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MAPS News and Events

Kazakhstan Dossier Suspension Lifted

We're pleased to announce that the recent suspension of dossier acceptance for Kazakhstan has been lifted and dossier processing has resumed. Please see http://jcics.org/Kazakhstan.htm for a complete update.

Adoptions from Guatemala suspended until further notice

On December 31, 2008 the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption went into effect in Guatemala, and on April 1st, the Convention took full effect in the U.S. Since Guatemala does not currently have a fully perational and Hague compliant intercountry adoption processing system in place, USCIS will no longer allow U.S. citizens to apply for I-800A or I-800 approvals for this country. In effect, this means that U.S. citizens can no longer apply to adopt from Guatemala. We anticipate that the Department of State will issue a statement in the near future to this effect and encourage you to check the JCICS website for periodic updates on progress made within Guatemala's
intercountry adoption system: www. jcics.org

We are Hague Accredited

We have received notification from the Council on Accreditation (COA) that we have been granted accreditation under the new Hague regulations. This is important news for MAPS and for our clients because once the US ratifies the Hague treaty, those adopting from other Hague-ratified countries (such as China and India) can only do so through an accredited agency. We are very proud to be in the first group of US agencies to receive this designation.

The goal of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption is to ensure that the best interests of children are considered with each intercountry adoption and to prevent the abduction, exploitation, sale, or trafficking of children around the world. 68 nations, including China, India, Guatemala, and Peru, have already ratified the treaty, and the US is expected to become a member nation on April 1. Once the US legislation is ratified, all US adoption agencies must be accredited under rigorous guidelines in order to place children from other Hague Convention nations into American families.

In order to receive accreditation, MAPS had to meet stringent requirements regarding licensing and corporate governance, financial and risk management procedures, ethical practices, professional qualifications and quality control policies.

More about Accreditation HERE.

Russia News : We Are Accredited in Russia!

After a long wait during Russia’s reaccreditation process, we are now reaccredited by Russia’s Ministry of Education! With this new accreditation in place, we can begin processing waiting families, have reopened our Russia adoption program to new applicants, and can start placing babies, toddlers, and older children again. The accreditation is non-expiring and ensures that we can continue our work in Russia for years to come.

MAPS families whose paperwork is up to date and already submitted should contact Kate or Jill at (207) 775-4101 to discuss specific time frames. We thank all of you for your patience during this delay and look forward with joy to helping you bring your new child/ren home. We also urge new families to contact us to learn more about adopting through our Russia program.

In 1991, we were the first American agency to begin placing children from Russia with families in the United States. Since then, we have found homes for 1200 Russian children throughout the US and have funded humanitarian aid programs to improve the lives of the children who remain in Russia’s orphanages and foster homes.

Russian Delegation Visits Local Adoption Agency

A group of 10 Russian adoption officials recently attended a reception held by MAPS Adoption and Humanitarian Aid to learn more about the services available to Russian children adopted to the U.S.

Boston, MA -- October 25, 2007 -- MAPS, an agency specializing in full-service adoption, was selected to host a delegation of Russian officials sponsored by the International Leadership Program of the U.S. Department of State. Each member of the delegation is involved in the adoption process of Russian children to the United States. MAPS was honored to host the members of the delegation as they make their way throughout the country learning about the services available to Russian children adopted in the United States.

Stephanie Mitchell, Executive Director of MAPS, states “Hosting a foreign delegation is an excellent opportunity to create understanding and support for international adoption through communication and relationship building. This was a great opportunity for MAPS to facilitate a conversation about international adoption and gain a new perspective.”

The day began with a presentation by Dr. Laurie Miller of the International Adoption Clinic at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Miller addressed the delegation’s concerns about issues involving the availability of medical services to adopted children. Dr. Miller informed the delegates of the variety of services offered to adoptive families from pre-adoptive counseling and education to post-adoptive evaluations and monitoring.

The delegation then met with various MAPS staff members in their Boston office. The afternoon included presentations by MAPS staff about their adoption education classes, post placement supervision services, support groups and various other programs offered to adoptive families. Janet Braga, MAPS Board member and adoptive mother of two Russian children, was also on hand for a one-on-one interview with the delegation. Mrs. Braga was able to answer questions about her personal experience as well as engage in a discussion about the allocation of fundraising money to MAPS humanitarian aid projects in Russia.

The evening concluded with a reception at a local restaurant where the delegates were joined by several MAPS families who have previously adopted from Russia, as well as several members of the MAPS staff. With children ranging in ages from three years old to 14 years old in attendance, the officials were given the ability to view first-hand the adaptation of these Russian children to the U.S. As many agencies await their re-accreditation in Russia, this was a wonderful opportunity for the officials to learn about the invaluable services offered these families.

For more information about Russian adoptions or any of the adoption programs offered by MAPS please call our office at 617-267-2222.

Guatemala adoption update

September 27, 2007

On September 25th, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement that Guatemala plans to suspend intercountry adoptions with non-Hague countries, including the U.S., on January 1, 2008. The administration was also reported to have said that adoption cases pending at that time will have to meet Hague standards (which have not yet been implemented in Guatemala.) As a result of this new information, the Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS), of which MAPS is an active member, has advised all agencies not to give referrals of children after October 1st. This directive is intended to protect adoptive families and agencies from initiating adoptions in the midst of this political climate of uncertainty. Given the extent of risk that these new announcements have introduced, MAPS
has decided not to share child referrals after October 1st, until further
notice.

MAPS has been processing adoptions and providing humanitarian aid for the children of Guatemala since 1994; our commitment to this country will not end with this recent decision. We are encouraging families to participate in JCICS' "Guatemala 5000 Initiative." Please see the JCICS website for details: www.jcics.org

The purpose of this campaign is to encourage the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Congress to formally request that the government of Guatemala continue to process pending cases (as of January 1st, 2008) according to the existing law they were initiated under. Furthermore, we are hopeful that the collective voices of families, agencies and the U.S. government will help influence the continuation of intercountry adoptions from Guatemala, in a system that is both Hague compliant and includes the notorial process.

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