WHAT: More than 100 children who have been in state foster care will be formally adopted in five courthouses across the Commonwealth as part of the 13th annual National Adoption Day, an event to raise awareness of the thousands of Massachusetts children in need of adoptive families.
This year, the main media site location is at the Franklin/Hampshire Juvenile Court located at 116 Russell Street, Route 9, in Hadley. Hon. James G. Collins, First Justice Franklin/Hampshire Juvenile Court, will host the event and deliver opening remarks introducing this year's speakers, including State Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg, Trial Court Chief Justice Paula M. Carey, Trial Court Administrator Harry Spence, Juvenile Court Chief Justice Amy L. Nechtem, First Justice of the Hampshire County Probate and Family Court Linda Fidnick, First Justice of the Franklin County Probate and Family Court Beth Crawford, Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, and Department of Children and Families Commissioner Linda S. Spears. Adoptions will formally begin after the opening ceremony and will be presided over by Chief Justice Nechtem, First Justice Collins and Juvenile Court Judge Charles S. Belsky. Hampshire County Sheriff Robert J. Garvey will conduct the formal opening and closing of court.
Media should be advised that each site will have designated “media families” who are willing to be interviewed and have their photos taken before and during the adoption ceremony, but permission should still be sought from individual families. Children and their adoptive families will participate in activities at each of the courthouses throughout the day.
National Adoption Day is one of several projects supported by the Massachusetts Court Improvement Program, a federally-funded program administered by the Supreme Judicial Court. Members of the Adoption Day Planning Committee will speak at each of the events. Committee members include court leaders and personnel from the Juvenile Court and Probate & Family Court, as well as staff members from the Department of Children and Families and the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE).
WHEN:
Friday, November 20, 2015
- Opening ceremonies at all five courthouses will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by formal adoptions in Juvenile and Probate & Family Court courtrooms.
WHERE:
Boston – Edward W. Brooke Courthouse
Brockton – George N. Covett Courthouse
Hadley (media site) – Franklin/Hampshire Juvenile Court
Pittsfield – Berkshire Juvenile Court
Worcester – Worcester Trial Court