A number of issues highlighted by Presidential Proclamation in November are linked by benefits obtained through health care reform -- the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
November 2010 is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. Yesterday's report featured the Obama Administration's response to the needs of Alzheimer's Disease patients and their families and to caregivers in general. http://www.dailykos.com/...
Today's report looks at November's other topics: National Native American Heritage Month, National Hospice Month, National Diabetes Month, and National Adoption Month.
Presidential Proclamation--National Native American Heritage Month
For millennia before Europeans settled in North America, the indigenous peoples of this continent flourished with vibrant cultures and were the original stewards of the land. From generation to generation, they handed down invaluable cultural knowledge and rich traditions, which continue to thrive in Native American communities across our country today. During National Native American Heritage Month, we honor and celebrate their importance to our great Nation and our world.
America's journey has been marked both by bright times of progress and dark moments of injustice for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Since the birth of America, they have contributed immeasurably to our country and our heritage, distinguishing themselves as scholars, artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders in all aspects of our society. Native Americans have also served in the United States Armed Forces with honor and distinction, defending the security of our Nation with their lives. Yet, our tribal communities face stark realities, including disproportionately high rates of poverty, unemployment, crime, and disease. These disparities are unacceptable, and we must acknowledge both our history and our current challenges if we are to ensure that all of our children have an equal opportunity to pursue the American dream. From upholding the tribal sovereignty recognized and reaffirmed in our Constitution and laws to strengthening our unique nation-to- nation relationship, my Administration stands firm in fulfilling our Nation's commitments.
Over the past 2 years, we have made important steps towards working as partners with Native Americans to build sustainable and healthy native communities. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act continues to impact the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including through important projects to improve, rebuild, and renovate schools so our children can get the education and skills they will need to compete in the global economy. At last year's White House Tribal Nations Conference, I also announced a new consultation process to improve communication and coordination between the Federal Government and tribal governments.
This year, I was proud to sign the landmark Affordable Care Act, which permanently reauthorized the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a cornerstone of health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives. This vital legislation will help modernize the Indian health care system and improve health care for 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. To combat the high rates of crime and sexual violence in Native communities, I signed the Tribal Law and Order Act in July to bolster tribal law enforcement and enhance their abilities to prosecute and fight crime more effectively. And, recently, my Administration reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought by Native American farmers against the United States Department of Agriculture that underscores our commitment to treat all our citizens fairly.
As we celebrate the contributions and heritage of Native Americans during this month, we also recommit to supporting tribal self-determination, security, and prosperity for all Native Americans. While we cannot erase the scourges or broken promises of our past, we will move ahead together in writing a new, brighter chapter in our joint history.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2010 as National Native American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to commemorate this month with appropriate programs and activities, and to celebrate November 26, 2010, as Native American Heritage Day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
BARACK OBAMA
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
From the White House:
Reality Check: The Indian Health Service Will be Fine and Native Americans Will Benefit
Kimberly Teehee, Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs at the White House Domestic Policy Council, debunks myths being spread about how health insurance reform will affect the Indian Health Service. To the contrary, reform will allow Native Americans to keep the care they have now and has benefits for every American.
President Signs Tribal Law and Order Act
by Jodi Gillette
Introducing President Obama as he signed the Tribal Law and Order Act, Lisa Iyotte bravely told her story about how she was brutally raped on her reservation and how her assailant, though later caught, was never prosecuted for his crimes against her. Right now, crime rates in Indian Country are more than twice the national average – up to twenty times the national average on some reservations. Native American women suffer from violent crime at a rate three and a half times greater than the national average. Astoundingly, one in three Native women will be raped within their lifetimes.
As Lisa recounted her tragic ordeal, there were moments where she seemed unable to speak – until the President came out and stood by her as she spoke. In his remarks, he called these statistics "an assault on our national conscience and an affront to our shared humanity." He went on to say that he signed the Tribal Law and Order Act into law "for every survivor like Lisa, who’s never gotten their day in court; for every family that feels like justice is beyond their reach; and for every tribal community struggling to keep its people safe."
