HIC News & Events

Infant and Child CPR Class

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0400

HIC Office (9am to 12-noon) Space is limited. RSVP required.In an emergency, infants and children have a much better chance of survival if CPR is performed immediately. HIC sponsors a free class taught by the Honolulu Fire Department. Reservations are required and enrollment is limited. Call our office to check for space availability.

General Information Session

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Hawaii International Child will offer a free general information session providing basic facts concerning intercountry adoption. An adoptive family will offer their thoughts and answer questions as well. The meeting will take place at HIC's Waimanu Street office on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. All families wanting an introduction to available adoption programs are welcome. RSVP to Shannon at (808) 589-2367 x 207, or email Shannon@h-i-c.org.

USCIS Forms

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:46:00 -0400

The Hague convention was implemented on April 1, 2008. Any family who applies to adopt from China after that date is required to file an I-800 rather than an I-600. Families who have already filed the I-600 have been grandfathered in. As long as families renew before the expiration date, their I-600 will remain current. Fingerprints normally expire about 3 months before the approval expires. It is okay to let the fingerprints lapse. The USCIS will re-fingerprint you when you do your renewal. HIC will continue to send out reminders to families a couple of months prior to expiration of approval. Once you receive your new approval please be sure to send it to HIC.

Hawaii Foster Parent Association Offers Dinner and a Training Session

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:45:00 -0400

Halawa District Park on April 25th, 5:30 pm – 8:00pm

Adults will hear Attachment 101, presented by Hawaii's own Keith Kuboyama who will focus on how to reconnect relationships. Foster youth age 13 and older will have a chance to win one of two iPod Shuffles and enjoy a training designed especially for them that includes a panel of former foster youth who will share their own tips on independent living skills. Childcare will be provided for children aged 3 to 12.
Click here for the flyers or call 521-9531 for further information.

Hong Kong Waiting Child Program Update

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:27:00 -0400

HIC has sent a request to the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department for children with minor special needs and we hope to receive our new list of waiting children soon.
This program usually takes 10 to 12 months from the time you apply to the time you pick up your child. If you are interested in this program, please contact Janet Jin at (808) 589-2367 or janet@h-i-c.org for more information.

China Program Update

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:55:00 -0400

Traveling Families
We have one family who will be traveling to Nanning on May 4th to pick up their daughter. We wish them the best of luck.

Document Processing
The CCAA has assigned all children whose dossiers were logged in through January 9, 2006. They have finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with their office before October 31, 2006. HIC did not receive any assignments. Our next group of log in dates is January 23, 2006.

Vietnam Update

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:41:00 -0400

HIC continues to work with the JCICS and member agencies to seek a swift and appropriate resolution to the current Vietnam adoption challenges. We are not accepting new applications at this time.

China Waiting Child Update

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:40:00 -0400

HIC Waiting Child List now available
HIC is happy to announce that we have been approved by the CCAA for the Online Operational System Waiting Child China program and a new list of five waiting children has been released to HIC.
Families currently in the regular program are qualified to view the list and switch to this program if they find an available waiting child they would like to adopt. In some cases clients must be able to submit dossiers within one to four months of time of child acceptance.
Other families interested in this program need to start the application process and have their dossier logged in at CCAA before viewing the files of the waiting children. This program usually takes one year from the time you apply to the time you pick up your child. (The wait time for families who switch from regular program to this program may be closer to 6-7 months.) If you are interested in this program, please contact Janet Jin at (808) 589-2367 or janet@h-i-c.org for more information.

Traveling families
One family is traveling and just united with their precious adopted boy in the Chinese ancient capital of Xian. The child is doing very well. Congratulations to Wee Sit family!

FIEA Seeks Hosts and Representatives

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:01:00 -0400

The non-profit Forte International Exchanges Association is looking for families interested in hosting foreign exchange students. The organization offers exchange opportunities to over 250 students per year. "Hosting an exchange student is not only beneficial to the student, but to the host family as well. Families can learn a great deal about the exchange student's country and culture." Call (888) 866-6869 or email forteexchange@forteusa.org for more information. Website: www.forteexchange.org

MDA Walk on Kauai

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0400

On March 1, 2008, the HIC Kauai Ohana (and friends) led by Deborah Nakamura participated in the MDA walk. Not only did they have fun, but they made $295 for the cause and won the T-Shirt contest!

Hats Off!

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Hats made lovingly by students of Seabury Hall Middle School have made their way to an orphanage in Weinan, China. The hat project was advanced by Rowan and Darby Mulligan, members of a Big Island HIC family.
Deborah Davis, a math teacher at the school explains, "As part of our mission statement, I started the HATS Project to provide my students the opportunity to give their time and effort for the benefit of children in need of warm hats. All the hats are donated to any group, organization, orphanage, hospital, or church that will distribute the hats to children of the world."
A travelling family in the Waiting Child program volunteered their luggage space to bring the useful art to the orphanage in Xian, where the temperature as of this writing the was 37°F

Participants Needed for a Research Project

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0400

How do couples cope with the waiting and uncertainty associated with the adoption process? How do couples balance the demands of work and family? How do couples' relationships change? These are just a few of the questions that are being addresses in an upcoming project. The Transition to Adoptive Parenthood Project will explore the experiences of adoptive parents who are adopting for the first time. The focus is to understand couples' experiences during the transition to adoptive parenthood. If you would like to participate, please follow this link to Dr. Abbie Goldberg's website:
http://www.clarku.edu/faculty/goldberg/research.htm

New USCIS Forms

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:59:00 -0400

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have announced the publication of newly created Hague adoption forms as well as the centralization of the Hague adjudication process. Also included is an accompanying Hague Adoption Convention Fact Sheet. You may access several useful documents through the below links:
Press Release: (click here)
Fact Sheet: (click here)
Forms I-800A and I-800 (click here)
U.S. Department of State list of accredited, temporarily accredited, and approved Hague Adoption Service Providers (click here)

Volunteer at HIC

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:56:00 -0400

HIC has a few slots left to fill for our new volunteer job. This job is ideal for anyone who has just a few hours a week to donate. We will train, and you'll be helping HIC in a very important way. The job is ideal for those who like to sit and read! If you are intrigued, or know someone you would like to suggest, please call Shannon at HIC or email Shannon@h-i-c.org.

Know of a Good Blog Site?

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:40:00 -0400

Share it! HIC's website gets better and better! Soon we'll be creating links to even more information sources. If you know of a particularly good site, please email it to Shannon@h-i-c.org.