We promote adoption as a positive option for those facing unplanned pregnancies.
September 2023 News
SO Few Consider Adoption
Today, only 1% - 2% of women facing unplanned pregnancy choose adoption. The other 98%+ choose between abortion and (single) parenting.
They may not realize -- they can choose life, even if they are not ready to parent.
We all play a role in encouraging women to choose adoption. Remember, any young woman is more likely to consider it when an adult she admires suggests it.
Unplanned Good Policy Work
We are pretty excited about our work in this area. We'll be introducing legislation in the 'trigger law' States during the next legislative session. The goal is to remove obstacles and make choosing adoption easier for the women who are considering placing their babies with adoptive parents. Placing for adoption is *so* difficult, let's not make it any harder than need be!
The focus of most adoption legislation is the adoptive parents. We just might be the first in the country to focus on the birthmom!
The Birthmother Care Act
The Birthmother Care Act, our proposed legislation, would make it easier to choose adoption by:
1. Ensuring all high school students know about the option of closed and open adoptions. In any health ed / sex ed class in Idaho schools, when contraception is explained, adoption will get at least equal classtime alongside the other pregnancy options of abortion and (single) parenting. Current practices of open adoption (in contrast to closed) will be explained whenever contraception is explained.
2. Leaving adoption to the trained experts. Infant adoption must be done by a licensed child-placing agency, not facilitators, for the protection of the birthmother (and the prospective adoptive parents).
3. Making relinquishment less traumatic than it currently is. Change Idaho Statue that requires ‘All surrenders must be made before a judge or magistrate’. to
‘Adoption surrenders may be made before a judge or an adoption attorney with a notary present’.
4. Offering counseling sessions pre- and post-placement to therapy to ensure that the adoption is the will of the birthmother (no coercion involved), and to help her process & cope.
... and more! Go to Unplanned Good Policy Work for more detail!
Speaking at Hillsdale College Next Month
I'm looking forward to speaking at Hillsdale College on Wed., Oct. 4 at 7PM in the Student Union.
The event is called, The Great CoverUp: What They Don’t Tell you About Abortion and Adoption.
To learn more about the event, get in touch with Terri by simply replying to this email.
Did you know ... ?
Did you know that 100% of our donations go to spreading the word about open adoption? Not one dollar goes to our Board or to Terri. It's all about getting people to understand, and choose, open adoption!
Here's our 'ask'...
Please help us cover our costs.
And your gift is tax-deductible.
Thank you in advance for your support!
ARE YOU Interested in helping??
... at Unplanned Good, we can always use more help!
There are (volunteer) jobs in every area; programs, creating marketing pieces, writing & proofing, AND on the Board!
There's always more to do than time to do it. If you'd like to get involved, please email Terri by replying to this newsletter.
Would you please do us a favor!
If you enjoyed this book, and found that you understand open adoption better now, please leave a review of it on Amazon, if you would. Thank you!
Phrase of the Day: Open Adoption
Open adoption is a form of adoption in which the biological and adoptive families have each other's contact information and varying degrees of contact with each other, by phone, in person and/or through social media.
OPEN ADOPTION;
It's Not Like the Olden Days!
All of this is about spreading the word about open adoption -- a reasonable option for women facing unplanned pregnancy. The 1970s and 80s were all about closed adoptions. Then we discovered the beauty of open adoption. Learn more about open adoption in this short video.
A Reference Guide for Families
Here’s a guide to open adoption and how to make it work, from the match period through common post-adoption bumps. It includes tips on how to keep the focus on the child’s best interests.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Fewer than 0.5% of women facing unplanned pregnancy make an adoption plan?
- When they do, it's because an adult in their life encouraged them to consider adoption?
- There are over one million U.S. couples waiting now to adopt?
Check out our website at www.UnplannedGood.org/
Comments? Email us, at UnplannedGood@gmail.com
Submit stories, testimonials, questions or comments.
Why are we doing this?
Young women are 50% more likely to make an adoption plan when the trusted adult in their life suggests it to them. Otherwise, most girls don't give it a minute's thought, and choose between abortion or single parenting. That's why we need to get this on the radar of more people.
Want to help Unplanned Good?
Here's what we need:
Send us your story!
The stories on our site help people to understand what open adoption is like in real life. Please consider sending us your story. https://www.unplannedgood.org/contact
Tell a Friend
You know people who've been touched by adoption. Ask them to write their short story for our web site and sign up for our newsletter.
"My Mom encouraged me, and that made all the difference!
I needed to know that she'd stand by me through this and support the adoption plan."
Like us on Facebook
Visit our Facebook page and like us!
Help us to get the word out!
Please forward this newsletter to someone you know who has been touched by adoption. Ask them to sign up for our monthly news here and/or contribute their story to our web site.
Thank you so much for your continued encouragement & support of UPG.
Terri
About Unplanned Good
We promote adoption as a positive option for those facing unplanned pregnancies. It can be so very good (and beautiful!) for all involved.
Unplanned Good is reaching out to both teens and their parents, to let them know that adoption is an option. Studies have shown that girls are 50% more likely to see their pregnancy through and make an adoption plan when an adult suggests this path.
Please visit our site, and encourage others to see it. Read the encouraging, heartfelt stories there. Send in your own story, and ask a friend to do the same.
