Adoption & Foster Care Alliance of New Mexico
The Adoption and Foster Care Alliance of New Mexico (the "Alliance") is comprised of professional individuals, agencies and organization members, including adoption and foster care service providers and attorneys, who are committed to promoting superior services for children, parents who may need to find an adoptive home for their infant or child, adoptive parents, and foster families, through outreach, direct services, education, and advocacy.
Alliance members work exclusively or primarily in the field of adoption and foster care. The Alliance works closely with the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) to promote better outcomes for New Mexico's children and families. You are welcome to contact our members for additional information and competent services.
Alliance members work exclusively or primarily in the field of adoption and foster care. The Alliance works closely with the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) to promote better outcomes for New Mexico's children and families. You are welcome to contact our members for additional information and competent services.
History/Advocacy
HISTORY
The Alliance was formed in the early 1980's to answer a need for support and education among professionals who help parents facing unplanned pregnancies; those who recruit, prepare, and support loving, and nurturing adoptive and foster families; and those who ensure legally secure adoptions. The Alliance promotes high standards of practice and the ethical delivery of services to all parties.ADVOCACY
The Alliance's advocacy efforts have included active involvement in revisions of the Adoption Act and legislation impacting adoption and foster care; advocating licensure requirements for adoption counselors; increasing awareness of and compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act; promoting the federal adoption tax credit; and educating professionals and courts about implementing new statutes affecting domestic and inter-country adoptions and a public outreach program informing the public of the Putative Father Act.Meetings
Meetings are currently being held via zoom.
Please contact Chelsea Pennington at cpennington@allfaiths.org for the zoom meeting link.
Affiliates
Adoption/Child Placement & Foster-Care Agencies
Adoption/Child Placement & Foster-Care Agencies provide full support services in counseling, education, supervision to: foster families, parents with a crisis pregnancy or who are considering a foster or adoption plan for their child, prospective adoptive parents and adoptees. Most provide services state-wide.Adoption Assistance Agency
2800 Eubank Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87112
(505) 821-7779
www.AdoptionAssistance.org
info@AdoptionAssistance.org
All Faiths Adoption Services
8401 Constitution Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
(505) 271-0329
www.afadoptions.org
info@afadoptions.org
Joyful World Ministries All Age Adoptions Plus
11811 Menaul Blvd Ne Suite 5
Albuquerque, NM 87112
(505) 323-6002
www.AdoptionsPlus.org
Adopt@AdoptionsPlus.org
New Mexico Children's Christian Home
A Mother's Choice
1356 NM 236
Portales, NM 88130
Jamie Twofoot
(575) 356-5372, ext 129
adoptive.homes@nmcch.org
State of New Mexico
Children, Youth and Families Department
Amanda Vanderwagen, LMSW
Statewide Adoption & Retention
Specialist Supervisor
945 Anthony Drive
Anthony, NM 88021
Independent Adoption Social Workers/Counselors
Independent Adoption Social Workers/Counselors provide counseling and education required for all members of the adoption triad. They provide home studies and post placement adoption services for prospective adoptive families and usually have professional agreements with licensed adoption and foster-care agencies.About Adoption Counseling Services
Donna Clauss, M.A., LMSW
PO box 50433
Albuquerque, NM 87181
(505) 463-6263
donna@clauss.us
Kathi Becker, LCSW
Las Cruces, NM
katmbecker@comcast.net
(575) 649-0338
Attorneys
Attorneys provide a full spectrum of legal services required in adoption and foster-care proceedings.Allison Pieroni, Esq.,
Pieroni Family Law, L.L.C.
3200 Carlisle Blvd. NE, Suite 219
Albuquerque, NM 87110
(505) 883-6032
(505) 830-6033 (fax)
app@apfamilylaw.com
Projects
New Mexico became a No Facilitator State
Effective March 3, 2012
Starting around the year 2000, New Mexico residents became increasingly drawn into illegal, risky and expensive adoption processes by out of state facilitators or multi-state adoption businesses and agencies. Members of the Alliance reviewed legislation from other states and drafted proposed legislation to restrict predatory adoption practices by out of state entities in our state and worked on passing similar legislation in New Mexico to help restore ethical adoption practice here. After seven years of lobbying New Mexico became a No Facilitator State March 3, 2012.
The Alliances thanks the sponsor of these bills, Representative Al Park and Senator John Ryan for their efforts to restore ethical adoption practice in our state.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Only an attorney, child placement agency, investigator or counselor licensed in New Mexico or another state where the adoption service is being facilitated may provide an adoption service for compensation.
Example of Adoption Service:
1. arranging or assisting in the process of connecting or matching parents who may place a child for adoption with prospective adoptive parents;
2. providing counseling, advice or guidance related to a potential adoption;
3. receiving or disbursing funds or anything of value on behalf of a prospective adoptive parent or to a parent who may place or has placed a child for adoption
4. A full financial accounting of all disbursements for adoption services must be approved by the Inter-state Compact on the Placement of Children or a NM Courts.
ADVERTISING RESTRICTIONS "advertise" means to communicate, market, promote, induce or solicit by public media originating or distributed in New Mexico, including newspapers, periodicals, telephone book listings, outdoor advertising, radio, television or other electronic media.
This does not apply to:
(1) the department or a person authorized to act on behalf of the department;
(2) an agency licensed by the department;
(3) an investigator or counselor;
(4) an attorney licensed in the state who advertises legal services relating to adoption; or
(5) a prospective adoptive parent who is acting alone on the prospective adoptive parent's own behalf and who has a current, approved pre-placement study as required by the department (CYFD).
The Alliances thanks the sponsor of these bills, Representative Al Park and Senator John Ryan for their efforts to restore ethical adoption practice in our state.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Only an attorney, child placement agency, investigator or counselor licensed in New Mexico or another state where the adoption service is being facilitated may provide an adoption service for compensation.
Example of Adoption Service:
1. arranging or assisting in the process of connecting or matching parents who may place a child for adoption with prospective adoptive parents;
2. providing counseling, advice or guidance related to a potential adoption;
3. receiving or disbursing funds or anything of value on behalf of a prospective adoptive parent or to a parent who may place or has placed a child for adoption
4. A full financial accounting of all disbursements for adoption services must be approved by the Inter-state Compact on the Placement of Children or a NM Courts.
ADVERTISING RESTRICTIONS "advertise" means to communicate, market, promote, induce or solicit by public media originating or distributed in New Mexico, including newspapers, periodicals, telephone book listings, outdoor advertising, radio, television or other electronic media.
This does not apply to:
(1) the department or a person authorized to act on behalf of the department;
(2) an agency licensed by the department;
(3) an investigator or counselor;
(4) an attorney licensed in the state who advertises legal services relating to adoption; or
(5) a prospective adoptive parent who is acting alone on the prospective adoptive parent's own behalf and who has a current, approved pre-placement study as required by the department (CYFD).
Putative Father Project
Contact Us
Alliance Officers 2025
Sharon Allcorn, LCSW, co-chair
(505) 821-7779
info@adoptionassistance.org
Chelsea Pennington, LCSW, co-chair, Treasurer, (505) 313-1641
cpennington@allfaiths.org
Sharon Allcorn, LCSW, co-chair
(505) 821-7779
info@adoptionassistance.org
Chelsea Pennington, LCSW, co-chair, Treasurer, (505) 313-1641
cpennington@allfaiths.org