his fellow supervisors unanimously saw this issue as a priority and agreed to launch the campaign that will include educational outreach at community events. Funding will be through the county’s Health and Human Services Agency, which is being instructed to modify its marketing priorities when promoting adoption, including to less-traditional adoptive families.

“We are fortunate in San Diego County to have many committed, loving foster and adoptive parents,” said board Chairman Greg Cox. “But we have a need for exceptional parents who not only have room in their homes, but room in their hearts, to care for these exceptional children.”

Roberts said one recent adoption he heard about was of a boy who due to physical abuse needs medical support equipment the rest of his life.

“Out of 3.2 million residents (in San Diego County) we can certainly find 50 homes to take these children,” Roberts said, adding adoptive parents can say what challenges they are or are not willing to accept, such as if the children were exposed to drugs prior to birth, were physically or mentally abused or neglected, or are HIV-positive.

Since many adoptive parents only want babies, he said as children grow older they also become more difficult to place.

According to the county’s website, a subsidy is available for children adopted from the foster system so income is not be a barrier to giving them a permanent home. In addition, financial assistance is available to cover costs when adopting older children.

To learn about adoption, go to

www.IAdoptU.org

or call 877-423-6788.