Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey declared November 2020 Arizona Adoption Awareness Month to recognize the importance of connecting kids with forever homes and families, and to highlight organizations and initiatives across the state that support Arizona kids in out-of-home care.
“All kids deserve to live in a safe, permanent home with a loving family,” said Governor Ducey. “This month and year-round, we are committed to connecting kids in out-of-home care with adoptive families that love and care for them and will help put them on a path to a bright future. My thanks to the many adoptive families, faith-based community partners, and non-profit organizations throughout Arizona that support our kids in need.”
Background
In September, Arizona received a $1.49 million Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help more Arizona kids find safe, loving homes.
In Fiscal Year 2019, more than 3,500 Arizona children were adopted from foster care. The state ranked 11th in the nation for increasing the number of children adopted from foster care last year. Additionally, the Arizona Department of Child Safety has:
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Connected more than 18,200 kids in out-of-home care to forever homes since FY 2016;
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Reduced the number of children in out-of-home care by approximately 25% since FY 2016;
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Continued to investigate every call of abuse and neglect during the pandemic;
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Resumed safe in-person visitation between parents, kids and siblings, facilitating approximately 6,000 visits per week during the pandemic; and
- Reunified approximately 2,978 kids with their parents and finalized approximately 1,700 adoptions since the pandemic began.
“This Adoption Awareness Month, we are proud to celebrate the thousands of families connected through adoption,” said Arizona Department of Child Safety Director Mike Faust. “Across the state, children in out-of-home care are still in need of a forever home. Our Children’s Heart Gallery showcases the amazing, special Arizona children that are awaiting families — and we encourage those who want to learn more to visit childrensheartgallery.com.”
View the Arizona Adoption Awareness proclamation below.
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WHEREAS, the State of Arizona recognizes the importance of giving children who cannot safely reunify with their birth families a permanent, safe, and nurturing family through adoption; and
WHEREAS, state and private agencies work collaboratively with the courts, community members, and members of faith-based organizations to unite children and adults through the process of adoption; and
WHEREAS, adoption places children into loving, permanent homes where they can flourish and grow up to become happy, healthy, productive members of our community; and
WHEREAS, adopting a child is a great joy and presents a great opportunity for collaboration between adoptive families and the communities who support them; and
WHEREAS, people interested in adoption can visit the DCS Children’s Heart Gallery website (https://www.childrensheartgallery.org/) to learn more about Arizona children who are in need of safe, permanent family settings; and
WHEREAS, every successful adoption is more than an achievement for these children and their adoptive families, it is a story in which all Arizonans can share.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Douglas A. Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona, do hereby proclaim November 2020 as
\ARIZONA ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH
and urge all citizens, communities, and support organizations to renew our commitment to increasing the number of Arizona children who find permanency through a loving, adoptive family.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Arizona
GOVERNOR
DONE at the Capitol in Phoenix on this nineteenth day of October in the year Two Thousand and Twenty and of the Independence of the United States of America the Two Hundred and Forty-Fifth.
ATTEST:
SECRETARY OF STATE