The Tribal Law and Order Act will help address crime in Indian Country and places a strong emphasis on decreasing violence against women in tribal communities. The Act provides more law enforcement officers for Indian lands and equips them with more crime-fighting resources. Specifically, the Act will:
• Require the DOJ to disclose data on cases it declines to prosecute;
• Enhance tribes’ authority to prosecute and punish criminals themselves;
• Expand efforts to recruit, train and keep BIA and Tribal officers;
• Provide BIA and Tribal officers with greater access to better criminal databases;
• Strengthen Tribal courts;
• Supply new training and guidelines for handling sex crimes and domestic violence, providing victims with better counseling and boosting conviction rates through better evidence collection; and
• Enhance prevention programs, helping combat alcohol and drug abuse and help at-risk youth.
You can watch a video of the bill signing, and you can read more about how this Act will benefit Native American women, by visiting this post by Lynn Rosenthal, the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women.
Jodi Gillette is the Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, Associate Director in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and she is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
From the White House:
President Obama signs the Tribal Law and Order Act, a law that gives tribal authorities greater authority to prosecute and punish criminals. July 29, 2010.
THE PRESIDENT:
.... All of you come at this from different angles, but you’re united in support of this bill because you believe, like I do, that it is unconscionable that crime rates in Indian Country are more than twice the national average and up to 20 times the national average on some reservations. And all of you believe, like I do, that when one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes, that is an assault on our national conscience; it is an affront to our shared humanity; it is something that we cannot allow to continue.
So ultimately, it’s not just the federal government’s relationship with tribal governments that compels us to act, it’s not just our obligations under treaty and under law, but it’s also our values as a nation that are at stake. And that’s why earlier this year, after extensive consultations with tribal leaders, Attorney General Holder announced significant reforms to increase prosecutions of crimes committed in Indian Country. He hired more Assistant U.S. Attorneys and more victim-witness specialists. And he even created a position for a National Indian Country Training Coordinator who will work with prosecutors and law enforcement officers throughout Indian Country.
And under Secretary Salazar’s leadership, we’re launching new community policing pilot programs. We’ve overhauled the recruitment process for BIA officers, resulting in a 500 percent jump in applications and the largest hiring increase in history. And we’re working to deploy those officers to the field as quickly as possible.
The bill I’m signing into law today will build on these efforts, because it requires the Justice Department to disclose data on cases in Indian Country that it declines to prosecute and it gives tribes greater authority to prosecute and punish criminals themselves. It expands recruitment and retention and training for BIA and Tribal officers and gives them better access to criminal databases. It includes new provisions to prevent counterfeiting of Indian-produced crafts and new guidelines and training for domestic violence and sex crimes. And it strengthens tribal courts and police departments and enhances programs to combat drug and alcohol abuse and help at-risk youth.
So these are significant measures that will empower tribal nations and make a real difference in people’s lives. Because as I said during our tribal conference, I have no interest in just paying lip service to the problems we face. I know that too often, this community has heard grand promises from Washington that turned out to be little more than empty words. And I pledged to you then that if you gave me a chance, this time it would be different. I told you I was committed to moving forward and forging a new and better future together in every aspect of our government-to-government relationship.
And slowly but surely, that is exactly what we are doing. At this moment, agencies across our government are implementing detailed plans to increase coordination and consultation with tribal governments -- and I intend to hold them accountable for following through.
We’ve also included a permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act in the health care reform legislation we passed this spring. We’re strengthening Tribal education. We’re working to spur economic development throughout Indian Country. And in consultation with Indian tribes, we’re now formally reviewing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. And after 14 long years, we’ve finally settled the Cobell case and we’re working with Congress to get the settlement approved as quickly as possible.
So we’re moving forward, and we’re making progress. And as we celebrate today, I’m reminded of a visit I made a couple of years ago to the Crow Nation out in Montana. While I was there, I was adopted into the Nation by a wonderful couple -- Hartford and Mary Black Eagle -- so I’m Barack Black Eagle. (Laughter.) But I was also -- I was also given a Crow name that means "One Who Helps People Throughout the Land." And it’s a name that I view not as an honor that I deserve, but as a responsibility that I must work to fulfill....
