National Center for Adoption Law & Policy at Capital Receives Congressional Angel in Adoption Award

September 29, 2008

The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy (NCALP) at Capital University Law School received a 2008 Angel in Adoption ™ for its outstanding advocacy on behalf of children who are involved in our nation’s child welfare systems and the assistance it provides professionals who serve these children. NCALP was honored, along with more than 180 Angels, at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 16.

The Angels in Adoption ™ program, organized by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), is a public awareness program that gives all members of the U.S. Congress the opportunity to honor the good work of their constituents who are improving the lives of children in need of permanent homes. This year, more than 150 Members of Congress participated, making it the year’s single most significant Congressional event pertaining to child welfare in the United States. 

Ohio Congresswoman Deborah Pryce, a 1976 graduate of Capital University Law School, nominated NCALP for this honor, stating, “We are fortunate to have the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy in my home town of Columbus, Ohio. The Center is an excellent resource for family members and practitioners, providing a multitude of information services that can help the general public understand and navigate complex adoption laws and procedures. As an adoptive parent, legislator and Capital University Law School alumna, I am proud to have partnered with the center on a number of initiatives and am delighted for the opportunity to honor the great work of the center.”

“Representative Pryce has worked closely with the center over the years and she was instrumental in securing federal funding for the original Adoption and Child Welfare LawSite (www.adoptionchildwelfarelaw.org) we created,” said Denise St. Clair, executive director of NCALP. “We are deeply honored that she nominated us for this national award. As an adoptive parent herself, she understands our mission and the need for an efficient child welfare system that will move children safely into loving, permanent homes.”

St. Clair and Real Living Academic Director Professor Angela Upchurch met with members of Congress and attend the White House Lawn Celebration, the Angels in Adoption Pin Ceremony on Capitol Hill and the Angels in Adoption Gala. More than 850 people attended the Gala, which featured a keynote address by Senator Hillary Clinton and special messages of congratulation from former National Angel First Lady Laura Bush and President Bush.

“It’s very fitting that Capital’s National Center for Adoption Law & Policy has been honored as an Angel in Adoption ™ ,” said Dean Jack A. Guttenberg. “Their excellent work is not only positively impacting children in our adoption and foster care systems locally, but nationally as well. With this well-deserved recognition and honor, they are joining a prestigious group of local organizations and individuals who have previously been named Angels in Adoption, including the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption which provided seed funding to create the center.”

For more information about the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy at Capital University Law School, including its mission, current projects and upcoming events, visit www.ncalp.org, or call Executive Director Denise St. Clair at (614) 236-6730.