DOS Notice: Adoption Service Provider Accreditation/Approval Expiration or Relinquishment

The Council on Accreditation (COA) reports that the following agencies did not seek renewal of accreditation or approval, did not achieve renewal before their accreditation/approval expired and have a pending application, or voluntarily relinquished their accreditation or approval between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017.

• A Helping Hand Adoption Agency
• About a Child
• Adoption Options
• Ascentria Care Alliance
• Baker Hall dba Baker Victory Services
• CASI Foundation for Children, Inc.
• Catholic Charities of Charlotte
• Catholic Guardian Services
• Children at Heart Adoption Services, Inc.
• Christian Social Services of Illinois dba Caritas Family Solutions
• Community Residences, Inc.
• Crossroads Adoption
• Dillon Southwest
• Embracing Children Adoption Services
• Hillside Family of Agencies
• Home at Last Adoption Agency
• International Family Services, Inc.
• The Baby Fold
• Villa Hope International Adoptions

Agencies that are not accredited or approved may not act as a primary provider but may perform services for intercountry adoption under the supervision of an accredited or approved adoption service provider so long as they meet the requirements of 96.35a. When an agency or person’s accreditation or approval expires or is relinquished, the agency or person is responsible for executing their plan for transferring cases and records as required by 22 CFR 96.33e and 96.42d. Families working with any of these agencies may wish to contact the agency directly with questions about case or record transfer. If the agency is not able to answer questions about case or record transfers, families may wish to review the information published by the Council on Accreditation (COA) at http://coanet.org/accreditation/hague-accreditation-and-approval/guide-to-finding-an-adoption-service-provider/for information about case transfers or about the accreditation/approval requirements.

The Department of State’s role with case transfer plans is limited. The Department of State does not review or approve case transfer plans. The Department does, however, communicate with foreign Central Authorities and competent adoption authorities about the accreditation status of agencies and persons and case transfer plans, as needed.”

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