Infant Adoption Trainings



Infant Adoption Awareness Training Project
In 2005, Bethany’s South Central Iowa branch was awarded Lead Agency status by Spaulding for Children, one of the six organizations funded by the U.S. Department of Human Services to develop and offer trainings on counseling adoption as an option.

The purpose is to increase health care providers’ knowledge and skill in counseling adoption as an option on an equal basis with other options to an unintended pregnancy.

The objectives of the training include:

  1. Provide up to date information about adoption, inculding the various types of adoption.
  2. Be consistent with state law, imparting information about legal issues pertaining to adoption, including the rights of the birth mother and father.
  3. Impart information about the multiethnic placement act as it relates to adoption and the Indian child welfare act.
  4. Impart information on how members of the birth mother’s family and community may impact her pregnancy decision process.
  5. Impart information on the role of the birth father in the pregnancy decision.
  6. Impart information about the various adoption services available with in the community and how to assess the quality and appropriateness of the services for a particular woman.
  7. Impart Information on adolescent development.
  8. Impart information about the psychological and emotional reactions such as shame, grief, loss, guilt, and depression that birth parent may experience.

Throughout 2008, Bethany Christian Services, along with other partner adoption agencies in Iowa, will offer FREE trainings entitled, “Understanding Infant Adoption.” For nurses and social workers, continuing education credits are paid for as well. Meals, refreshments, and promotional items are also provided free of cost. For training dates and locations, visit www.iaatp.com or contact Emily Logan, Iowa Project Coordinator, at bcsdesmoines@bethany.org or 1.888.832.2326.