July 14, 2010

Summary Report

Click here to read: The Haitian Twelve- A Report on Haitian Children Institutionalized in the United States

July 12, 2010

Summary Report

Click here to read: A Six-Month Update on the Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Children

July 12, 2010

Summary Report: Lan Timoun

Click here to read: A Six-Month Report on the Triumphs, Challenges, and Failures of Providing Services to Children in Haiti

July 12, 2010

USCIS Letters

USCIS has graciously provided Joint Council with samples of letters that they recently sent to sponsoring families of the children who were granted Humanitarian Parole in January.  Click here to view the letter regarding citizenship requirements. Click here to view the letter regarding the child's authorization to leave Haiti and confirmation that the child reached the United States.

July 12, 2010

More, Right, Enough: Thoughts on the six-month remembrance of the Haiti earthquake

Today marks six-months since the 35-second quake that shook Haiti, killed 300,000, and left millions without a home -traumatizing a nation. The death and destruction of January 12th was unprecedented and still to this day continues to remain indescribable.

Billions were donated. Thousands of search and rescue workers volunteered their time and energy. Millions became glued to their TVs, computers and newspapers. Countless prayers were offered. Governments from around the globe offered help. Even Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, sent a search and rescue team. Although a worldwide response, the suffering remained with the Haitian people alone.

Our response at Joint Council was also unprecedented. Until January 12th, we had little experience dealing with the effects of natural disasters. There wasn’t time to learn, just act.  And somehow we figured it out. Late nights and 20-hour days. Phone call after phone call. Meeting after meeting. Tear after tear. Through all of it, there were times when we got it right…and times we didn’t.

1,100 children removed from harms way and into a permanent family – got that one right.  45,000 children and families receiving services – got that one right too.  One teenage girl on the streets of Port au Prince, surrounded by gangs, moved to the safety of the U.S. Embassy – thank God for that one. Yes, we are proud of what we did and of what we continue to do.   And we are very proud of our partner organizations who have continued to help us reach over 46,000 children and families.

But whatever pride I had evaporated the instant our plane landed in Haiti on January 24th.  I walked onto the tarmac and there I saw real heroes. I saw the The U.S. Army who brought food, water and medicine and delivered it to many of our orphanages. I saw doctors and nurses who performed round-the-clock surgeries with few professional instruments.

I saw what once was Port au Prince and its people, now living in the street – literally in the street – they surrounded themselves with stone as to avoid being hit by a car or truck. I saw damaged orphanages and held children too traumatized to enter any type of building – even a safe one.

Then I saw Haitians helping Haitians. Haitian men, most had lost their own home, but were now digging friends out of the rubble. Haitian women, most having lost all they had, were now comforting the injured and caring for their neighbor’s children.  And young Haitian children, scared and alone, were now carrying water buckets for miles, trying desperately not to spill a drop. It was then that I realized the true heroes of this tragedy were the Haitian people.

Remember the pride I mentioned earlier, well it still is long gone. Because whatever we did, it was not enough. And whatever we are doing, it is still not enough. Families are living in squalid tent cities. Children are existing without a mother, father or anyone to truly care for them. And Restavek children are still being enslaved.

The rubble has yet to be removed from the roads. Promised housing has yet to be built. The pre-quake poverty is growing every day. Efficient aid is stymied by the bureaucracy of world governments. Effective assistance is impeded by the territoriality that is the U.N. and NGO community.

Billions have been raised, but suffering continues.

So my pride in what we did and what we are doing has transformed through a continual circle of stages. Despair into anger. Anger into dedication. Dedication into action. Action into pride and back to despair, starting the circle once again.

The one element that has not altered is our commitment: our commitment to the children of Haiti. Our commitment to do more. And our commitment to challenge governments, the U.N., UNICEF, NGOs, our partners and ourselves, to do more – to do it right – to do enough. To end the suffering.

And so during this week of remembrance, we will be announcing our plans for more. I hope that you will stand with us this week and in the weeks to come. And I hope that we will all stand with our brothers and sisters in Haiti, do more, do it right and end this needless suffering.

Support The Children of Haiti

Tom DiFilipo

Joint Council   Tom

July 12, 2010

Sonje Lan Timoun – A Remembrance of Haiti’s Most Vulnerable

Beginning on Monday, Joint Council will conduct a remembrance of the January 12^th earthquake.  For five days we will honor those who perished in the January 12 earthquake, those who continue to struggle and all who work hand-in-hand with Haitians to create a better tomorrow for Haitian children.

