CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (NEWS10) — November is National Adoption Month, which began as National Adoption Week in 1984, as proclaimed by President Reagan. President Clinton then proclaimed the first National Adoption Month in 1995.
Today, the government observes it as a way to bring attention to the need for adoptive families for teens in the U.S. foster care system.
According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, in the 2021 fiscal year, there were over 114,000 children and youth waiting to be adopted who were at risk of aging out of foster care without permanent family connections.
“Adoption agencies are wonderful entities that are either publicly or privately funded,” said Ryan McCall, an attorney with Tully Rinckey. “They can work on getting individuals set up with a home visit, working on filing the necessary petitions, and working with that family that you might be adopting from.”
In New York State, an adult unmarried person, an adult married couple together, or any two unmarried intimate partners together may adopt a person.
In certain instances, minors may adopt another individual. Under NYDRL §110, a minor married couple may adopt a child born to either of them. Similarly, a minor spouse may adopt a previous child of their spouse.