Assesses the needs and capabilities of children who have been relinquished for adoption, compiles the children's social and medical histories, makes arrangements for care and supervision of the children prior to placement, evaluates prospective adoptive applicants including a review of adoptive home studies, if available, and selects and approves prospective adoptive homes. Also identifies and enlists individuals and couples who are willing to provide permanent homes and new legal parentage for children who have been relinquished for adoption, particularly for children who have special needs. Responsible for training, certifying, and monitoring placements in family homes and for providing support for the family and the adopted individual(s) who live with them. Links individuals who are in need of alternative living arrangements with appropriate private family homes that are licensed to provide foster care. Identifies and enlists people who are willing to provide foster care for dependent children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment and need an alternative family living arrangement, or for children and adults with developmental disabilities, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, emotional problems, or multiple disabilities who are unable to live with their birth families or in an independent setting.

Child welfare program. Provides adoption services, preventive services, and foster care resulting from voluntary or court placement. Resource Family Homefinding Unit maintains a constant availability of safe foster and adoptive home placement resources. This is achieved through ongoing recruitment, identification, training, and development of potential foster/adoptive resource families, with a primary objective of prudent evaluation and suitable placement of needy children into foster/adoptive homes. The Homefinding Team responds to inquiries from interested families providing pertinent information about the application process, necessary training, homestudy development, and the role of being a foster/adoptive parent.

* Provides adoption and foster care services for special needs children. National photo listing of adoptable special needs children. The CAP Book. Information on adoption and foster care. Parent recruitment for children awaiting adoption. Volunteer opportunities.

Recruits, trains, and certifies foster and adoptive homes and works to place children with adoptive families.

Offers a child-focused recruitment program that focuses on each child's individual history, experiences, and needs to find the appropriate adoptive family.

The Resource Parenting Program certifies individuals, couples, and families who are interested in providing a temporary foster home, adoptive home, or both to children in need. Participants in the program are afforded the opportunity to learn about the many aspects of foster and/or adoptive care and to have a certified adoption home study completed at no cost.

Prevents homelessness through finding homes for teens and pre-teens. Certify pre-adoptive parents through A-OKAY (Adopting Older Kids and Youth) parenting classes. Provides an Adopting Teens and Tweens TV show on channel 20 Cablevision of Brookhaven. Call for more information.

Operates national adoption agency devoted to recruiting, training, and certifying families for youth 7-17 years old, as well as special needs youth who need permanent families. Offers pre and post adoption support services. After certifying the family, a nationwide search is done for a child who fits one's family best. All services are in accordance with New York State Regulations. Call for more information

Provides confidential pregnancy option counseling and support before, during, and after birth; referrals for medical, financial, and emotional assistance; identifying and helping select adoptive parents, arranging legally approved payments of pregnancy related expenses. Confidential referral and counseling to adopted child at any age; referral and assistance search for birth parents when appropriate. Confidential counseling, education, and support to adoptive parents; pre-placement home study; assistance in advertising for, networking, and locating birth parents.

The Community Based Services encompasses Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster counties in New York and can include Care Management, Adoption Recruitment, Children and Family Treatment and Support Services and Home, and Community Based Services.

* Facilitates foster care services in Monroe County through various specialized units, including foster care intake, child protective management, youth opportunity, residential services, and adoption and homefinding.

Staff work with families, when appropriate, to address conditions which adversely affect a child's care. Staff work with families directly, and coordinate services with community resources to improve family conditions. Provides supportive and/or rehabilitative services to families with children who are at risk, while ensuring safety and permanence for children. Also is responsible for the provision of child protective services, foster care and adoption services.

Arranges for placement of children homes who are legally free for adoption and are in the guardianship of the Commissioner of Social Services in appropriate adoptive homes. Supervises the placement until legalization of the adoption by the courts. Also provides assistance to natural parents in planning a permanent home for children. Call for detailed information.

Provides permanent placement of adoptive children with couples and singles, including infant adoption through its domestic program; and that of toddlers, older children and sibling groups through its international programs (Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia). Also specializes in special needs adoptions. Post -adoption resources are available to the entire community in the form of workshops, speakers and support groups.