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
From the White House Press Secretary, November 15, 2010:
President Obama Announces 2010 White House Tribal Nations Conference
WASHINGTON – On Thursday, December 16, 2010, President Obama will host the White House Tribal Nations Conference. As part of President Obama’s ongoing outreach to the American people, this conference will provide leaders from the 565 federally recognized tribes the opportunity to interact directly with the President and representatives from the highest levels of his Administration. Each federally recognized tribe will be invited to send one representative to the conference. This will be the second White House Tribal Nations Conference for the Obama Administration, and continues to build upon the President’s commitment to strengthen the nation to nation relationship with Indian Country.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
Presidential Proclamation--National Hospice Month
During National Hospice Month, we recognize the dignity hospice care can provide to patients who need it most, and the professionals, volunteers, and family members who bring peace to individuals in their final days.
Hospice care gives medical services, emotional support, and spiritual resources to people facing life-limiting illnesses. It can also help families and caregivers manage the details and emotional challenges of caring for a dying loved one. The decision to place someone into a hospice program can be difficult, but Americans can have peace of mind knowing the doctors and professionals involved with these services are trained to administer high-quality and comprehensive care for terminally ill individuals. As many of our Nation's veterans age and cope with illness, hospice and palliative care can also provide tailored support to meet the needs of these heroes.
The Affordable Care Act signed into law this year protects and expands hospice services covered under Federal health care programs. Prior to its enactment, the prohibition on concurrent care for Federal health care programs meant patients could not receive hospice care before first discontinuing treatments to cure their disease. The Affordable Care Act permanently eliminates this prohibition for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, and creates demonstration projects to test how the elimination of the concurrent care prohibition would impact Medicare. As a result, fewer children, seniors, and families will have to make the heart-rending choice between coverage that fights an illness and coverage that provides needed comfort.
All Americans should take comfort in the important work of hospice care, which enables individuals to carry on their lives, in spite of a terminal illness. During this month, let us recognize those who allow the terminally ill to receive comfortable and dignified care.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2010 as National Hospice Month. I encourage citizens, medical institutions, government and social service agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other interested groups to join in activities that promote awareness of the important role of hospice care.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
BARACK OBAMA
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
HealthCare.gov provides a number of fact sheets about the Affordable Care act that include information about hospice services. For example:
Commonsense Improvements: Patient Safety & Combating Abuse in Long Term Care Facilities
By Don Berwick, M.D., Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
There are many provisions in the Affordable Care Act that are significant, marked improvements in the health care system that touch the lives of people every day. Some of these focus on quality of care and are commonsense initiatives, like yesterday’s announcement about support being given to States to design comprehensive applicant criminal background check programs for jobs involving direct patient care.
Awarded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), $13.7 million is being distributed to six States that applied for the funding through the new National Background Check Program for Patient Protection. Other States can apply in the next round later in October; the initial six States are: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Missouri, and Rhode Island.
Long-term care facilities and providers covered under the new program include skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospice providers, long-term care hospitals, and intermediate care facilities for persons with intellectual disability, and other entities that provide long-term care services....
The majority of health care workers come to work each day with the best interests of the patient in mind. The Affordable Care Act works to close loopholes and start practices that ensure that this is case with all health care workers and that they and any connected facilities have all the support they need to create a quality-focused, patient-centered atmosphere.
http://www.healthcare.gov/...
About the New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
The Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama in March creates a new program – the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) program-- to make health insurance available to millions of Americans denied coverage by private insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition. Coverage for people living with such conditions as diabetes, asthma, cancer, and HIV/AIDS has often been priced out of the reach of most Americans who buy their own insurance, and this has resulted in a denial of coverage for millions. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is designed to address these challenges by offering comprehensive coverage at a reasonable cost....
Benefits
The PCIP program will cover a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs. All covered benefits are available for you, even to treat a pre-existing condition. The regulation specifies the required benefits that all PCIPs must cover. This list builds off of the essential health benefits as enacted in the Affordable Care Act, as well as the most commonly covered services offered in existing State high risk pools, and the benefits offered to Members of Congress and other government workers by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP). Required benefits include... Hospice care....
http://www.healthcare.gov/...
Presidential Proclamation--National Diabetes Month
Today, nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, and thousands more are diagnosed each day. During National Diabetes Month, we recommit to educating Americans about the risk factors and warning signs of diabetes, and we honor all those living with or lost to this disease.
