Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is an American nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on adoption, foster care, and child-welfare policy. Founded in 2001 by leaders associated with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and Kerry Marks Hasenbalg, the institute was created to provide sustained professional support to the bipartisan, bicameral congressional caucus concerned with adoption and children without permanent families. Its work is aimed at increasing public and policymaker awareness of children who need safe, permanent, and loving families, while helping identify and reduce legal, administrative, social, and procedural barriers affecting children and prospective families. CCAI operates primarily as a policy, education, and public-engagement organization rather than as an adoption-placement agency. It supplies members of Congress and their staffs with briefings, research, resources, leadership-development opportunities, educational travel, and other opportunities to engage directly with adoption and foster-care programs. The institute also brings people with lived experience into the policy process, particularly through programs for former foster youth and through recognition of individuals and organizations working in adoption, foster care, and child welfare. The organization is closely associated with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, a bipartisan congressional caucus established in 1985 by Senators Lloyd Bentsen and Gordon Humphrey and Representatives Tom Bliley and Jim Oberstar. In 1998, the caucus's then co-chairs hired Kerry Marks Hasenbalg as a full-time fellow to support its work. Hasenbalg and the co-chairs subsequently helped establish CCAI in 2001. The institute's role has been to give the caucus institutional capacity and to connect congressional policymaking with practitioners, advocates, researchers, families, and young people with direct experience of foster care. CCAI's best-known public program is Angels in Adoption, an annual recognition initiative through which members of Congress nominate constituents for contributions to adoption, foster care, and child welfare. Honorees are invited to Washington, D.C., where they participate in recognition events and policy-oriented activities. The program has recognized individuals, families, companies, media organizations, and public figures, helping translate personal stories and community work into broader public attention. Another major initiative is the Foster Youth Internship Program. Launched in 2003, it places undergraduate and graduate students who have experienced foster care in congressional offices for summer internships. Participants gain exposure to federal policymaking and prepare policy research addressing barriers faced by children and young people in foster care. Their findings are presented to congressional members and the press, giving policymakers access to perspectives that are often underrepresented in legislative discussions. The program has reported more than 200 alumni. CCAI is also a founding partner of National Adoption Day, a nationwide effort intended to draw attention to children waiting for adoption from foster care. The initiative is generally held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and encourages courts and communities to conduct adoption-finalization events and related activities. CCAI's work is funded through donations and gifts from organizations and individuals. Kate McLean is identified as the organization's executive director. CCAI's present positioning combines congressional education, child-welfare advocacy, constituent engagement, and lived-experience leadership, with a focus on advancing bipartisan attention to permanency and family support.

The institutional roots of CCAI lie in the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, a bipartisan and bicameral congressional caucus created in 1985 by Senators Lloyd Bentsen and Gordon Humphrey and Representatives Tom Bliley and Jim Oberstar. The caucus was established to focus congressional attention on adoption and on children in the United States and elsewhere who lacked permanent families. Its bipartisan structure allowed adoption and child-welfare questions to be addressed across party lines and through both chambers of Congress. In 1998, the caucus's then co-chairs—Representatives Tom Bliley and Jim Oberstar and Senators Mary Landrieu and Larry Craig—hired Kerry Marks Hasenbalg as a full-time fellow. The position gave the caucus dedicated staff support and helped develop a more continuous program of education and outreach. In 2001, the co-chairs and Hasenbalg founded the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute to provide a permanent institutional framework for this work. CCAI's mission developed around three connected functions. First, it supports Congress by providing information, briefings, resources, and opportunities for members and staff to learn about adoption, foster care, and child welfare. Second, it raises public awareness of children who need permanent families and of the policy and procedural obstacles that can delay permanency. Third, it creates opportunities for practitioners, families, advocates, and people with direct experience of foster care to contribute to policy conversations. The institute's Foster Youth Internship Program began in 2003. It places undergraduate and graduate students who have been in foster care in summer positions in congressional offices. In addition to gaining professional experience, interns research and write a policy report concerning persistent challenges in foster care. The resulting work is presented to members of Congress and the press, giving federal policymakers access to perspectives from young adults who have directly experienced the system. The program has subsequently developed an alumni network numbering more than 200 participants. CCAI also became associated with the Angels in Adoption program, which allows members of Congress to nominate people and organizations in their districts or states for contributions to adoption, foster care, and child welfare. Honorees travel to Washington, D.C., for recognition and engagement activities. The program has included community advocates, adoptive and foster families, public figures, media organizations, and companies. Its approach combines public recognition with policy education and constituent engagement. Another central activity is National Adoption Day. CCAI joined the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, the Alliance for Children's Rights, and the Children's Action Network in establishing the national observance. Held generally on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, National Adoption Day encourages courts to finalize adoptions and communities to publicize the needs of children waiting in foster care. The initiative has grown into a multi-city effort involving courts, agencies, families, and local organizations. CCAI is funded by donations and gifts from organizations and individuals. It is not described as an adoption-placement provider; instead, its operating model centers on advocacy, education, convening, recognition, and congressional support. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption has continued as a large bipartisan congressional caucus, while CCAI has served as its policy and program-support institution. Kate McLean is identified as the current executive director. Across its history, the institute has positioned itself as a nonpartisan intermediary linking federal policymakers with the people and organizations affected by adoption and foster-care policy.

