News/Events

March 10, 2006 - Catholic Charities of Boston To Discontinue Adoption Services

Agency will continue services until completion of its contracts with the state;
Will continue its other high-quality programs serving children and families

BOSTON – The board of directors of Catholic Charities today announced that Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston, will not seek a renewal of its contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide adoption services. Catholic Charities will work with the Department of Social Services and other appropriate agencies to make this transition as smoothly as possible. During the transition, the agency’s priority will continue to be to serve and protect the children entrusted to us, with the ultimate goal of finding safe, loving and nurturing homes.

“We have encountered a dilemma we cannot resolve,” said a joint statement of Rev. J. Bryan Hehir, president, and Jeffrey Kaneb, chair of the board of trustees. “In spite of much effort and analysis, Catholic Charities finds that it cannot reconcile the teaching of the Church, which guides our work and the statutes and regulations of the Commonwealth.”

At a meeting held earlier today, the board voted to end its adoption program so the agency can focus its efforts on continuing to provide a variety of high-quality programs and services to those in need across Eastern Massachusetts.

“Catholic Charities has notified us of their decision, and we will work closely with the agency to ensure these services for children and families transition smoothly,” said Mary Gambon, assistant commissioner of adoption, foster care and adolescent services for the Department of Social Services. “Over the years, Catholic Charities has provided exemplary service in Massachusetts, always meeting the needs of children and families, especially in their work with special needs adoption placements. The staff has always provided excellent services, training and support to parents.”

“This is a difficult and sad day for Catholic Charities,” Hehir said. “We have been doing adoptions for more than 100 years. We would like to thank the dedicated, highly-qualified staff that have carried out this ministry, often with great personal sacrifice. They are a great source of pride to this entire agency.”

Catholic Charities will continue to provide many other programs and services, including basic needs services, child care and after-school programs, counseling, parent support services, and refugee and immigration services.

“We must continue with our mission, and focusing our efforts on these other formidable programs allows us to do just that,” said Father Hehir.

About Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston’s Adoption Program

• Over the past two decades Catholic Charities has placed 720 children in permanent homes through adoption. Of those 720, 13 children were placed with same-sex families.

• Last year, Catholic Charities found 41 homes for children through adoption, provided pre- and post-adoption training and support services to 883 families and conducted 730 information searches for adoptees.

• Catholic Charities adoption services include pre-adoptive training, birth parent counseling, home studies, infant adoption, special needs adoption, legalization, and post placement.

• In fiscal year 2005, Catholic Charities received approximately $1 million in reimbursements for its adoption-related work from the Department of Social Services. Catholic Charities overall revenue in 2005 was $37 million.

About Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston

For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities has continued its mission of building a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people. Catholic Charities maintains approximately 35 locations with services including basic needs services, behavioral health, child care and after-school programs, adult day health, counseling and refugee and immigration services. In 2005, Catholic Charities served more than 200,000 children, teens, families and seniors in need. For additional information about Catholic Charities, visit our website at www.ccab.org

Copyright © 2004-2006 Archdiocese of Boston; all rights reserved