Diabetes can lead to severe health problems and complications such as heart disease, stroke, vision loss, kidney disease, nerve damage, and amputation. Type 1 diabetes, which can occur at any age but is most often diagnosed in young people, is managed by a lifetime of regular medication or insulin treatment. Type 2 diabetes is far more common, and the number of people developing or at elevated risk for the disease is growing at an alarming rate, including among our Nation's children. Risk is highest among individuals over the age of 45, particularly those who are overweight, inactive, or have a family history of the disease, as well as among certain racial and minority groups. While less prevalent, gestational diabetes in expectant mothers may lead to a more complicated or dangerous delivery, and can contribute to their child's obesity later in life. With more Americans becoming affected by diabetes and its consequences every day, our Nation must work together to better prevent, manage, and treat this disease in all its variations.
Obesity is one of the most significant risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. National Diabetes Month gives Americans an opportunity to redouble their efforts to reduce their chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and making nutritious food choices. For people already living with diabetes, these lifestyle changes can help with the management of this disease, and delay or prevent complications.
We must also do more to reverse the climbing rates of childhood obesity so all America's children can grow into healthy, happy, and active adults. Through her "Let's Move!" initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama is helping to lead an Administration-wide effort to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. "Let's Move!" promotes nutritious foods and physical activities that lead to life-long healthy habits. I encourage all parents, educators, and concerned Americans to visit www.LetsMove.gov for more information and resources on making healthy choices for our children.
The new health insurance reform law, the Affordable Care Act, adds a number of tools for reversing the increase in diabetes and caring for those facing this disease. Insurance companies are no longer able to deny health coverage or exclude benefits for children due to a pre-existing condition, including diabetes. This vital protection will apply to all Americans by 2014. Also, all new health plans and Medicare must now provide diabetes screenings free of charge to patients, and Medicare covers the full cost of medical nutritional therapy to help seniors manage diabetes. This landmark new law also requires most chain restaurants to clearly post nutritional information on their menus, ensuring that Americans have consistent facts about food choices and can make more informed, healthier selections.
In recognition of National Diabetes Month, I commend those bravely fighting this disease; the families and friends who support them; and the health care providers, researchers, and advocates working to reduce this disease's impact on our Nation. Together, we can take the small steps that lead to big rewards -- a healthier future for our citizens and our Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2010 as National Diabetes Month. I call upon all Americans, school systems, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, health care providers, and research institutions to join in activities that raise diabetes awareness and help prevent, treat, and manage the disease.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
BARACK OBAMA
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
The Affordable Care Act will help provide better access to preventive health services:
The Affordable Care Act’s New Rules on Preventive Care and You
Too many Americans don’t get the preventive health care they need to stay healthy, avoid or delay the onset of disease, lead productive lives, and reduce health care costs. Cost-sharing (including copays, co-insurance and deductibles) reduces the likelihood that preventive services will be used.
Often because of cost, Americans use preventive services at about half the recommended rate.
Yet chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes – which are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation’s health spending – often are preventable.
The Affordable Care Act will help make wellness and prevention services affordable and accessible to you by requiring health plans to cover preventive services and by eliminating cost-sharing. According to a new regulation released by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Treasury and the Department of Labor, if you or your family enroll in a new health plan on or after September 23, 2010, then that plan will be required to cover recommended preventive services without charging you a copay, co-insurance or deductible.
What This Means for You
Depending on your age and health plan type, you may have easier access to such services as:
• Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests
• Many cancer screenings
• Counseling on such topics as quitting smoking, losing weight, eating better, treating depression, and reducing alcohol use
• Routine vaccines for diseases such as measles, polio, or meningitis
• Flu and pneumonia shots
• Counseling, screening and vaccines for healthy pregnancies
• Regular well-baby and well-child visits, from birth to age 21....
Keeping Your Children Healthy
Many children don’t get the preventive care they need.
• 12% of children have not had a doctor’s visit in the past year, and a recent study found that children receive recommended care less than half of the time.
