Hillside Children’s Center appointee will coordinate adoption services in Western New York

Hillside Children’s Center, an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies, has appointed Jacquie Morrison to the position of adoption services coordinator—Western Region.

In this role, Morrison, of Penfield, NY, will be responsible for expanding Hillside’s adoption services––infant, international, and waiting child adoption, and pregnancy counseling services into Alleghany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Niagara, Steuben, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.

In addition, Morrison will be responsible for the quality of services provided to youth and families served through the TANF and Erie County Adoption Resource Center Post Adoption grants.

“Jacquie is an energetic and enthusiastic individual who, because of her knowledge and understanding of issues unique to adoptive families and children who have been in foster care, will be committed to providing the support these families need,” says Lisa Maynard, Hillside Children’s Center Adoption Services director.

Prior to her appointment, Morrison served Hillside Children’s Center as an adoption social worker and was also the clinical mentor for the Adoption Support and Preservation Program.

Morrison earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree in 1993 from Michigan’s Calvin College and a Master of Social Work degree in 1996 from the State University of New York at Buffalo .She also holds a post-graduate certificate in adoption therapy from the Hunter College School of Social Work.

Hillside Children’s Center appoints Hansen-Walker as adoption homefinding specialist

Hillside Children’s Center has appointed Jody Hansen-Walker to the position of adoption homefinding specialist.

In this position, Hansen-Walker, of Pittsford, NY, will be responsible for the recruitment, training, support, and matching of prospective adoptive families with children in foster care who have been freed for adoption.

Prior to her appointment, Hansen-Walker was the program coordinator for Hillside Children’s Center’s Adoption Support and Preservation services in Western New York. Hansen-Walker has been a therapeutic adoptive parent since 1987.

Thank you to all

Everyone at Hillside's Adoption Services would like to thank each and every one of you that attended the 18th Annual Adoption Resource Network at Hillside Children's Center Conference this year.

Hillside Adoption Services planning for National Adoption Month in November

By Lisa Maynard

It's that time of year again! The leaves have turned amber and scarlet, the air is brisk, and the skies are a steely gray. As all signs point to autumn’s arrival, plans for National Adoption Month kick into high gear.

Twenty-three years ago, I was trying to figure out how to have a family because the traditional method just wasn't working for me. I wanted to learn what the options were in adoption and to compare agencies to find the right fit. It was a daunting task because there was no central comprehensive resource. I used the newspaper, parenting magazines, the yellow pages and my doctor's limited knowledge and asked friends if they knew of anyone who knew anyone who adopted. I was fortunate to find an agency that felt right and helped us to build our family through adoption.

Today, the Internet is a rich resource–a one-stop shop for finding anything you might dream of or desire. Goggling "adoption" yields almost 60,000,000 results! Needless to say, there is plenty of information readily available in cyberspace. But, how on earth does one make sense of any it?

As a means of providing an answer to that question, Adoption Resource Network at Hillside Children’s Center is presenting Creating Kin Week from November 9–14, 2009.

Creating Kin Week kicks off with Options in Building Your Family through Adoption on Monday, November 9, 2009 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. This informational meeting will guide you through the maze of options in adoption, including International, Domestic Infant, and Waiting Child Adoption, debunk the myths (you can adopt if you are single, gay, rent an apartment rather than own a home, or have children already), and walk you through the adoption process with compassion and support. Visit http://www.hillside.com/Services/adoption.htm for more details and for a complete listing of the Creating Kin Week events.

Save the Date!
18th Annual Adoption Conference
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Bay Trail Middle School
Penfield, NY

Boss' Day brings out Believers at Hillside Adoption Services

On Friday, October 16, my entire staff paraded into my office and gathered around my desk. We have been quite busy with planning our week of Creating Kin Week events for National Adoption Month and I was concerned that they were there to tell me I had been pushing them to hard.

They stood there seriously for a moment, and then they all broke into smiles. Shari stepped forward and placed a small, sparkly gold gift bag on my desk and announced that they were in my office to say Happy Boss' Day. My staff presented me with a silver ring engraved with the word "Believe" in three languages. I was moved to tears! "Believe" is our staff mantra.

We Believe in the possibilities of creating kin and building family through adoption. We Believe in the right of every child to have a forever family. We Believe in the potential of every child to work through their trauma and find success in life. We Believe in the power of commitment of the families who adopt children who have experienced abuse and neglect. We Believe we can offer support to children and families on their adoption journey and throughout their lives. We Believe that together we can make a difference.

Thank you to my amazing staff who truly do Believe and demonstrate that every day through their commitment to families and children.

Lisa Maynard elected to NYSCCC Board

On May 7, 2009, Lisa Maynard, Hillside Children’s Center Adoption Services executive director, had the honor of being elected to the New York State Citizen's Coalition for Children's Board of Directors.

Lisa, a long time member and volunteer with the organization, said the New York State Citizen's Coalition for Children (NYSCCC) gave Adoption Resource Network, Inc.(now Adoption Resource Network at Hillside Children's Center) the original grant to incorporate and organize in 1991 with the goal to provide information, education, guidance, and support to members of the adoption triad in Monroe and surrounding counties.

Incorporated in 1975, NYSCCC was organized to address problems in New York’s child welfare system. These problems had resulted in protracted foster care stays in what was intended to be a temporary system, but had, in fact, become the way of life for thousands of children in the foster care system. Coalition activities to address these problems over its 34 year history have been focused on:

• Administrative and Legislative Advocacy


• Community Education


• Parent Group Development and Support Services


• Recruitment of Families for Waiting Children

“I am proud to have been a part of NYSCCC for many years, and now have the good fortune to assist with their work in the coming years,” said Lisa.

National Association of Social Workers recognizes Hillside's Lisa Maynard

Adoption Resource Network at Hillside Children’s Center Executive Director Lisa Maynard has been named as the Social Work Student of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Lisa was nominated for this award by the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, which Lisa is attending while working toward a Masters Degree in Social Work. Lisa received the award during the NASW awards dinner held on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the Burgundy Basin Inn outside of Rochester, NY.