Here are some of our ‘must see’ for this week.  We hope that you will join us by sharing your thoughts and comments on our blog, Facebook and Twitter…and that we all remember the children of Haiti.

Monday on NPR – Did you know that we have a Global Awareness Campaign?  We do and part of the campaign is working with the media.  Tomorrow, Monday, July 12^th, Joint Council’s Tom DiFilipo will do just that when he is a guest on FORUM, a radio broadcast by KQED (an affilate of National Public Radio) on Monday, July 12th at 1:00 pm EST.  Tom and three other guests will discuss the state of intercountry adoption and the crisis in Haiti. The show can be heard live, online at http://www.kqed.org/radio/listen/ at 1:00 pm EST.

Haitian Guest Blogger: Darlene Williams – Darlene is a Haitian teenager who went from the danger of the streets of Haiti to a loving family in the U.S.

Lan Timoun: A Six-Month Report on the Triumphs, Challenges and Failures of Providing Services to Children in Haiti.

Humanitarian Parole & The Haitian Twelve:  Two seperate reports updating the status of Haitian children who entered the U.S. under Humanitarian Parole and the twelve Haitian children who, after six-months, remain in an institution in Pennsylvania.

Joint Council Haiti- This week we will formally announce the creation of the Joint Council of Haiti.  What is the Joint Council of Haiti?   It is our effort to help those who help children.  In Haiti, many NGOs, non-profits, churches and faith-based organizations work diligently for children, but they do it alone.  Joint Council Haiti will bring them together to share resources, knowledge and programs.  In short, we will do what we do best – help them help children.

Moving Past Humanitarian Parole: A Webinar on Finalizing Haitian Adoption and Gaining U.S. Citizenship for Adopted Children.

July 6, 2010

May 13, 2010

Joint Council Delegation to travel to Haiti

Joint Council President & CEO Tom DiFilipo, and Director of Programs & Services, Rebecca Harris, will lead a delegation to Haiti from June 5, 2010 to June 10, 2010. The intention of the advocacy trip to assess the current state of children living in orphanages, crèches, and children's homes following the earthquake; advocate with governmental, non-governmental and intra-governmental organizations in Haiti, as well as determining next steps following the passage of pending adoption laws.

Adoption and Citizenship

Since the days immediately after Haitian children began entering the U.S. through Humanitarian Parole, Joint Council has been aware of two very specific challenges in completing the adoption of these children and separately, in achieving status as a U.S. citizen. In collaboration with other advocates including the Center for Adoption Policy, Joint Council has met with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Health and Human Services regarding these two issues. Joint Council along with the Center for Adoption Policy and others will again meet with DS and HSS next week. It is our collective goal to firmly establish procedures which will allow for the unencumbered and timely completion of Haitian adoptions for children brought into the U.S. via Humanitarian Parole. Similarly, we are working towards what most likely will be a legislative fix on the issue of attaining citizenship for these children. Currently the only path to citizenship involves a two-year process and for those children over the age of 16 - no path to citizenship exists. We hope to work with our partners at the Center for Adoption Policy to ensure that all children can become U.S. citizens in a timely and efficient manner.

Haiti Intercountry Adoption Laws: Update

A new adoption law, which has been in development in Haiti for man years, was voted on and approved by the Chamber Deputies on May 7, 2010. The law is currently awaiting vote by the Senate. At this time it is unclear how the potential change in law will affect any in-process and new adoption cases.


Summary Report, Intercountry Adoptions in Haiti: Safeguards and Protections

Joint Council has published a Summary Report entitled Intercountry Adoption in Haiti: Safeguards and Protections. Joint Council provides the Summary Report to assist individuals, families, and professionals with an understanding of the current situation of intercountry adoption from Haiti as well as the risks and benefits of moving forward with an adoption. As noted in the Summary Report, individuals interested in starting the adoption process of children from Haiti should proceed with caution. As the adoption process reopens in Haiti we anticipate greater challenges than prior to the earthquake. Click here to view the full Summary Report.