• Nearly one-third of kids are overweight or obese, putting them at risk for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
• While approximately 12% to 16% of children experience developmental problems, only one-third of those children are identified in pediatric practices prior to school entry. Early identification helps kids get the developmental services they need.
The new regulation ensures that a comprehensive set of preventive services is available in new health plans for children with no cost-sharing. These services include:
• Well-baby and well-child visits: This includes a doctor’s visit every few months when your baby is young, and a visit every year until your child is age 21. These visits will cover a comprehensive array of preventive health services:
- Physical exam and measurements
- Vision and hearing screening
-Oral health risk assessments
- Developmental assessments to identify any development problems
- Screenings for hemoglobin level, lead, tuberculin, and other tests
- Counseling and guidance from your doctor about your child’s health development
• Screenings and counseling to prevent, detect, and treat common childhood problems like:
- obesity to help children maintain a healthy weight
- depression among adolescent children
- dental cavities and anemia
• Immunizations like an annual flu vaccine and many other childhood vaccinations and boosters, from the measles to polio.
Promoting Healthy Pregnancy
The U.S. infant mortality rate is a troublingly high 6.8 deaths for every 1,000 live births, and 8.2% of babies have a low birth weight, up 17% since 1990. At least 13% of American women smoke during pregnancy, and 12% of women drink alcohol during pregnancy.
The new law and regulations make sure that more mothers have access to services they need to ensure a healthy pregnancy. These services include:
• Screening for conditions that can harm pregnant women or their babies, including iron deficiency, hepatitis B, a pregnancy related immune condition called Rh incompatibility, and a bacterial infection called bacteriuria
• Special, pregnancy-tailored counseling from a doctor that will help pregnant women quit smoking and avoid alcohol use
• Counseling to support breast-feeding and help nursing mothers
Preventing Heart Disease and Obesity
Keeping your family healthy means keeping yourself healthy, too. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women. More women than men are have weight problems; 36% of women are obese, significantly increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease.
New health plans must offer coverage without cost-sharing for services that will prevent and control these diseases. These services include:
• Screening for obesity, and counseling to promote sustained weight loss
• Blood pressure screening
• Counseling on the use of daily aspirin to reduce the risk of a stroke
• Tests to screen for high cholesterol and diabetes....
http://www.healthcare.gov/...
From the White House:
The First Lady Unveils Childhood Obesity Task Force Action Plan
First Lady Michelle Obama joins Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes and members of the Childhood Obesity Task Force to unveil the Task Force action plan: Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation.
From the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships:
The Obama Administration Celebrates Adoption, Recognizes National Adoption Month
Posted by Michael Wear
[On Nov. 10] the White House released a Presidential Proclamation on National Adoption Month. In the Proclamation, the President lifts up adoption as a positive and powerful force in the lives of millions of Americans and children around the globe. The President also focuses on the 114,000 children in foster care awaiting adoption who deserve a safe, loving and permanent home. You can learn more about foster care adoption by visiting http://www.adoptuskids.org.
This Administration has a strong record of supporting adoption. Just last month, the Department of Health and Human Services hosted a webcast to highlight the important and positive changes to the Adoption Tax Credit as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Tina Tchen, Executive Director of the Office of Public Engagement, and Joshua DuBois, Executive Director of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, participated in this webcast along with other Administration officials, advocates and adoptive families. Also, this past Monday, the State Department released a video from Secretary Clinton, a longtime advocate for international and domestic adoption, in recognition of National Adoption Month.
This Administration is proud to stand by adoptive families and children in need of homes, and we will continue to find new and innovative ways to support adoption and those in foster care.
The President’s Proclamation on National Adoption Month is below:
Presidential Proclamation--National Adoption Month
Giving a child a strong foundation -- a home, a family to love, and a safe place to grow -- is one of life's greatest and most generous gifts. Through adoption, both domestic and international, Americans from across our country have provided secure environments for children who need them, and these families have benefited from the joy an adopted child can bring. Thanks to their nurturing and care, more young people have been able to realize their potential and lead full, happy lives. This year, we celebrate National Adoption Month to recognize adoption as a positive and powerful force in countless American lives, and to encourage the adoption of children from foster care.
