HAITI MARY ANNE MESKO

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918-748-5621

PROGRAM HISTORY Dillon International began placing children from the Republic of Haiti with U.S. families in 1989. HAGUE STATUS The Hague Convention went into effect in Haiti on April 1, 2014. On that day, the United States began processing Convention adoptions with Haiti. CENTRAL AUTHORITY IBESR, (Institut du Bien-Etre Social et de Recherches), the Social Services organization of Haiti, has been identified as the official central authority in Haiti. As such, they are responsible for reviewing all adoption requests, to prepare dossiers, and to authorize adoption according to the standards and administrative process. Furthermore, they are to ensure children’s protection and to take all necessary provisions to avoid illegal practices and improper material gain during the adoption process. COOPERATING AGENCY Since 1989, Dillon has partnered with Gladys Thomas and the Fondation Pour Les Enfants D’Haiti in Port-au-Prince. They are a multi-faceted organization that provides many services including long-term care to infants and children, serving the needs of disabled children, providing primary and secondary schooling, and medical care for children in care as well as the community. More information on their organization can be found at www.usfch.org. ADOPTION LAWS In 2013, the Haitian adoption laws were revised to be more in line with Hague Convention principles as the country was preparing for ratification. Children younger than 16 years old when their dossier is presented, reviewed and adjudicated can be adopted. Orphans, abandoned infants and children, infants and children whose parents lose their parental rights due to a court decision and children whose biological parents give consent to the adoption can be deemed eligible for intercountry placement. When the adoption involves a child 12 years of age or older, the consent of the adoptee must be obtained. Adoption consent must be given by biological parents or by the legal representative and must be stated in writing in front of the family court judge. It cannot be given before the child reaches

three months of age. When one parent is deceased or unknown, the other’s consent is sufficient with evidence of the death, or their absence legally recognized. Consent to the adoption becomes final after a 1 month period, beginning from the written consent to adoption in front of the judge. In the case of an orphaned child, the Family Council gives its consent to adoption. When the child has been abandoned, the Mayor of the municipality where the child was found declares the birth of the child and gives his consent to the adoption before the family court judge. The children from Haiti must meet the requirements of the Hague Convention in order to be eligible for adoption. For example, the Convention requires that Haiti attempt to place a child with a family in-country before determining that a child is eligible for intercountry adoption. GENDER GUIDELINES Families can request a child of either gender. CHILDREN IN NEED OF FAMILIES Because of the poverty that exists in Haiti, there are many children available for adoption. Haiti is known as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Children of both genders, ages 2-16, are in need of families. Sibling groups are also available. The children in Haiti can often have a history of malnutrition due to their environment and some children may have a history of premature birth and complications that stem from that. Children can be from any part of the island. They are primarily of African heritage although Hispaniola, as Haiti was once called, was a French and then Spanish colony so their some French/Spanish heritage mixed in. The native heritage is actually Arowak Indian. The primary language of Haiti is French but most people, especially the poor, use Creole which is an African influence on the French language. The national religion would be considered Catholic although there is a lot of voodoo that that has permeated the culture. CARE OF CHILDREN The children are primarily cared for in a crèche setting which is an orphanage. Under the new matching system, a child can be placed from any crèche in Haiti. The condition of orphanages varies widely across Haiti, depending in large part on whether the orphanage is located in an urban or rural setting and the financial resources available to furnish and maintain the facilities and to hire competent, caring staff. Most crèches are structured with a house mom to care for one room of children. This creates a better child to caregiver ratio and provides a consistent person to meet each of their needs. Children have a daily routine with eating, resting, play and school. They sleep in cribs or beds as appropriate to their age. The primary food in Haiti is rice and beans with meat, vegetables and fruit added into their diet when possible. Most orphanages do not have the luxury of indoor plumbing, hot running water or air conditioning. Electricity can be spotty and often runs on generators during daytime hours. Bathing is done primarily by showers or little tub basins for younger children.

