LANSING - “Giving Thanks for Families” was the message of the day as courts statewide celebrated Adoption Day on Tuesday, November 24th.

Adoption Day held on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving each year highlights the importance of adoption and the needs of children in foster care.

The Supreme Court courtroom of the Michigan Hall of Justice located at 925 W. Ottawa, Lansing, Michigan was home for the focus on forever families.

Lansing Chief Justice Robert Young and Justice Bridget M. McCormack joined Washtenaw Circuit Judge Timothy Connors and Tribal Judge Michael Petoskey in finalizing adoptions for families from Washtenaw County.

Justice David F. Vivano, Justice Stephen J. Markman, Justice Joan L. Larsen, and Court of Appeals Chief Jude Michael Talbot also assisted as judges at the event.

There are 30 courts throughout the state of Michigan that are participating in Adoption Day and the event is open to the public to share the message.

“Adoption Day showcases the power of love for children and why having a forever family is so important," states Young. “This celebration gives a public window into the adoption process and reminds the people how every child deserves a loving, forever home.”

The event was co-sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court, the Child Welfare Services division of the State Court Administrative Office, the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Michigan Adoption Fast Facts- (Source - Mare Website)

• As of September 30, there are about 13,000 children in Michigan’s foster care system.
• There are about 2,400 children whose parents’ rights have been terminated and have a goal of
adoption.
• More than 1,700 children were adopted in Michigan in FY2015 through DHHS or private
adoption agencies. On average 51 percent of children were adopted by their foster parents, 40
percent of children were adopted by relatives, and 9 percent of children were adopted by a
recruited family.
• Approximately 90 percent of children who are available for adoption qualify for assistance to
help families with some of the costs of bringing children into their homes.
• The total amount of adoption assistance paid to adoptive families by the state of Michigan is
about $240 million annually.
• Michigan’s Adoption Medical Subsidy Program is a reimbursement program that assists in
paying for services for adopted children who have an identified physical, mental, or emotional
condition which existed, or the cause of which existed, before the adoption petition was filed.
• Post adoption services are available statewide through eight Post Adoption Resource Centers and
offer the following services: case management, including short-term and emergency in-home
intervention; coordination of community services; information dissemination; education; training;
advocacy; family recreation activities and support.




For more information:

Anyone who is interested in adopting a child can contact Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at 3840 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor , MI, call (734) 528-1695.