Heidi Bruegel Cox

Picture of
Executive Vice President & General Counsel
Find me on:

Recent Posts

Quality Improvement Center for Adoption and Guardianship Support

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 5/25/18 5:30 AM

Gladney Participates in the Quality Improvement Center for Adoption and Guardianship Support

Read More

Topics: Adoption

Oklahoma Passes Legislation to Help Children Avoid Foster Care

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 5/8/18 10:00 AM

Oklahoma passed legislation which could improve outcomes for more children. H.B.2858 makes a significant addition to what courts must do at the initial hearing when a child is removed from the parent(s) by the state for drug exposure or allegations of abuse or neglect. Beginning November 1, 2018, courts will be required to tell a parent at the initial hearing that he/she has the right to make a voluntary adoption placement through a licensed child-placing agency. 

 

Read More

80% Decline in International Adoptions to the U.S.

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 3/27/18 1:26 PM

According to the latest report published by the U.S. Department of State, International Adoptions continue to decline to the U.S., with another drop reported for 2017.  Since the peak in 2004, we have seen an 80% decline in international adoptions to the U.S.  

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Legislative, Intercountry Adoption

What We're Reading: State Department Chokes International Adoption

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 3/20/18 1:14 PM

Yesterday, The Federalist published an article regarding the State Department making international adoption rarer and more expensive than ever to consolidate government control over private agencies. Please read "Bucking Trump Deregulation Agenda, State Department Chokes International Adoption"

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Legislative, Suggested Reading

Equal Protection for Adopted Adults

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 3/14/18 3:45 PM

Positive news for internationally adopted adults who fall into loophole, but we still need your help!

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Legislative

Advocating for Children

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 2/11/18 12:06 PM

Nothing is more important than our children, and no role is more significant than advocating for children, especially the most vulnerable children who have suffered abuse or neglect or who have been removed from their biological families. 

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Legislative

Call To Action: Internationally Adopted Persons Who Fell Into Loophole

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 2/9/18 8:37 AM

As Congress works to resolve the important issues around DACA, please do not forget another group of foreign-born children who were brought into United States legally, and adopted by U.S citizens, yet do not have U.S. citizenship.   There are the internationally adopted persons who fell into a loophole that was created when Congress passed the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.  (Read Adopted Persons Deserve Equal Protection.)

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Legislative, Intercountry Adoption

Adopted Persons Deserve Equal Protection

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 2/6/18 7:02 AM

ALL ADOPTED PERSONS DESERVE EQUAL PROTECTION
UNDER U.S. LAW

"100 years ago, children who were adopted were not automatically able to inherit from their adoptive parents in the same way biological children were. Today, we cannot imagine how adopted children could have fewer rights than other children born into a family. Unfortunately, another significant discrepancy continues to exist for certain internationally adopted persons:  A child who was adopted in complete compliance with U.S. law and the laws of the birth country may not be a U.S. citizen, even though the person’s sibling, who was born in the same foreign country to the U.S. parents, would be a full U.S. citizen.  Now as adults, one sibling has all the rights of U.S. citizenship, while the adopted sibling may not have automatic rights of citizenship, and is vulnerable to deportation."

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Legislative, Intercountry Adoption

What We're Reading: The Opioid Epidemic and Foster Care - Brookings Report

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 2/2/18 7:22 PM

I recently read "The foster care system was unprepared for the last drug epidemic—let’s not repeat history", by Jeremy KohombanJennifer Rodriguez, and Ron Haskins.

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Foster Care System

What We're Reading: Ethiopia Bans Intercountry Adoption

Posted by Heidi Bruegel Cox on 1/11/18 2:29 PM

Yesterday, the National Council for Adoption shared the news that Ethiopia is choosing to ban intercountry adoption.  NCFA's Ryan Hanlon joined BBC World Service Radio to discuss how this decision places unparented children at risk in the Adoption Council Blog.

Read More

Topics: Advocacy, Suggested Reading

Subscribe to Email Updates

Recent Posts

Posts by Topic

see all