Currently, thousands of children await adoption or are in foster care, looking forward to permanent homes. These children can thrive, reach their full potential, and spread their wings when given the loving and firm foundation of family. Adoptive families come in many forms, and choose to adopt for different reasons: a desire to grow their family when conceiving a child is not possible, an expression of compassion for a child who would otherwise not have a permanent family, or simply because adoption has personally touched their lives. For many Americans, adoption has brought boundless purpose and joy to their lives. We must do all we can to break down barriers to ensure that all qualified caregivers have the ability to serve as adoptive families.
This year, on November 20, families, adoption advocates, policymakers, judges, and volunteers will celebrate the 11th annual National Adoption Day in communities large and small. National Adoption Day is a day of hope and happiness when courthouses finalize the adoptions of children out of foster care. Last year, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was honored to preside over a ceremony celebrating two foster care adoptions as part of my Administration's support for this important day.
Adoptive families are shining examples of the care and concern that define our great Nation. To support adoption in our communities, my Administration is working with States to support families eager to provide for children in need of a place to call home. The landmark Affordable Care Act increases and improves the Adoption Tax Credit, enabling adoption to be more affordable and accessible. As part of the AdoptionIncentives program, States can also receive awards for increasing adoptions and the number of children adopted from foster care. AdoptUsKids, a project of the Department of Health and Human Services, offers technical support to States, territories, and tribes to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families; provides information and assistance to families considering adoption; and supports parents already on that journey. I encourage all Americans to visit AdoptUsKids.org or ChildWelfare.gov/Adoption for information and resources on adoption, including adoption from foster care.
As we observe National Adoption Month, we honor the loving embrace of adoptive families and the affirming role of adoption in the lives of American families and our country. Let us all commit to supporting our children in any way that we are able -- whether opening our hearts and homes through adoption, becoming foster parents to provide quality temporary care to children in crisis, supporting foster and adoptive families in our communities and places of worship, mentoring young people in need of guidance, or donating time to helping children in need. Working together, we can shape a future of hope and promise for all of our Nation's children.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2010 as National Adoption Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month by answering the call to find homes for every child in America in need of a permanent and caring family, as well as to support the families who care for them.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
BARACK OBAMA
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...
From USGOVHHS:
The Adoption Tax Credit and the Affordable Care Act (10/5/2010 webchat)
Senior administration officials and leading advocates discuss the importance of the Adoption Tax Credit and the key improvements made to the credit under The Affordable Care Act.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s statement on National Adoption Month
Over the last ten years, American families have opened their hearts and homes to more than 200,000 children from other countries. They have given vulnerable children the opportunity to thrive. And families who adopt are enriched by the love of their new children, and the heritage they bring from their birth countries. This November, we celebrate National Adoption Month and join with groups across the nation to recognize these special families.
The State Department is committed to safeguarding the interests of children, birth parents and adoptive parents worldwide. Earlier this year, I was pleased to announce the appointment of Ambassador Susan Jacobs as Special Advisor for International Children’s Issues. Ambassador Jacobs’ office will work with our consulates and with foreign governments around the world to ensure that the child’s best interests are at the heart of every adoption. We will also encourage other nations to join us as parties to the Hague Adoption Convention which helps ensure ethical and transparent adoptions for everyone.
Every boy and girl deserves the chance to grow up safe, happy and loved. This month, we honor the great commitment of all families who embrace children through adoption—thank you. Thank you for changing a child’s life.
http://www.state.gov/... (Video available at link – can’t embed here.)
From statevideo:
Ambassador Jacobs Delivers Remarks on International Adoptions
Ambassador Susan Jacobs, Special Advisor for Children's Issues, gives a special briefing on International Adoptions at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC November 1, 2010.
From adcouncil:
These PSAs illustrate that parents do not need to be "perfect" to become a parent to a teen from foster care. The PSAs take a look at some of the ordinary situations that parents experience everyday with their children, thus reinforcing the notion that it is these moments that really count. The public service ads end with the tagline, "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who would love to put up with you." Visit http://www.adoptuskids.org/ to learn more!
Update [2010-11-15 15:49:30 by Kat 4 Obama]: On Thursday, December 16, 2010, President Obama will host the White House Tribal Nations Conference. http://www.whitehouse.gov/...