Rep. Sykes Applauds Passage of Adoption Awareness Month Bill

State Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) today announced the passage of House Bill (HB) 505, a bill that designates the month of November as “Ohio Adoption Awareness Month”. The bill, joint sponsored with Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland), aims to make citizens aware of available resources that support families and children throughout the adoption process.

“It is important families are aware of support services available to them while enduring the long, arduous adoption process,” said Sykes. “I am proud to continue this path by making it a priority to give organizations, our community and most deservedly, the children served by foster care a platform to advocate for this issue.”

Ohioans can begin expanding their families through Fost-Adopt – a form of adoption in which a child is placed into a home as a foster child, with the expectation that the child will be adopted by the foster family. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 25,195 children were served in foster care by the State of Ohio in 2017.

The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.