Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York

Incorporated in 1975 as the New York State Citizens Coalition for Children, the Coalition was created to address problems in the state’s child welfare system. These problems resulted in protracted foster care stays in what was intended to be a temporary system. In reality, those stays became the way of life for thousands of New York’s children. They also resulted in problems for parents who had adopted their children privately and were unable to access needed support services. The Coalition’s activities to address these problems over history have been focused on: Education and support for foster and adoptive parents and family members raising relative’s children (kinship care), as well as professionals who serve these families and children. Parent Group Development and Support Services. Administrative and Legislative Advocacy. Access to post adoption and post placement support services throughout the state. Becoming the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York In 2015, as part of a strategic planning process, we revisited our name. We decided that it was time to make a change — to a name that honors the “Coalition” — the bringing together of parents, professionals and others who care about children in foster and kinship care and those who are adopted — and also clearly expresses our focus. Thus, we transformed into the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York. Adding AGAPE and Growing In 2016, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) launched the Regional Permanency Resource Center initiative. The Coalition was one of twelve organizations chosen to initiate regional post-adoption and post-guardianship support programs. It was then that our Adoptive and Guardianship Assistance Program for Everyone (AGAPE) came into being. Since then, AGAPE has grown to serve nineteen counties, one-third of all counties outside of New York City. For the families who desperately need support, and for the children and youth who need and deserve the stability of loving, permanent families, we opened up additional offices in Long Island and Ithaca. The Coalition’s staff grew from one employee under an Executive Director to over twenty! We continue to build and grow the Coalition’s role and place in New York’s child welfare world. We continued to work; building on existing relationships and considering the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.