Gladney Center For Adoption

BEYOND PLACEMENT: A STRUCTURED POST-ADOPTION SUPPORT MODEL FOR BIRTH PARENTS - THE GLADNEY CENTER FOR ADOPTION PROPOSES BEYOND PLACEMENT: A STRUCTURED POST-ADOPTION SUPPORT MODEL FOR BIRTH PARENTS, A TWO-YEAR PROJECT DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE LONG-TERM WELL-BEING AND ADJUSTMENT OF BIRTH MOTHERS AND BIRTH FATHERS WHO VOLUNTARILY PLACED A CHILD THROUGH PRIVATE DOMESTIC ADOPTION. BEYOND PLACEMENT WILL BUILD ON GLADNEY’S EXISTING LIFELONG POST-ADOPTION SERVICES BY CREATING A MORE STRUCTURED AND PROACTIVE PATHWAY FOR SUPPORT AFTER PLACEMENT. THE PROJECT WILL OFFER VOLUNTARY, CHOICE-BASED OUTREACH; INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT PLANNING; RESOURCE AND ECONOMIC-MOBILITY NAVIGATION; PROFESSIONALLY FACILITATED SUPPORT GROUPS; ADOPTION-COMPETENT COUNSELING; COMMUNICATION AND VISIT ASSISTANCE; PARTICIPANT ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS; AND COMPENSATED PEER MENTORING. SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY NATIONWIDE, WITH IN-PERSON OPTIONS IN NORTH TEXAS AND THE HOUSTON AREA. OVER THE TWO-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, GLADNEY PLANS TO CONTACT APPROXIMATELY 200 ELIGIBLE BIRTH PARENTS AND ENROLL AT LEAST 150 PARTICIPANTS. AT LEAST 120 PARTICIPANTS WILL COMPLETE AN INTAKE, NEEDS ASSESSMENT, OR INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT PLAN; 80 WILL PARTICIPATE IN SUPPORT GROUPS; 60 WILL RECEIVE COUNSELING; 40 WILL BE MATCHED WITH A PEER MENTOR; AND 75 WILL RECEIVE ECONOMIC-MOBILITY OR PRACTICAL RESOURCE NAVIGATION. TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY WILL SERVE AS THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATION CONTRACTOR AND CONDUCT A MIXED-METHODS EVALUATION OF PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCE, OUTCOMES, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, SERVICE DELIVERY, AND THE STAFFING AND COSTS NEEDED FOR REPLICATION. FINDINGS WILL BE USED FOR CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND TO DEVELOP A PRACTICAL PROGRAM MANUAL, IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE, SAMPLE CURRICULUM, OUTREACH AND EVALUATION TOOLS, COST INFORMATION, AND DISSEMINATION PRODUCTS FOR OTHER ADOPTION-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS. BY CREATING AND EVALUATING BEYOND PLACEMENT, GLADNEY SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN BIRTH PARENT SUPPORT, IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES, AND PROVIDE THE ADOPTION FIELD WITH A REPLICABLE MODEL FOR ONGOING POST-ADOPTION CARE.