CHOICES: Adoption and Pregnancy Counselling Announcement: October 18, 2019
With profound sadness, the Board of Directors must announce the closure of CHOICES: Adoption and Pregnancy Counselling after 30 years of service to the adoption community and supporting more than 900 children to find their permanent families. Our doors will be closed on October 18, 2019.
We recognize that the decision to close CHOICES is counter to where we began six months ago. Based on the information we had at that time, we truly believed that the agency could be restructured to meet the global challenges presented by the fluidity of inter-country adoption.
We conducted a careful evaluation of CHOICES through a rigorous strategic planning process, including a S.W.O.T. (strengths / weaknesses / opportunities / threats) analysis and an operational audit. In late August, our Board Treasurer assumed responsibility for all financial records and bookkeeping tasks, including an in-depth financial analysis. On September 11, 2019, the agency’s dire financial situation was announced to the entire Board, which resulted in a state of crisis. Despite our efforts to work towards the development of a new business model and the implementation of drastic cost-cutting measures, we came to the difficult conclusion that the agency could no longer continue to operate. Simply put, we are out of money and time to fix this.
We have met with the Provincial Director of Adoption and informed her of our analysis of the agency’s financial health. The Provincial Director has given us notice under the Adoption Agency Regulation that the agency adoption license is suspended, effective October 18, 2019. Given the outcome of our extensive evaluation and the inevitability of the suspension, we will support the Director to suspend the CHOICES adoption program.
Our first concern remains with the families and children that we serve. Their best interests continue to be paramount. As such, we are working closely with the Director of Adoption to explore options and map out a transition path in the hopes of minimizing disruption to each family’s adoption journey.
For families who are in the Domestic Adoption Program, completing Homestudies, awaiting an Intercountry Proposal, or in the 6-month Residency Period:
We are working closely with the Provincial Director of Adoption to explore options, including the possibility of transferring your file to one of B.C.’s other adoption agencies.
For families who are completing Post Placement Reports:
After October 18, 2019, your file will be transferred to the Provincial Director of Adoption.
For birth parents currently discussing their options with CHOICES:
Two other licensed adoption agencies – Sunrise and the Adoption Centre of B.C. – provide service to Vancouver Island families and may be available to work with you.
For families or birth parents who have Openness Agreements held by CHOICES:
We will transfer your file to the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Adoption and Permanency Branch starting October 18, 2019. The Openness Exchange Registry will oversee your openness agreement.
The contact information is:
Openness Exchange Registry
PO Box 9705, STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, BC V8W 9S1
250-387-3660 Ext 3
Sincerely,
CHOICES Board of Directors