Joint Council database

In an attempt to further update the Joint Council database of children who have arrived in the United States on the Humanitarian Parole Program, and to appropriately assist those children and families, we respectfully request that each family whose child(ren) have arrived in the U.S. to email betheanswer@jcics.org with the following information:

Name of parents
Name(s) of child(ren) who have arrived in the U,S.
Date of Arrival into the U.S.
Category for which the child(ren) arrived in the U.S. - Category 1 or 2

April 30, 2010

Joint Council has published a Summary Report entitled Intercountry Adoption in Haiti: Safeguards and Protections.  Joint Council provides the Summary Report to assist individuals, families, and professionals with an understanding the current situation of intercountry adoption from Haiti and the risks and benefits of moving forward with an adoption.  As noted in the Summary Report, individuals interested in starting the adoption process of children from Haiti should proceed with caution.  As the adoption process reopens in Haiti we anticipate greater challenges than prior to the earthquake.

April 27, 2010

Clarification on New Adoption Applications

April 27, 2010

New Adoption Applications Confirmed

The U.S. Department of State has issued a statement confirming information previously announced by Joint Council concerning intercountry adoptions in Haiti. IBESR, the Haitian entity responsible for adoptions is accepting applications for children who were documented as adoptable prior to the earthquake and for children relinquished after the earthquake.

The text of the announcement by the Department of State follows.

___________________

Haiti’s adoption authority, the Institut du Bien-être Social et de Recherches (IBESR), has informed the U.S. Government that they are now accepting new adoption applications for Haitian children who were either documented as orphans before January 12, 2010, or relinquished by their birth parent(s) since the earthquake.  We encourage prospective adoptive parents to submit their adoption applications directly through the IBESR to ensure that the process is done in accordance with Haitian legal requirements.

April 8, 2010

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop accepting new requests for consideration under the Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans as of April 14, 2010, and will resume regular processing of intercountry adoptions.  

More information can be found here.

April 7, 2010

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop accepting new requests for parole under the Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans effective April 13, 2010, because the Haitian government has requested that the United States bring the program to a close.  While USCIS believes that the vast majority of requests for special parole have already been submitted, any remaining prospective adoptive parents or adoptive parents will have until April 14, 2010, to submit a request under the special program.

More information can be found here.

February 1, 2010  1:45 pm

Joint Council staff just returned from a trip to Haiti.  More information can be found on our blog.

January 19, 2010 1:00 pm

KENTUCKY ADOPTION SERVICES, INC.

January 17, 2010 10:30 a.m.

January 16, 2010 2:00 pm

January 16, 2010 1:30 pm

January 15, 2010 5:40 pm

Visas Issued

Joint Council has confirmed that a handful of Haitian children, whose adoptions were finalized by the Haitian courts and whose adoptive parents were in Port au Prince at the time of the earthquake, have received their visa to enter the U.S. Joint Council shares in the joy and relief felt by these families and children. While the issuance of visas in these specific cases is very welcomed news, it should not encourage adoptive parents to travel to Haiti in an attempt to secure a visa for the child they are adopting. Such individual efforts may in fact be counterproductive and dangerous.

Children with Finalized Adoption Decrees

Through continuing meetings with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Members of Congress and other child advocates, Joint Council can ensure all, that every effort is being made by the U.S. government and child advocates to find a method by which children with finalized adoption decrees can enter the U.S. and be united with their adoptive family. While the U.S. government has yet to announce a decision and procedure for uniting adoptive families and children, we remain very confident that a positive resolution and decision will be made very soon. Joint Council, other advocates and our colleagues in the U.S. government recognize that time is critical and that an expeditious positive solution is necessary. Rest assured that the necessary organizations and entities are taking every possible step and moving as quickly as feasible given the nature of the crisis.

Other Adoptions

Our community including the U.S. government continues to work for a solution for those children and adoptive families who do not have a finalized Haitian adoption decree. These adoptions are often ill defined and therefore a procedure that unites children with adoptive families while ensuring that children are not further victimized is extremely difficult. Despite the challenges, we remain confident that the means to move children into adoptive families will be found very soon. As stated above, everyone involved recognizes that time if of the essence and are attempting to find solutions quickly.

New Adoptions, Airlifts & U.S. Foster Care

Ideas for airlifting children into the U.S. and placing them in foster homes continue to surface. In some instances, rumors and speculation have taken on a life of their own. Additionally, many U.S. families are seeking to initiate adoptions of newly orphaned Haitian children. While both airlifts and new adoptions are based on valid concerns and come from an obviously loving heart, neither option is considered viable by any credible child welfare organization. Bringing children into the U.S. either by airlift or new adoption during a time of national emergency can open the door for fraud, abuse and trafficking. Every effort must be made in a timely fashion to locate living parents and extended family members. Many children, who might appear to be orphaned, may in fact be only temporarily separated from their family. Our efforts must be to provide the families and children of Haiti with shelter, nutrition, water and safety. Once the situation in Haiti stabilizes and timely reunification has taken place, adoption may be an option for the children who remain outside of permanent parental care.

