China
Guatemala
Russia
Vietnam
India
EthiopiaFTIA is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Families Thru International Adoption, Inc. is a not-for-profit state-licensed child placement agency specializing ONLY in international adoptions. FTIA is licensed in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky. We are able to assist U.S. citizens living in any state and U.S. citizens living abroad. Our team of professionals has the following experience to help you adopt internationally:
- More than 75 years in the adoption field;
- Team members who have lived and worked overseas;
- Team members who have adopted internationally;
- Team members who are adult adoptees.
We help families adopt from several countries: China, Russia, Guatemala, Vietnam, India, and Ethiopia. We travel to these countries; we have representatives who work for us in these countries — we know adoptions in these countries.
FTIA was founded by attorney Keith M. Wallace after teaching law at Peking University in Beijing, China, as a Foreign Expert from 1990-1991. Mr. Wallace has been active in domestic adoptions for more than 20 years and is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the Christian Legal Society. While living in China, he learned of the opportunity to help and serve children internationally. Since starting adoptions from China in the early 1990s, FTIA extended its commitment to children by establishing adoption programs in Russia, Guatemala, Vietnam, India, and Ethiopia. In each country we work with individuals who have been working with international adoptions for years. Each of our adoption programs was started after substantial research, several trips overseas, and much background investigation. We know all of our team, including foreign counterparts, are committed to you and the children we serve.
Mission Statement
The adoption program of Families Thru International Adoption began as a result of our love and commitment to children. We believe that God calls all of us to care for, love, and nurture children. In a perfect world, every child would remain with his/her birth family in his or her country of origin and have the opportunity to grow up in an atmosphere of happiness, love, and with all physical needs met. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and many children are born into very difficult circumstances and end up living in orphanages or welfare homes.
Families Thru International Adoption is committed to providing assistance to children around the world. When remaining or reuniting with the birth family is not possible, we work diligently to find caring families who long to provide permanent, stable, and loving homes for these children. We believe this to be our highest calling. We are also committed to providing extensive support during and after the adoption process for families who adopt internationally. We encourage families who adopt through Families Thru International Adoption to continually educate themselves about their child's homeland and to provide their child with instruction, training, and a sense of ethnic/cultural identity about his or her country of birth. We provide each family who adopts through our agency ongoing guidance and support to accomplish these goals.
Humanitarian Aid/Donations
Families Thru International Adoption is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization which means we meet the Internal Revenue Service's Regulations to be defined a Charitable Organization. Over the past several years FTIA has donated thousands of dollars of our general operating account for humanitarian aid in China, Russia, Guatemala, Vietnam, and other countries for orphanage construction, flood relief, purchasing and providing medical supplies, food, education materials, direct financial aid for children trying to remain in their homes with parents who may be physically and/or mentally disabled, paying to provide additional caregivers in some orphanages, etc.
FTIA has established a Foster Care Program in Changsha, Hunan, China to help many, many children get a better start in life.
COA Accreditation
Families Thru International Adoption is one of the few COA accredited agencies in the United States dedicated exclusively to international adoption. This is separate from Hague accreditation. To become accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services, Inc., an organization must go through an intensive self-study process and be reviewed on site to determine if it meets numerous performance standards. In addition, there must be independent financial audits to confirm the financial and organizational integrity of the agency.
Hague Accreditation
As of April 1st, 2008, only agencies that are Hague Accredited will be able to place children from Hague countries. FTIA received notification on February 29th, 2008 that we have been Hague Accredited by COA. FTIA currently works in the following Hague Convention countries: Bulgaria, China, India and Panama. FTIA will continue to assist families who are adopting from Ethiopia, Russia, and Nepal, countries which have not yet ratified the Hague Convention. FTIA is exploring additional adoption programs in other Hague and non-Hague countries.
JCICS Member
Families Thru International Adoption is proud member of the Joint Council on International Children's Services. The JCICS from North America is the oldest and largest affiliation of licensed, nonprofit international adoption agencies in the world. Keith M. Wallace, FTIA's CEO, currently serves in the Board of Directors of JCICS.
FTIA's ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Policy
Families Thru International Adoption will assist anyone wanting to adopt internationally, regardless of disability, as long as he or she can meet the requirements and criteria of the appropriate governmental entities involved in international adoption.
Anyone wanting information about international adoption but has any disability involving communication may communicate with FTIA by email or fax (812-479-9901) and appropriate arrangements will be made to facilitate communication.
Civil Rights Compliance and Non-Discrimination in Services
In accordance with applicable Federal and State Civil Rights laws and regulatory requirements, you as a client of this agency, have the right:
- To be provided services at this agency and to be referred for services of other agencies without regard to your race, color, religious creed, disability, ancestry, national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, or sex.
- To file a complaint of discrimination if you feel you have been discriminated against on the basis of your race, color, religious creed, disability, ancestry, national origin (including limited English proficiency), age or sex.
The provisions of services and referrals of clients shall be made without regard to race, color, religious creed, disability, ancestry, national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, or sex.
Program services shall be made accessible to eligible persons with disabilities through the most practical and economically feasible methods available. These methods include, but are not limited to, equipment redesign, the provision of aids, and the use of alternative service delivery locations. Structural modifications shall be considered only as a last resort among available methods.
Complaints of discrimination may be filed with any of the following:
- Families Thru International Adoption
International Headquarters Office
400 Bentee Wes Court
Evansville, IN 47715 - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
www.hhs.gov/ocr - Indiana
- Civil Rights Commission
www.state.in.us/icrc
- Civil Rights Commission
- Kentucky
- Commission on Human Rights
http://kchr.ky.gov/
- Commission on Human Rights
- New York
- Division of Human Rights
www.dhr.state.ny.us/
- Division of Human Rights
- Ohio
- Civil Rights Commission
www.crc.ohio.gov
- Civil Rights Commission
- Pennsylvania
- Human Relations Commission
www.phrc.state.pa.us - Department of Public Welfare, Bureau of Equal Opportunity
www.dpw.state.pa.us
- Human Relations Commission
Keith M. Wallace
C.E.O. & Executive Director
Families Thru International Adoption, Inc.