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TWO PARENT ADOPTION TALKING POINTS

Protect all children! Provide children the security of TWO legal parents!

Representative Condino’s Bill protects children.

This bill changes the Adoption Code to allow for two unmarried parents to jointly adopt a child, AND would also allow an already existing legal parent to consent to another parent adopting the child they are raising together. This ensures children have the financial, legal, and emotional security of TWO parents, regardless of the parents’ sexual orientation or marital status. It also ensures that BOTH parents are financially responsible for their children in the event of death or separation of the parents.

This legislation will create more two-parent adoptive homes for children.

Because of the substantial number of children in need of permanent homes, adoption laws since the 1970’s have been EXPANDED to increase the number of potential adoptive parents. Who can adopt is based on parenting ability and not on personal characteristics such as marital status, race, religion or sexual orientation. We need MORE adoptive parents.

This legislation will save Michigan money.

As of July 31, 2003, 19,490 Michigan children were in foster care. It costs the state and its taxpayers $5,110 per year for one child age 0-12 and $6,314 per year for one child age 13-18 to be in foster care. Allowing two unmarried parents to adopt jointly would expand the number of homes available, decreasing the number of children in temporary homes (Family Independence Agency, 2003).

In 2000, 23.6% of children age 0-18 in Michigan were on state assisted Medicaid. Second parent adoptions can ensure that BOTH parents can provide insurance for their children without having to rely on Medicaid or being UNINSURED in the event of death or separation (Kids Count, 2002 Data Book).

National and Michigan child welfare experts endorse 2nd parent adoption.

National experts including the American Pediatric Association, American Psychological Association, Child Welfare League of America, North American Council on Adoptable Children and the American Academy of Family Physicians endorse second parent adoptions. Michigan’s National Association of Social Workers, Washtenaw Area Council for Children, and the Michigan Office of the Children’s Ombudsman have publicly endorsed second parent adoption.