Haiti Adoptive Families & Orphan Database

A quick reminder to all adoptive parents to please register with our Haiti Adoptive Families & Orphan Database. The registry can be found on the Joint Council website at www.jcics.org. By providing information on your adoption, Joint Council and various agencies within the U.S. government will be able to provide emergency assistance to orphanages and to assist in uniting you with the child you are adopting.

Thank You

Our sincere thanks to all of the volunteers who assisted us today and to those who made financial donations. We also thank our colleagues at the Departments of State, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Members of Congress and other child advocates for their dedicated service. Most importantly, we thank those families who remain so very committed to the children of Haiti.

January 15, 2010 12:15 p.m. est

Contrary to internet rumors, it is Joint Council's understanding that U.S. visas for all of the children of BREMSA have NOT been obtained. Joint Council will continue to update our Facebook page and website and information becomes available.

January 15, 2010, 11:25 a.m. est

Recognizing that orphans and other children living without parental care are the most vulnerable victims in that they do not have a network of Joint Council is working with Members of Congress to request direct emergency relief to orphanages and children living outside of family care.  Later today a listing of orphanages, their location and the number of children in each orphanage will be provided to Members of Congress, the Red Cross, USAID and other emergency relief organizations.

January 15, 2010 - 11 a.m. est

Joint Council's Orphan and Family database is up and running.  If you are in the process of adopting from Haiti, please take a moment and fill-in your adoption information.  The database will allow Joint Council to advocate with the U.S. and Haitian governments, as appropriate, for for the cases currently in process.  Please note: the database is temporarily housed on Joint Council's donate page, donations are not required to utilize the database.  Adoptive families should choose the second option, "Register my Haiti adoption with Joint Council" to enter the necessary information.  To access the database, click here. 

January 14, 2010 - 4 pm est

The U.S. Dept of State, Office of Children's Issues has issued a notice in regards to the children affected by Natural Disasters and Conflict.  The notice can be found on the U.S. Dept of State, Office of Children's Issues website at http://adoption.state.gov/news/Haiti.html.

January 14, 2010 - 2 pm est

Sometimes it is more than one can bear. Living in abject poverty. Living in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Living with no mother, no father. And now this.

Yesterday, while the good people of Haiti were literally digging themselves out of the rubble, Joint Council and the members of our Haiti Caucus humbly met with a sense of despair, urgency, concern and resolve. Our phones rang off the hook with offers of help, with questions about the children and orphanages. Emails came in with more questions and more offers of help and financial assistance.

How To Help

While Joint Council always accepts and appreciates contributions, we are asking all those who wish to make a contribution to please make that donation to those organizations who provide direct services to the children of Haiti. Below is a list of those Joint Council Member Organizations who have active and substantial programs in Haiti and who have the ability to make your donation provide direct assistance in Haiti.

As you have seen on the news, most of Haiti has been impacted by the earthquake including orphanages, schools and medical clinics that serve orphaned children. The organizations listed below are able and willing to provide temporary assistance and to rebuild for long-term service to orphans and vulnerable families. We again urge everyone to make a contribution of any size.

If you do choose to make a contribution to Joint Council, please know that your donation will be used to fund our efforts to coordinate emergency relief efforts.

Adoptions

Our hearts go out to the children and families of Haiti and to those American families who are adopting. We understand your concern and fear during this time of uncertainty. And here is were Joint Council can help.

While Joint Council does not provide direct services such as housing, clean water and nutrition during emergencies, we can help in other ways. We are preparing a database of adoptive families and the children whom they are adopting with a goal of providing you with the status and location of the children. More information will be published on this effort in the coming days.

Joint Council is also working with the U.S. government to determine the impact of the devastation on the adoption process. Given that the coming days will be rightly focused on rescue efforts, it will take days if not weeks to fully assess the impact on adoptions and develop a plan to move forward with specific cases. Information on the adoption process will be published within the next few weeks.

Adoption During Emergencies

All credible organizations recognize and agree that new adoption cases, including new referrals, are not appropriate in a time of crisis or national emergency. Initiating new adoptions at this time could open the door to corruption and abuse of children. Every effort must be made to identify and find family members for children who are separated or displaced as a result of the earthquake.