Infants and children are immunized. However, Dillon recommends your child’s pediatrician check titers or re-administer vaccinations received by your child while they were under the care of the orphanage. There is generally no circumcision for male children unless there has been a problem previously that indicated a need for the procedure. Education is provided depending on their age and begins with preschool and goes through the local high school. RISK FACTORS Families should be prepared for the possibility of health and developmental issues common in children residing in orphanage care, including malnourishment, developmental delays due to institutionalization and attachment issues. It is difficult to assess initially if your child’s developmental delays are due to lack of opportunity or lack of ability. Most experts agree children typically fall behind in at least one, if not all areas of development, one month for every 3-4 months they are in an institution. Additionally, experts state a child who has been in institutional care needs one month out of the institution for every month they have been in an institution to catch up and meet their developmental milestones. It takes time, but most children it catch up developmentally. Issues with attachment and post traumatic stress disorder may also be present due to the children having multiple losses, multiple caregivers, and also multiple placements from birth family to orphanage and ultimately to an adoptive family. With each change of placement and caregiver, trust is eroded and it takes longer to trust again. These same factors which place children at risk of attachment disturbances and post traumatic stress disorder, also place children at risk of neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse. Although the realities of your child’s past may never be known, it is important to consider that it is possible it was a part of your child’s early life experience. Families must understand that all children will have developmental and emotional needs. In fact, sometimes the emotional needs run much deeper than the physical or medical needs and require much more attention and care. Problems with parasites are pretty rampant throughout Haiti. We encourage parents to test for these after placement. Additionally, children in care can receive the BCG or TB vaccination to protect them from tuberculosis. This can cause a false positive in a ppd skin test. HIV testing is done to ensure that children are free from evidence of the disease. Although the medical and developmental information provided for children is limited, it has proven to be reliable. However, families always need to be prepared for the possibility there may be instances of an undiagnosed medical, developmental or emotional condition. FAMILY REQUIREMENTS Please refer to Adoption Guide. APPLICATION PROCESS Dillon places Haitian children with families throughout the United States. We have never found geographic distance to hinder the process or our work relationship with families. The Home Study Application will contain some forms specifically utilized in Haiti adoptions. We understand the Home Study Application can feel overwhelming, but please keep in mind that it provides the opportunity to prepare for your home study and rehearse for your dossier. We take great care to review the documents with an eye toward revisions that will be necessary when it is time for your family to gather your dossier documents.

HOME STUDY PROCESS Families adopting from Haiti must work with a home study agency that is Hague accredited or accredited by the Council on Accreditation. The home study is usually comprised of 2-4 face-toface visits with their social worker for the home study. A psychological evaluation is required by Haiti as part of the home study process. Additionally, families are required to complete a minimum of 12 hours of pre-adoption education and training prior to completion of your home study. Families must complete home study updates if there are any significant changes in the family’s situation, if their state of residence requires annual updates or if they need to extend the validity of their I-800A approval. USCIS PROCESS Families file the I-800A application with their approved home study to the USCIS National Benefits Center. USCIS will inform the family of the location and date to have fingerprints taken for a FBI criminal background check. All adult household members, age 18 and older, will be fingerprinted. If USCIS determines additional information is necessary for processing the application, they will send the family a Request For Evidence (RFE) notice. USCIS technically has up to 90 days to process the I-800A from the time the application is received. This could be longer if an RFE is issued. If approved, USCIS will send the family an approval notice that is valid for 15 months for the 800a and 18 months for fingerprint validity. Fingerprints must be valid at the time the child’s U.S. visa is issued. DOSSIER PROCESS Families must submit an authenticated dossier to IBESR. The standard dossier documents consist of a letter of application to IBESR officials, the home study, birth certificates, marriage license, divorce decree (if applicable), employment verification letters, particulars of property, medical examination forms, banking verification statement, psychological evaluations, clearance letters from local law enforcement, I-800A approval notice, reference letters, copies of passports and family and home photos. Dillon provides dossier authentication services for all families adopting a child from Haiti. Our Dossier Coordinator processes dossier documents through the Secretary of State and the Haitian Consulate prior to Dillon sending your dossier to the IBESR. Families pay an initial dossier processing fee to help cover some of the costs up front, but most of the time it is not sufficient to cover all the expenses. Dillon covers the additional expenses and then bills your family after the dossier has been completely authenticated. Following this completion, it is then sent off for translation from English to French. Once finalized, we send your family’s dossier to Haiti for the final steps of legalization. When the dossier is received by IBESR, it is registered and given a log-in date. The dossier is reviewed to determine if your family meets all the requirements necessary in order to adopt a child from Haiti. At this time, they may request additional documentation. REFERRAL PROCESS IBESR is responsible for the matching process between families and children. A multi-disciplinary team will review the family’s dossier and will issue a child proposal for consideration based on the home study recommendations, the desires of the family and the best interest of the child. The child referral information generally includes a medical report, social history information, documentation confirming the child’s eligibility for adoption, and pictures of the child. Upon receipt, families have 15 days to render their decision to IBESR in writing. We highly recommend