• 2003

  Foster Youth Internship Program launched

  [1]Congressional Coalition on Adoption Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  CCAI began placing college students with foster-care experience in congressional offices and supporting their policy research.

• 2001

  CCAI founded

  [1]Congressional Coalition on Adoption Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  The congressional co-chairs and Kerry Marks Hasenbalg founded the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

• 1998

  Dedicated fellow appointed to support the caucus

  [1]Congressional Coalition on Adoption Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  The caucus's then co-chairs hired Kerry Marks Hasenbalg as a full-time fellow, strengthening its continuing policy and administrative capacity.

• 1985

  Congressional Coalition on Adoption established

  [1]Congressional Coalition on Adoption Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  Lloyd Bentsen, Gordon Humphrey, Tom Bliley, and Jim Oberstar formed the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Coalition on Adoption.

• National Adoption Day developed as a national observance

  [1]Congressional Coalition on Adoption Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  CCAI and national partner organizations created a coordinated awareness and court-event effort held generally before Thanksgiving.

A nonpartisan bridge between Congress and the adoption, foster-care, and child-welfare communities, emphasizing policy education, lived experience, public awareness, and bipartisan engagement.

• Recognition and public-engagement program

  Angels in Adoption

  An annual program through which members of Congress nominate constituents for work supporting adoption, foster care, and child welfare. Honorees are recognized in Washington, D.C., and participate in activities intended to connect personal and community experience with broader policy awareness. The program includes both local honorees and selected national-level recipients.

• Congressional internship and policy program · 2003

  Foster Youth Internship Program

  A summer program placing undergraduate and graduate students who have experienced foster care in congressional offices. Interns learn about federal policymaking and prepare research and policy reports concerning barriers affecting children and youth in foster care. Their work is shared with members of Congress and the press, making lived experience part of the institute's policy-education model.

• National awareness campaign

  National Adoption Day

  A national observance and coalition campaign focused on children waiting for adoption from foster care. It is generally held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, when participating courts and communities organize adoption finalizations, public events, and educational activities. CCAI is one of the organizations associated with the campaign's founding and continuing promotion.

• Policy education and legislative support

  Congressional adoption and child-welfare briefings

  Briefings, resources, leadership programs, educational trips, and related activities supplied to members of Congress and their staffs. These services help policymakers understand adoption, foster care, and child-welfare conditions and provide opportunities to engage with practitioners, families, advocates, and affected young people.

• 2003Foster Youth Internship Program

  United States

  The program recruits college students with foster-care experience for summer placements in congressional offices and supports policy reports based on their perspectives.

  Outcome. The program has produced a substantial alumni community and recurring policy recommendations concerning foster-care barriers.

  Source
• Angels in Adoption

  United States

  CCAI's signature recognition campaign invites members of Congress to honor constituents and organizations making notable contributions to adoption, foster care, and child welfare. The initiative combines awards, Washington events, and public storytelling.

  Outcome. The campaign has created a recurring national platform for recognizing local and national adoption and child-welfare advocates.

  Source
• National Adoption Day

  United States

  CCAI co-founded a national coalition effort with adoption and children's-rights organizations to increase awareness of children waiting for adoption from foster care and to encourage court finalization events.

  Outcome. Participation has expanded to hundreds of communities and courts across the United States.

  Source

• 2003

  Launch a foster-youth congressional internship programOther

  Background

  Young people who had experienced foster care were often absent from federal policy discussions about the system.

  Action taken

  CCAI created summer placements in congressional offices and added policy-report work designed to communicate interns' perspectives to policymakers and the press.

  Aftermath

  The program developed into a continuing pipeline for civic participation and foster-care policy education.

  Source

• 2001

  Create a permanent institute to support the congressional adoption caucusStrategy

  Background

  The Congressional Coalition on Adoption had developed a need for continuing staff support and policy capacity after operating with a full-time fellow beginning in 1998.

  Action taken

  The caucus's co-chairs and Kerry Marks Hasenbalg established CCAI as an independent nonprofit institute focused on congressional education, resources, and public engagement.

  Aftermath

  CCAI became the institutional support organization associated with the bipartisan, bicameral congressional adoption coalition.

  Source

1. 1Congressional Coalition on Adoption Instituteen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute official websiteccainstitute.org