Joint Council understands the natural tendency to offer a loving family for children who may be newly orphaned, however we urge all adoption service providers and potential adoptive families to refrain from inquiring or attempting to start a new adoption.


All of us at Joint Council and our Member Organizations are working diligently and ask for your support of the children and families of Haiti.


Adoption-Link

Information and Donations, click here.

Adoption-Link is providing emergency relief through their Haitian partnerships with The Foundation Enfant Jesus and also the Village of Vision.

Adoption-Link works with the Foundation Enfant Jesus in Haiti with a focus on finding families for children with HIV through their Chance by Choice program. Their program with The Foundation Infant Jesus finds families for children including family preservation through strong community development programs.

Heather Breems, MSW

International Supervisor/Haiti Program Coordinator

Adoption-Link

1113 South Blvd.

Oak Park, IL 60302

(708) 524-1433

Bethany Christian Services

Blog and Donations, click here.

BCS is collaborating with Haitian local and national organizations in order to assist with earthquake relief.

In Haiti, BCS currently provides child sponsorship programs, and is piloting a program to teach women a trade, allowing them to provide for their families, hopefully with the result that the family remains intact.

Carolina Adoption Services

Information and Donations, click here.

Carolina Adoption Services is focusing their emergency relief on housing, food and water for the children who have lost their orphanage.

Carolina Adoption Services currently works in Tabarre, approximately 10 miles outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Carolina Adoption Services reports that the staff and children of the orphanage are unharmed, but that damage was sustained to the buildings themselves.

Susan Fox – saw@carolinaadoption.org or 336-275-9660

Celebrate Children International

Information and Donations, click here.

Celebrate Children is providing humanitarian relief and mission trips including medical teams and rebuilding projects.

Celebrate Children International provides adoption services, humanitarian aid and medical services to families, children and orphans in Haiti.

Sue Hedberg sue@celebratechidlren.org

Angela Vance angela@celebratechildren.org

Tammy Grega tammy@celebratechildren.org

407 977 2810

407 625 9192

Holt International Children’s Services

Information and Donations, click here.

Holt International Children’s Services is working to ensure the safety and health of the children who live in Holt villages and are opening their doors to children in the surrounding area who have no homes to return to. Holt is using everything the have to make sure children are safe.

Holt International has been providing services to orphaned children and at-risk families since 2004. Holt currently operates the Holt Fontana Village orphanage, which cares for children who have been orphaned or abandoned.

Bruce Dahl, bruced@holtinternational.org - 541-687-2202

Kentucky Adoption Services

Information and Donations, click here.

Kentucky Adoption Services is providing medical assistance, food and clean water. Their team of 10 physicians will transport 2 planeloads of food and water. Donations for food and water are urgently needed. Their emergency relief efforts are in partnership with BRESMA Orphanage and Child Care Center.
 

September 21, 2009

Haitian Children & Families Initiative

Background

Over the past three years, the processing of adoptions in Haiti have slowed to a crawl. Abandoned children are enduring adoption processes lasting two or three years before being united with adoptive families.

Not only is such lasting institutional care damaging to the children who wait and wait, but the slowed process has had a negative effect on the many desperately needy children of Haiti who are not waiting in orphanages. Orphanages in Haiti have traditionally been providers of humanitarian aid to their communities. Many support free medical clinics, schools, feeding programs and family preservation programs.  Orphanages have been a resource for temporary care for children following a family crisis, such as a fire or illness. But now that children are languishing in orphanage care for years, orphanage directors report that the beds are full, the food and medicine supplies are insufficient, and the children needing temporary care are left on the streets with little prospect for life.

In a laudable effort to move towards transparent and democratic government, Haitian officials are now adhering to the Haitian Constitutional law regarding adoption, written in 1974 by Jean Claude Duvalier. While the law of 1974 places severe limitations on the size and age of those who may adopt, it does allow for Presidential Dispensation for those not meeting the family size or age limitations. Unfortunately, Haiti lacks an organized and transparent system for obtaining Dispensations. This confusion along with the absence of a sense of urgency regarding institutionalized children has caused extensive delays in the adoption process and further victimizes children who have already lost much.

The Solution

Haiti has a pending solution to this legal logjam. A newly proposed adoption law will clarify who may adopt, increase protections for Haitian children, their birth parents, and adoptive families, and streamline the adoption process. This legislation is supported by the United States and French governments along with Joint Council and the NGO community, including UNICEF.

