Bill Overview
Title: Voluntary Specialized Accreditation for Background and Home Studies Act
Description: This bill modifies intercountry adoption provisions to include voluntary accreditation relating to performing a background study on a child or performing a home study on a prospective adoptive parent.
Sponsors: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals involved in or affected by intercountry adoption processes
Estimated Size: 30000
- The bill specifically relates to intercountry adoption processes, which involve both children up for adoption internationally and prospective adoptive parents in different countries.
- There are over 1 million international adoptions each year globally, with many countries participating both as adopters and adoptee sources.
- The accreditation is voluntary, so not every party involved will choose to seek this specialized accreditation, likely decreasing the number significantly from the total international adoption population.
- Agencies performing background and home studies for international adoptions will be directly impacted by this legislation, as they will have the option to seek accreditation.
Reasoning
- The policy's voluntary nature means that not all agencies or individuals will choose to pursue accreditation, which limits the number of people directly impacted.
- The international adoption community is small relative to the greater U.S. population, thus only a subset will experience direct changes from the policy.
- Accreditation may improve trust and efficiency in intercountry adoptions, potentially affecting the wellbeing of involved parties.
- The policy might increase costs for agencies seeking accreditation, impacting fees for adoptive families, which could affect their wellbeing.
- It is essential to gauge the diversity within the affected population, from agencies to prospective parents and adoptees, for comprehensive insight.
Simulated Interviews
Adoption Agency Worker (New York, NY)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This accreditation could enhance our agency's credibility, attracting more clients.
- The costs associated with gaining accreditation might be initially high, but the benefits could outweigh them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Prospective Adoptive Parent (Austin, TX)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If our chosen agency becomes accredited, it could ease our fears about the authenticity of the process.
- We worry about potential increased costs for home studies if agencies need to pay for accreditation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Social Worker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe accreditation will improve standards across the board, but only if most agencies participate.
- It might lead to better outcomes for children involved in adoptions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
International Adoption Lawyer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accreditation could simplify legal challenges if it standardizes and strengthens background checks.
- Not all agencies will comply unless there are incentives, which might limit the policy's reach.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Richmond, VA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This accreditation might ensure that future adoptive families in our community have a smoother process.
- Worried about creating extra bureaucratic layers for families already dealing with complex processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Prospective Adoptive Parent (Seattle, WA)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accreditation could help avoid the pitfalls we faced in our first adoption attempt.
- Concerned about whether all agencies would actually seek accreditation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Home Study Specialist (Miami, FL)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accreditation would be an excellent way to standardize home studies, thus increasing their credibility.
- Worry about increased workload due to compliance requirements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Agency Director (Denver, CO)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The decision to pursue accreditation will depend on the cost versus benefits for our agency.
- It could position us better competitively, but might also increase operational costs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Non-profit Worker (Portland, OR)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accreditation might bring more ethical oversight to home studies, reducing potential harm.
- I'm skeptical about the policy's impact without significant participation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Adoption Advocate (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support policies that aim to systematize and improve adoption practices across the board.
- I am concerned that a voluntary framework might not produce significant change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Year 2: $5200000 (Low: $3200000, High: $8300000)
Year 3: $5400000 (Low: $3400000, High: $8600000)
Year 5: $5700000 (Low: $3600000, High: $9000000)
Year 10: $6200000 (Low: $4000000, High: $9800000)
Year 100: $10200000 (Low: $6600000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- The voluntary nature of the accreditation means that adoption agencies must weigh the costs and benefits of accreditation.
- Implementation will require coordination with international entities involved in adoption processes.
- The pace of adoption by agencies might affect the overall cost and revenue impact, as widespread adoption could lead to economies of scale and greater savings.