that you review the referral information with your pediatrician, a medical specialist, and/or an international adoption clinic prior to making your decision. This is an enormous decision, and we want you to take the time you need to ensure it is the right decision for your family. TRAVEL PREPARATION Dillon provides families with a Travel Guide that thoroughly outlines the adoption trip and provides travel preparation guidance. Families will make at least 2 trips to Haiti – the first for a 2 week socialization period and the second, to receive custody of your child. Families must travel to receive their child and complete the adoption in Haiti. It is required that both parents travel for the first trip. If you are married, we strongly encourage both parents to travel for the second trip to be part of the initial bonding process. If you are traveling without your spouse, you must have an adult travel companion and process a Power of Attorney from your spouse before your departure. Families are welcome to take their children with them when they travel and it is recommended during the socialization visit. The decision about whether or not to take your children is very personal and involves many considerations. There is no hard-and-fast right answer. The right thing to do in this situation is going to differ from family to family. Here are some questions to think about if you are considering traveling with a child to Haiti: 1. Does the child have any medical issues that you may have to face in Haiti? 2. Is your child easy going or demanding? Do they get bored easily and want you to entertain them, or can they entertain themselves? 3. Do you think having your child along will help or hinder your new child’s adjustments and bonding? Is your child likely to experience sibling rivalry? 4. How will your child do with plane rides, staying in hotels, eating different foods, being in large crowds and being in a third world country? Does your child enjoy new experiences? 5. Does your child WANT to go, or would he/she be just as happy being home? 6. Will missed school, sporting events, and social activities be a problem for your child? 7. Can you afford it? Before you decide, talk with other adoptive parents who have and have not traveled with their children to get their perspectives. In the end, the choice is up to you. You know your family best – no one else can make the right decision for you. If you decide to take young children to Haiti, Dillon recommends you bring an additional adult to help care for these children while you are attending to the adoption proceedings and bonding needs of your new child. TRAVEL All families are responsible for scheduling their own flight arrangements to and from Haiti after Dillon notifies them of their travel dates. Families typically travel to Haiti. An in-country representative will assist the family with transportation, translation and adoption related appointments. Families will need to arrange for their own accommodations, whether at a guesthouse or hotel. The socialization trip occurs shortly after a family formally accepts their referral. Families will travel to Haiti and spend two weeks getting to know their child and interacting with them and

their caregiver in the orphanage setting. A representative from IBESR will interview the family before their return to the States. For the second trip, families will travel to receive their child once the child’s US visa and IBESR exit permit have been issued. This trip can be 5-7 days during which time families will help their child transition and receive custody. Prior to departure, families will visit the US Embassy to pick up their child’s Haitian passport and US visa. All Dillon fees, including all post placement fees, must be paid in full before you depart. TRANSITION OF CHILD Prior to receiving custody, families will spend 1-2 days visiting their child and getting reacquainted with one another before custody occurs. During this time, you may ask questions about your child’s routine, likes, development and anything else that you would like to share with your child as part of their story. On the day of custody, generally, the orphanage director and a caregiver will usually be present. It is at this time that you may ask questions about your child. We know you are excited about receiving your child, but keep in mind they may not be quite as excited as you are. This will be a sudden, enormous change they may not understand at all. To your child, you look funny, sound funny, smell funny, and talk funny. The biggest question looming in our child’s mind is, “Can I trust these strange people to take care of me and keep me safe?” Children handle change or grief the same way adults do. Your child may stop eating or eat too much. They may sleep all the time, not at all, or wake up often in the middle of the night. They may withdraw from others and become very quiet or lethargic. They may even show developmental regression, meaning they may no longer be able to accomplish tasks (i.e., sitting up, walking) that the caregivers said they could do. They may be irritable, cry uncontrollably, scream, or tantrum for hours or even days. Your child will be learning if they can trust you or not. To encourage healthy attachment, let your child be fully dependent on you to meet all their needs for food, comfort, and nurture. This will help establish a trusting relationship. Encourage lots of eye contact in all your activities. POST-PLACEMENT SUPERVISION Following placement, IBESR requires that post-placement reports must be completed at 1, 6, 12, and 2 years. Typically, the social worker that completed the family’s home study will also provide post-placement supervision, but this is not always the case. In addition to IBESR’s post-placement requirements, your family is responsible for completing any additional post placement reports required by your state of residence. POST-PLACEMENT REPORTS After meeting with the family, the social worker prepares the post-placement report based on the IBESR’s guidelines. Families submit photos of the family and child. The reports and photos are submitted to the IBESR by Dillon. FAMILY REPORTS The family is responsible for completing post-placement reports at month’s 3-8 years after the child arrives home.

U.S. ADOPTION FINALIZATION Adoptions in Haiti are finalized in country. However, Dillon requires that all families re-finalize the adoption in the U.S. court. U.S. CITIZENSHIP All children completing a Hague adoption from Haiti receive an IH-3 visa and, therefore, will become a U.S. citizen upon entering the United States. Families will automatically receive their child’s U.S. Certificate of Citizenship in their child’s English name, generally within 3 months of returning home. LIFETIME SUPPORT SERVICES In 2010, the Haiti camp held in Minnesota celebrated it’s 20th anniversary. Dillon is proud to have been a part of this great program through providing the education component for parent workshops. A few years ago, Dillon saw a need to provide post-placement opportunities to local Haitian adoptees. We developed a Caribbean-African heritage event and we hope to continue to grow and develop this into a family camp. BACKGROUND SEARCHES Dillon is able to provide adoption search services for children adopted in Haiti partly because of the good background information that is obtained during the adoption process. However, due to the poverty that exists in Haiti, it is often difficult to locate birth families after placement due to frequent moves. Dillon also provides birthland tours to Haiti which give adoptees the opportunity to experience their heritage as well as the chance to meet those connected with their adoption journey, whether it be their house mom or immediate/extended family.