The children of Haiti, the crèche directors who serve them and the adoptive families who wish to raise them need your help. We must encourage the Haitian government to pass the new adoption law and efficiently grant Dispensations in the interim.

The Haitian Crèche Directors’ Association has circulated a letter which 19 orphanage directors have signed, asking for our assistance in getting the support of the U.S. Government. This is our chance to help those who help the children of Haiti. You can review their letter by clicking here.

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers has sponsored a letter to her colleagues asking for their support for the pending law and the issuance of Presidential Dispensations.

What can you do?

On September 28th, 29th and 30th make three simple phone calls:

1. Call your U.S. Senator.
• You can find your Senators’ phone numbers at www.senate.gov 
• Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

2. Call your second U.S. Senator.
• You can find your Senators’ phone numbers at www.senate.gov 
• Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

3. Call your representative to the U.S. House of Representative.
• You can find your representative at www.house.gov
• Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff

After you have made the calls please.

4. Write letters for the Haitian Prime Minister, President of the Haitian Senate, and the Minister of Social Welfare.
• Your letter can contain the same information as specified below. If you are an adoptive family or are close to a Haitian-born adopted child, insert a picture of the child or your family in your letter.
• Describe your family’s commitment to Haitian culture and the country’s well being as a result of your contact with a Haitian-born adopted child.
• Mail your letter to Holt International, which has volunteered to collect letters and transport them to Haiti for hand delivery to the above government officials.

Holt International
Haitian Children & Families Initiative
P.O. Box 2880
Eugene, OR 97402

5. Sign the Joint Council’s online petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/haitian-children-families-initiative.html

6. Forward this message to everyone you know who cares about the welfare of abandoned children in Haiti. Individuals need not be personally involved in a Haitian adoption to let their voices be heard on behalf of children who have no one to speak for them!

What should you say or write to members of the U.S. Congress?
 

Speak from your heart and give them the following information.
 

Sample Statement

Hello,

We are calling/writing on behalf of the Haitian Children & Families Initiative. We, as your constituents, are asking that the Senator/Congressperson sign the Dear Colleague letter regarding the pending Haitian adoption law, sponsored by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

As you may be aware, the Haitian adoption process is unreasonably delayed. Children already matched with adoptive families are languishing in orphanages for two and three years. The orphanages, which have traditionally served as humanitarian aid outreach centers, have run out of resources and are no longer able to offer assistance to their communities. Haitian children outside the orphanages are dying needlessly as a direct result of the delayed adoptions.

Your office must get involved and sign the Dear Colleague letter to support the Haitian government in their effort to assist the homeless and abandoned children of Haiti.
If they have further questions ask them to contact Amiee Henneke from Rep. McMorris Rodgers Office, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute or Joint Council at (703) 535-8045.

Thank you!

Can you explain the problem behind the current crisis?

Here is some additional information…

• The current constitutional law, written in 1974 by Jean Claude Duvalier, severely restricts who may adopt from Haiti. The only method by which the Haitian government may permit adoptions to non-conforming families is via Presidential Dispensation.
• The lack of a defined and efficient Dispensation process has caused delays of up to three years for children in the adoption process. Prolonged institutionalization has been scientifically proven to be highly detrimental to children.
• As orphanages expend their limited resources caring for children in the process of adoption over extended periods, they are unable to provide their traditional humanitarian aid programs to their communities.
• The existing adoption law provides almost no protection for the rights of abandoned children, their birth parents, or adoptive families. It offers no safe guards against human trafficking.
• A proposed adoption law will alleviate the crisis by standardizing and streamlining adoptions, and will far better protect abandoned Haitian children from child trafficking
 

August 12, 2009 - Haitian Children & Families Initiative
 

February 11, 2009 - Joint Council is proud to present its Standards of Practice for Haiti. These Standards are designed for orphanages and Adoption Service Providers who demonstrate that they meet these highest standards of practice. The Standards can be found here.

February 2, 2009 - The U.S. Consular General hosted a signing ceremony for the Joint Council Standards of Practice at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in February, 2009.  Representatives from Adoption Service Providers and Haitian Crèches signed the Standards after remarks from the U.S. Consular, Joint Council’s Tom DiFilipo, and UNICEF.  Witnessing the signing and joining in the following reception were Consular Officers from France, Canada and Switzerland. 

