National Adoption Association

"adoptuskids" began when the children's bureau of the u.s. department of health & human services entered into cooperative agreements with naa. We continue to operate this multifaceted project with our partners to raise public awareness about the need for families for children in foster care, and to assist states, territories, and tribes as they recruit and retain foster and adoptive families and connect them with children.

Naa's ujima black family program convenes 50 black leaders nationally in immersive trainings and workshops to change mindsets around the importance of black family connection to divert or deflect black opportunity youth from experiencing family separation in foster care and incarceration. Naa launched the new ujima black family program by engaging and inviting 100 black leaders within the court systems, law enforcement, child welfare, adoptions, behavioral health, and education to join the program. Forty-four leaders joined the program. Post-training surveys administered following each engagement with the program showed positive feedback and growth based on the evaluative metrics. Overall, 97% of leaders reported that the program trainings re-shaped their perspectives on black family connections.

Naa provides continuing education to its 500+ member nationwide through webinars, National publications, think tanks, conferences, National convenings, member meetings and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.

Racial equity: naa launched its racial equity in Adoption program to provide foundational learning and curated resources for Adoption and child welfare professionals to work toward eliminating disproportionality and end the documented disparate treatment and outcomes of children of color and their families who experience the child welfare system.