New Jersey Senate Bill SJR13

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24

Caption

Designates Saturday before Thanksgiving Day as "National Adoption Day" and designates November as "National Adoption Month" in New Jersey.

Impact

Adopting SJR13 could significantly enhance statewide efforts to promote adoption awareness. With approximately 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system, including about 6,000 in New Jersey, the resolution targets stigma and encourages community engagement through festive events that celebrate successful adoptions. By formally recognizing these observances, New Jersey can encourage more families to consider adoption, potentially impacting the lives of countless children waiting for permanent homes. It additionally aims to address the challenges faced by youth who age out of the foster system.

Summary

SJR13 proposes the designation of the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day as 'National Adoption Day' and the entire month of November as 'National Adoption Month' in New Jersey. This initiative aims to raise public consciousness regarding adoption services and the foster care system. By doing so, it seeks to educate prospective adoptive parents about available options and recognize the importance of finalized adoptions for families. The resolution is a response to the needs of children in foster care who often lack adequate emotional and financial support, exacerbating their challenges.

Contention

The discussions surrounding SJR13 highlight the emotional and psychological impacts on children awaiting adoption and emphasize the actions needed to expedite their placement in nurturing homes. While the resolution is largely seen as positive, it also calls attention to ongoing societal issues, such as the effects of the opioid crisis, which have resulted in an increasing number of children entering the foster care system. Critics may argue that celebratory events alone may not suffice to address the deeper, systemic issues that contribute to familial instability and the high turnover within foster care systems, urging for more comprehensive legislative measures.