The signing of the Standards represents an important step in Joint Council’s ongoing efforts to ensure that best practices and ethical conduct are utilized when serving children through intercountry adoption.  The Standards were developed through collaboration with the Joint Council Haiti Caucus, Haitian crèches and orphanages and with input from other key stakeholders. 

Today’s event will be followed by trainings on various elements of the Standards and collaboration with the French and U.S. governments in support of Haiti’s passage of the new adoption law.

September 13, 2008 - Madam Beaudin, the former director of IBESR, has been nominated to the position of new Minister of Social Affairs. She held the position of IBESR director since October of 2006.

August 6, 2008 - Joint Council led a delegation to Haiti the week of July 28, 2008. During meetings with orphanage and crèche directors, IBESR, UNICEF, and U.S. Consular Offices, the Joint Council delegation advocated for implementation of a new child protection law and a reduction in adoption processing timelines.

Currently, adoption processing times regularly exceed 18 months and in some cases exceed 24 months.  Recognizing that such extended timelines are not in the best interest of children, Joint Council is seeking support from all stakeholders in reducing the timeline to less than 12 months. 

Joint Council supports this draft law as it provides added protections to children including the elimination of independent adoptions and requires registration of orphanages, crèches and service providers.  With a new Prime Minister appointed last week and the anticipated appointment of a new cabinet of Ministers, we are hopeful that the new Haitian government will act quickly in addressing the needs of its children.

Many stakeholders continue to express concerns regarding the current level of practices in the Haitian child welfare system including intercountry adoption.  To address these concerns and to prevent potential abuses, Joint Council is working with orphanages, crèches, UNICEF and others to effectively advocate for the highest standard of practice.

September 25, 2007 - Joint Council is pleased to confirm that the U.S. Department of State Consular office in Haiti began processing visas as of late last week.  It is our understanding that the issue related to Haitian court decrees has been fully resolved and that the processing of visas will continue uninterrupted.

November 6, 2006 - The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince has reported that Gabrielle Beaudin was appointed the director of the Haitian social services agency, "Institut du Bien Entre Social et de Recherches" (IBESR) on Tuesday, October 3. Prospective adoptive parents should expect adoption processing to be temporarily slower as the director settles into the position. The Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, and Joint Council continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide additional information as it becomes available.

March 11, 2005 - The U.S. Department of State has issued the following travel warning for Haiti.

This Travel Warning is being issued to warn U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to Haiti due to the volatile security situation, even though the authorized departure for non-emergency personnel and family members of U.S. Embassy personnel has been lifted.  This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning issued October 14, 2004.

Americans are reminded of the potential for spontaneous demonstrations and violent confrontations between armed groups. Visitors and residents must remain vigilant due to the absence of an effective police force in much of Haiti; the potential for looting; the presence of intermittent roadblocks set by armed gangs or by the police; and the possibility of random violent crime, including kidnapping, car-jacking, and assault.

Travel can be hazardous within Port-au-Prince.  Some areas are off-limits to embassy staff, including downtown Port-au-Prince after dark.  The embassy has imposed a curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., which could change periodically.  Staff members must remain in their homes or in U.S. government facilities during the hours covered by the curfew.  The embassy has limited travel by its staff outside of Port-au-Prince and the ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside of Port-Au-Prince remains extremely limited.  U.S. businesses continue to operate in Haiti, but take special precautions to protect their facilities and personnel.  The UN stabilization force (MINUSTAH) is fully deployed and is assisting the government of Haiti in providing security.  They have challenged violent gangs and have moved into some gang enclaves.

U.S. citizens who travel to or remain in Haiti despite this Travel Warning must remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and are strongly advised to register either online at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ or come to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince and enroll in the warden system (emergency alert network) to obtain updated information on travel and security in Haiti.  The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy can be reached at (509) 223-7011, the fax number is (509) 223-9665 and the e-mail address is acspap@state.gov.  Travelers should also consult the Department of State's latest Consular Information Sheet for Haiti and Worldwide Caution Public Announcement at http://travel.state.gov.  American citizens may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States or Canada or 1-317-472-2328 from overseas.  In Haiti citizens can call 509/222-0200 ext. 2000.

October 13, 2004 - The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel warning for Haiti due to the unpredictable and dangerous security situation. U.S. citizens are encouraged to avoid non-emergency travel until the security situation stabilizes.

June 7, 2004
From the US Department of State:

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING ADOPTIONS IN HAITI

The Department of State is aware that many American parents are in the process of adopting children from Haiti and are naturally concerned about the current situation in that country. We want to remain in contact with adoptive families to advise them of updates to the situation in Haiti and to answer their questions.

