TRIADOPTION ® Library, Inc. - CA ~ Pg 369-480

SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES
In 1981, Triadoption Library, Inc. utilized an estimated 5200 volunteer hours
donated by ten key people and thirteen additional support persons. There were 3608
contacts recorded by mail and telephone between January 1 and December 31, 1981. The
specific services offered by Triadoption during this time period over-lap in both
volunteer participation and comrnuni ty service received by individual s and other
organizations.
TRIADOPTION INTERNATIONAL REFERRAL SERVICE: The objective is to respond to
requests from individuals for search or support information or assistance.
Primarily, the requests come from persons involved in adoption, fostercare
and other forms of family separation'. Those we were not able to refer to
other organizations , professionals or agencies for assistance were he1 ped by
our volunteers. We responded to an average of 300 calls and letters each
month. The number of volunteers varied but averaged eleven.
SPEAKERS BUREAU: The objective is to serve as an educational outreach to
the community, to promote understanding and communication about adoptees,
birthparents, and adoptive parents rights, feelings and circumstances. Our
volunteers participate in the "home. study" programs for prospective adoptive
parents at both private and publ ic adoption agencies, speak to genealogical
societies, adoptive parents'groups andother interested organizations.
Approximately thirty-two volunteers were involved in directly serving three
hundred seventy-eight people.
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES: Located in the Westminster Community Services Center,
720 square feet of reference materials have been gathered to aid individuals
in establishing their heritage, personal rights and take their full responsi
bi 1 i ty and participation in 1 ife by gaining knowledge of ihemsel ves and
their continuity. In 1981, these resources increased by several thousand
pieces of microfiche; phonefiche; 214 city directories; binders on each
states adoption and vital record laws, forms, policies, etc. ; files of
newsclippings and other publications pertaining to adoption; 32 hours of
video; and a donated computer system chat allows increased f!exibil ity in
storing, communicating and disseminating information. This data made it
possible to participate in several research projects in 1981 including the
Organization Statistical Study publ ished by the 1 i brary. Thirty-four
volunteers participated in utilizing and gathering data used by over four
hundred individual s.
COUNSELING AND SUPPORT: Many persons involved in adoption have not understood
or exercised their rFhts to personal information and knowledge of heritage
[ie: genetic. psychological, n!edical, genealogical and historical). In response
to their needs our volunteers provide assistance based both on training and on
personal experience. A conservative estimate i s that over one thousand persons
were served by el even volunteers.
ADOPTION COUNCIL OF ORANGE COUNTY: Our founding participation in this unique
council has been to encourage an open dialogue among Orange County agencies
and organizations and to establish a forum to examine issues involved in
adoption. The two main projects were the Annual Adoption Faire at Goldenwest
College (attendance four hundred) and helping man an information booth at the
Orange County Fair.