Sadly, CCAA changes their policies

I am so very sad with the upcoming changes CCAA is implementing. First, we need to get on the ball and be logged in by May 1, 2007, otherwise Anna Grace will not be coming home to us. We have been assured that we will be DTC on February 16, but now I'm worried about how long our I171H will take to arrive.

I remember at the beginning of our journey for Anna Grace how I said that since this was our last, I was going to savor every moment of it. UGH!! Well, I hate the taste! LOL! I know it's all in God's timing and His will....so, Ohilda, keep repeating that to yourself. All in God's time.....all in God's time....all....

I've totally digressed. Here are the new rules for CCAA. It also saddens me that singles will no longer be able to adopt. There are so many children in those orphanages, and limiting who can or cannot adopt just seems unjust, if the children are going home to a good family.

Lastly, please pray for us that our baby girl make it home to us and that we have no further delays in this process. Due to the divorce ruling, this is definitely our last adoption from China. I feel blessed that we will at least be able to raise 2 beautiful Asian babies. There is something so very special about this magical country where are children were born. I feel like a part of me is there.

On December 8, CCAA held a meeting for all agency representatives to outline changes that CCAA has agreed upon to ease the current dossier congestion situation that has significantly lengthened the China adoption process.

CCAA has come up with new policies regarding family requirements. These new policies will put into effect for all dossiers submitted (and logged in) on or after May 1, 2007. The following are CCAA's new policies:

1. MARRIAGE: Only married couples will be allowed to adopt; no singlesdossiers will be accepted. Agencies may continue to submit single's dossiers for log-in prior to May 1, 2007, but agencies must stay within the 8% of their total dossiers. No single's dossier may be submitted after May 1, 2007. This includes the Waiting Child program. If this is the first marriage for both the husband and wife, they must have been married for two years prior to submittal. If the husband or wife has had a previous divorce or annulment, the couple must have been married for five years prior to submittal. The total number of divorces/annulments for the couple can total no more than two. Therefore, if the husband or wife has had two divorces and otherpartner none, the family is acceptable. If the husband and wife each have one divorce, the family is acceptable. Any more divorces are unacceptable.

2. AGE: Each and every parent must be between 30 and 50 years of age. No parent can be under 30 or over 50. The CCAA will not accept any parent outside of this range. If the family applies to adopt a Waiting Child, the upper age limit can be 55 years of age depending on the age of the child requested.

3. MEDICAL: CCAA will only approve parents who are healthy. They will not accept any parent with any infectious disease, mental disease, serious disease, or disability. If either parent is taking medication for anxiety or depression, they are disqualified. If a parent has experienced a serious health related problem in the past, he or she must have been free of this problem for 10 years prior to submittal.

4. WEIGHT: Both parents must have body mass indexes (BMI) under 40.

5. FINANCIAL: At least one parent must have a stable job that provides the majority of the family's income. Families whose income is derived from retirement, disability, or insurance settlement, will no longer be allowed to adopt. The family's income must exceed $10,000 perfamily member (including the to-be-adopted child) and their net worth must exceed $80,000.

6. EDUCATION: Each parent must have at least a high school education.

7. FAMILY SIZE: No family can have more than 5 children in the home, including the child to be adopted. The youngest child currently in thehome must be over 1 year old. Exceptions to the 5 children in the homerule might be made for the Waiting Child program.

8. CRIMINAL: Neither parent can have any criminal record.

CCAA is also increasing its dossier submittal fees. As of January 1,2007, all dossiers for regular children must be accompanied by paymentto CCAA (for registration) of $620 and payment to BLAS (fortranslation) of $200, for a total dossier submittal fee of $820. For families applying to adopt Waiting Children, the dossier submittal feewill also be raised. The CCAA registration fee will now be $540 andthe BLAS translation fee will continue to be waived.

WAITING CHILD PROGRAM:

CCAA will begin assigning low birth weight and developmentally delayed children to agencies as part of their waiting child program. However, CCAA will not give a Waiting Child discount for these children but will hope to keep the processing time similar to that for Waiting Children. CCAA hopes to launch an internet Waiting Children project in Februaryof 2007. The CCAAis still working on this project. CCAA is also in the process of launching a new email communication system between US agencies and CCAA and will offer this service to agencies for an additional fee.