In the wake of the recent Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision, C.A.S.E. CEO Debbie B. Riley, LCMFT comments on the complexities surrounding adoption

As a member organization of Voice for Adoption (VFA), an organization that advocates for children in foster care waiting to be adopted, I want to share their statement developed in response to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision last week overturning Roe vs. Wade.

As a mental health services organization specializing in supporting adoptive, foster and kinship families, our concern is that adoption will be promoted as a solution to unintended pregnancy without an adequate understanding of the complexities of adoption:  loss, grief, trauma, identity, and the attachment challenges impacting the entire adoption network.

We see these vulnerabilities even when adoption is well-planned, competent resources are available, accessed, and transparency and communication is valued by all involved. We fear the long-term consequences on children and family well-being when adoption is inappropriately promoted, leading to unrealistic expectations, poorly prepared families, and children who will be traumatized and harmed.

At C.A.S.E., we remain committed to providing high quality adoption competent mental health services to all children and families and continuing to build a national network of adoption competent professionals.

Given this new reality, we challenge elected officials and decision makers to support the accessibility and provision of services so that every child and family in every state has access to high quality adoption competent mental health services. We hope you will join us in this advocacy.

Debbie B. Riley, LCMFT

C.A.S.E. Co-Founder and CEO

Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Voice for Adoption

Click here to read Voice for Adoption’s full statement.