The State Department strongly advises American citizens not to travel to Haiti at this time. The security situation in Haiti remains dangerous and unpredictable, despite progress on a peaceful political process and the presence of foreign security forces operating under a United Nations mandate. U.S. citizens are warned to defer travel to Haiti until the situation stabilizes. American citizens are urged to review the most recent Travel Warning for Haiti at http://travel.state.gov/travel/haiti_warning.html, and to monitor the State Department's website (http://travel.state.gov/travel/warnings_current.html) for further updates. The latest information on the security situation in Haiti may be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 from the U.S. and 317 472 2328 from abroad.

On Saturday, February 21, the Department ordered the departure of all non-emergency personnel and all family members from Haiti. The U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section is now open, and full consular services, including immigrant visa services for orphans have resumed although staffing remains limited.

The Department of State and the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince have also agreed to the temporary assignment of DHS/CIS personnel to Port-au-Prince at this time. One CIS officer is currently at post to assist with the DHS/CIS functions.

Adoptive families are asked to contact the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince by email at papcons@state.gov; by telephone: 011-509-223-6440; or fax: 011-509-223-9665. Families may also contact the Adoption Unit in the Office of Children's Issues at 202-736-9099, or at askci@state.gov.

March 9, 2004

Notice from the U.S. Department of State, Office of Children's Issues to Prospective Adoptive Parents

Dear Parents:

We are writing to inform you of the latest developments regarding adoptions in Haiti.
Consular functions at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince have resumed on a very limited basis.  Our focus must be on American Citizen Services at this time.  Regarding adoption interviews, those who had appointments that were cancelled due to the recent unrest in Haiti have priority for rescheduling, if their dossiers are complete.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office in Port Au Prince plans to resume processing of I-600s via faxes to the DHS office in Mexico City.  As this system is untried, please be patient.  Some time will be necessary to iron out any problems.

Many crèches have reported receipt of funds from non-governmental organizations contracted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) so that they may purchase foodstuffs and other items necessary for the welfare of their children.

Haitian government offices, including IBESR, have not yet resumed operations.  We are closely monitoring that situation and will advise parents of any developments. 

 American Airlines has resumed service to Port Au Prince as of March 9.
The security situation in Haiti is such that we continue to  advise U.S. citizens to defer travel to Haiti, and those who are currently in Haiti to leave, if they can do so safely.

We hope this information is of help.  If you have further questions, please contact the Office of Children's Issues at askci@state.gov

        Sincerely,

        Office of Childrens' Issues
        U.S. Department of State

February 26, 2004

Prospective adoptive parents adopting from Haiti are encouraged to remain in contact with the Adoption Unit in the Office of Children's Issues at 202-736-9099, or at askci@state.gov. 

February 23, 2004

The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel warning for Haiti to inform American citizens that, due to continued political demonstrations and ongoing civil unrest, the Department of State has authorized the departure of family members and non-emergency employees of the U.S. Embassy on a voluntary basis. Private American citizens should evaluate their own security situations and should consider departing the country. The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer travel to Haiti at this time.

January 30, 2004

The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel warning for Haiti to inform American citizens that, due to continued political demonstrations and ongoing civil unrest, the Department of State has authorized the departure of family members and non-emergency employees of the U.S. Embassy on a voluntary basis. Private American citizens should evaluate their own security situations and should consider departing the country. The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer travel to Haiti at this time. 

November 2003

Expert from the U.S. State Department:

The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti has learned that one of the adoption agencies in Haiti, Precious in His Sight (PIHS), has ceased operations in Haiti.

We are aware that adoptive parents who were clients of PIHS are concerned about the impact of this closure on their ability to complete their adoptions. The U.S. Embassy is actively seeking clarification from Haitian adoption officials about how they will process these adoptions.

Adoptions by U.S. citizens through other agencies have not been affected by the closure of PIHS.

We will provide future updates to concerned parents through email notification. Adoptive parents affected by the closure of PIHS who wish to receive email updates, please write to askci@state.gov or call (202) 736-9099. Please include your name, telephone number, and a current email address, if available.

September 2003

Haiti is one of the countries participating in the voluntary Adjudicate Orphan First pilot program through the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS).  Click here to learn more about this pilot program. 

To visit the U.S. Department of State's website regarding adopting from Haiti, click here.