We promote adoption as a positive option for those facing unplanned pregnancies.
March 2024 News
Policy Update
On Feb 28, three of our bills were introduced to Idaho Legislature in Senate Committee hearings.
S1368: Facilitators.
Anyone without a license to place children for adoption in Idaho and anyone without a license to practice law in Idaho may not advertise adoptions in Idaho, and will be guilty of a misdemeanor. Currently, 43 States have laws that regulate or affect the use of facilitators. Thus this bill.
S1309: Birth Mother Expenses. Currently Idaho has a very low cap on birth mother expenses. That forces the attorneys to make frequent trips to court for signoff. Under this new law, expenses above $2000 would trigger the need for a financial plan to be submitted to the Court, eliminating the many signoff steps.
Forty States have eliminated their caps on expenses, but Idaho still has one. As a result, babies are being placed with adoptive parents out-of-state because they are not restricted by those low limits on expenses.
S1308: Adoption Education.
In Idaho public schools, wherever and whenever contraception is discussed or dispensed, info will be provided to explain current adoption practices, available adoption resources and the Safe Haven act. This Adoption Education bill could become the first law in our country to mandate adoption education as a part of the health ed / sex ed class. (SO exciting!)
For more information on our Policy work, go to
https://www.unplannedgood.org/policy
Our three bills came before Senate Committee hearings on February 28. I had the opportunity to testify along with Stephanie Pearl, Executive Director of Idaho's largest infant adoption agency, A New Beginning. It was quite exciting!
For the latest updates, check out our Policy page.
Nice Press in Idaho
A full-length article was published in the Idaho Press on our adoption legislation. I can't link to it since it's a subscription publication, but we enjoyed the roundup of pending adoption legislation. Also, Planned Parenthood spokesperson in Idaho, Delli Carpini-Tolman, says she and other abortion-rights advocates are not opposed to improving adoption systems: “I think that adoption should be an option."
AAPLOG Conference
last month in Dallas
Terri and Board member Anne Steeley attended the annual conference of the American Association of Pro Life OBGYNs. The talks were fascinating, and the traffic to our table sparked much conversation. We gave out a new flyer intended to provide the doctors & clinics with a tool to discuss adoption. We'll send some of these to their offices as a follow up, and look forward to feedback on it.
A Big THANK YOU to Real Options
for all their great work!
March 2
'Walk for Life'
a huge success!
Unplanned Good had a table at the San Jose Walk for Life. There was a break in the rain that morning, just long enough for the event. We enjoyed lots of good conversations, smiling faces, fans of adoption and new friends!
Are You a Birth Mother??
BIRTH MOM SURVEY HERE
If you have ever placed a baby for adoption, please take a minute to complete this survey about post-placement support for birth parents.
We want your input!
Pro-Choice Pro-Adoption
It's Time for a Loving, Positive Response to Unplanned Pregnancy.
Buy it here on Amazon.
Read the reviews on Amazon, and submit your own!
Review it here.
Pro-Family Pro-Adoption
A Christian's Guide to Unplanned Pregnancy Options.
Buy it here on Amazon.
Read the reviews on Amazon, and submit your own!
Review it here.
And, coming up next ...
"Trigger Laws" Ban or Restrict Abortion in Thirteen States
Several States - 13 of them - have bills that were "triggered" into law automatically following the overturn of Roe v Wade. While these States are saying ‘no’ to abortion, we ask, "Why not say ‘yes’ to adoption?"
We at Unplanned Good are leading the a "pro-adoption" initiative nationally. The time is right!
If YOU have contacts in any of these 13 States governors' offices, please connect me. I'd like to see if we can get some traction in these States, we can help them become more pro-adoption.
WE NEED YOU!!
How can you help? Here are our top three requests:
1. BUY THE BOOK. It was released in National Adoption Month! You can buy it now on Amazon.
2. LEAVE A REVIEW ON AMAZON.
You can help spread the word about this book by posting a brief comment on Amazon. That helps SO much because it elevates the book in search results. And it only takes a minute!
3. HELP PROMOTE THE BOOK.
Now that it's published, there are many opportunities for you to help promote the book on FB and Insta.
Check out our library of social media posts we made for you, or simply share the book with a friend.
MY BLOG WAS PUBLISHED ON ADOPTING.COM!
"Open Adoption: A Changed Reality" was published on Adopting.com. It's a part of spreading the word about open adoption as an option.
I'm happy to share it with you here.
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.
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:
You can help!
It's easy! Sign up to automate your donations; they can start at just $10 per month. Sign up to give your tax deductible gift monthly via credit card here.
Thank you!
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!
Submit your story!
Please forward this newsletter to someone you know 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.
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 young women 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 pass it on. Read the encouraging, heartfelt stories there. Send in your own story, and ask a friend to do the same.
