Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
~ Nelson Mandela
Resources
MeFCA is striving to help provide information, no matter where you are on your family's journey. Below you will find a list of Maine and national organizations working to help adoptive families.
AARP's Grandparenting web page. This website offers information to support grandparents in many ways, including caregiving.
Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine, Inc., (AFFM) provides support services for adoptive and foster parents, and kinship providers. AFFM provides the training, guidance, knowledge, and resources needed to handle complex issues as families open their hearts and homes to children. The services are for all adoptive and foster families who are licensed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or have DHHS approval to adopt. Special services from Maine Kids-Kin are available to kinship providers.
Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and education to everyone in the adoption community.
Child Welfare Training Institute is located in Augusta and is part of the Muskie School’s Institute for Public Sector Innovation. CWTI's mission is to enhance the professional development and organizational effectiveness of state and community child welfare providers and caregivers in order to improve the quality of services delivered to the children and families of Maine.
Grief Speaks is a website that addresses all areas of grief, including the losses suffered in adoption.
International and Domestic Adoption Help and Medicine this website contains lots of articles on subjects ranging from types of adoptions to medical issues and attachment. Recommended by MeFCA members.
Maine Child Development Services (CDS) system is an Intermediate Educational Unit that provides Early Intervention (birth - two years) and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE for ages three - five years) under the supervision of the Maine Department of Education at sixteen regional sites.
Maine Kids-Kin, provides services to grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings and other family members who are raising relatives' children.
Maine Parent Federation, located in Augusta, is a statewide family support organization which promotes individual aspirations for all people through information, education and advocacy. Free online courses have been designed to help keep parents and educators informed of the latest changes to the education system as well as provide useful information on being your own at-home educators.
SPIN, A project of the Maine Parent Federation, SPIN staff have experience as parents of children with disabilities and have access to a wide range of information. They are available to answer requests for information or to help parents find the answers to more complex problems. SPIN also collaborates with parent organizations, state agencies and other organizations in Maine to expand opportunities available to families.
The Center for Adoption Medicine this website has a wealth of information and 700 links to their favorite adoption websites.
The International Adoption Clinic at Floating Hospital for Children offers both pre-adoptive and post-adoptive services. Goals are to provide comprehensive family preparation, as well as nutritional, medical, and developmental evaluations and support for internationally adopted children throughout all stages. The clinic provides educational programs for pre-adoptive parents, review a child's medical records prior to his/her arrival, as well as screening for the special health care needs of internationally adopted children.
Tri-County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association works in Oxford, Franklin and Androscoggin Counties providing education and support to foster, adoptive and kinship families connected with DHHS. For information, contact Annette Wilson, 207-353-7071.
If there is something you are looking for and can't find it on this website, please contact us. We'll work together to find the information. We will also post the resource in this site for the benefit of others who we'll meet down the road.