Boys & Girls Aid merger FAQs
OA&FS and Boys & Girls Aid merger FAQs
Open Adoption & Family Services is now officially a program of Boys & Girls Aid, Oregon’s first and longest running child welfare nonprofit. Boys & Girls Aid has a 140-year history of providing services that support children, young people, and families. Here are answers to some of the questions you may have about this news.
Why did this merger happening?
This merger combines expertise, improves efficiency, and eliminates duplication of services between OA&FS and Boys & Girls Aid. Both organizations have long been trusted referral sources for hospitals, healthcare workers, and social service providers that work with people who are seeking pregnancy options counseling or considering making an adoption plan. We know we will best serve our communities together.
Do OA&FS and Boys & Girls Aid do the same thing?
In some ways, yes. Boys & Girls Aid and OA&FS have both provided pregnancy options counseling and voluntary private open adoption services. The difference is that OA&FS solely focused on these services for the past 40 years, while Boys and Girls Aid’s private adoption program has been one component of a broader range of services including foster care, youth shelter and support services, foster care adoption, and housing programs. Put simply, Boys & Girls Aid has breadth in supporting children, youth, and families while OA&FS has depth in options counseling and open adoption.
What is the history of the two agencies working together before this merger?
The two agencies worked collaboratively on a regular basis since OA&FS opened in 1985, including consulting on adoption placements and working together on professional committees advocating for best practices in adoption. The agencies shared a philosophical alignment of centering the adoptee in their services, and both have always been committed to inclusivity and reproductive choice.
What is the new shared program called?
Open Adoption & Family Services, a program of Boys & Girls Aid
How is the OA&FS program staffed?
The program continues to be staffed by the OA&FS program manager, counseling team, and supporting staff. They will be supported by Boys & Girls Aid’s leadership team and staff. The timing of this transition coincides well with the retirement of former OA&FS Executive Director Suzie Williams, who knows the program is in good hands.
I am a service provider working with a client interested in options counseling, or who would like to learn more about adoption. How do I refer someone I am working with to your program?
Service providers can continue to refer clients to OA&FS for options counseling services by sharing our phone number (1-800-772-1115), website (https://openadopt.org), or email address (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)). You can also visit our website to access brochures or request a presentation or webinar to learn more about our services. If you previously referred clients to Boys & Girls Aid’s Supportive Adoption program, referrals will now all be directed through the OA&FS program.
I’m a donor of OA&FS. Can I continue donating to the program through Boys & Girls Aid?
Absolutely! Your much-appreciated support will help continue providing these vital services to those who need them. You can donate directly to OA&FS via the Boys & Girls Aid website.
Will previous clients of OA&FS be served by the merged program the way they were previously?
Absolutely. The OA&FS program will continue to provide ongoing post-placement support through groups, educational opportunities, and one-on-one support to families who adopted through OA&FS and Boys & Girls Aid.
Has the contact information for the program changed?
OA&FS contact information, including phone numbers and URLs, remains the same.