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Michigan Adoption Day to take place November 17

Posted at 2:56 PM, Nov 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-07 14:56:37-05

Michigan Adoption Day, an event jointly sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court and the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), will take place on Friday, November 17, 2017, at the Jackson County Courthouse. With assistance from local MDHHS offices and private adoption agencies, Michigan Courts will finalize adoptions, hold celebrations for adoptive families, and provide information about the adoption process.

Because Michigan Adoption Day is so close to Thanksgiving the theme is “Giving Thanks for Families.” It is hoped that Michigan Adoption Day will bring the adoption process to the public’s attention. By educating people about the process, we hope to encourage more adoptions and provide more children with safe and loving homes.

November has been officially proclaimed “National Adoption Month.” This commemoration dates back to 1976 to the state of Massachusetts where a statewide Adoption Awareness Week was announced by Governor Michael Dukakis. Eventually it became official on the national level and now has become National Adoption Month. Every year the President of the U.S. prepares a proclamation announcing that November is National Adoption Month.

Currently, there are 400,000 children in foster care across the United States. Approximately, 110,000 are legally freed for adoption and are waiting for a forever family. In Michigan there are approximately 13,000 children in foster care. 3,000 of these children are available for adoption. What’s even sadder is that many of these children will “age out” of the system. We hope that Michigan Adoption Day will help educate our community and make a difference in the lives of these children.

On November 17, 2017, Probate Judge Diane M. Rappleye will preside over adoption hearings beginning at 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. and Circuit Judge Richard N. LaFlamme will preside over adoption hearings from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE