DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – In an exclusive on October 26th, Michigan News Source brought to you the story about the Whitmer administration’s plans to close down a black adoption agency called “Homes for Black Children” (HBC) based on previous financial problems that have since been fixed according to the adoption agency.
In an update, we told you that two days after our article was published, it looked like the state of Michigan was backtracking on their plans to move ahead with the license revocation with Bob Wheaton, Public Information Officer of the Michigan Dept. of Health & Human Services telling The Detroit News “we are working alongside the leadership at Homes for Black Children to further review the agency’s operations and explore opportunities to help them meet state compliance standards.”
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However, according to CEO and President Jacquelynn Moffett, things still appear to be moving ahead with the possible closure – only now, the timing of the state’s plans have been exposed. Moffett said, “I have been told by the Department that the revocation process is on hold until they can meet with us on November 9th or 10th. This is to provide us with the opportunity to present information that has not been reviewed. They have not suspended the process.”
November 9th. That would be one day after the election.
As an op-ed by Detroit News’ Bankole Thompson said on Thursday, “If the administration of a Republican governor in the middle of a reelection battle was trying to revoke the license of an adoption agency in Detroit, the nation’s largest majority Black city, it would be considered by Democrats and their allies in the civil rights community as a racist measure. There would be an uproar.”
But there is no uproar in the mainstream media. No marches, no protests. And the future of the adoption agency hangs in the balance while the state appears to be trying to sweep the issue under the rug until after Tuesday’s elections.
Moffett sent Michigan News Source a link to a video of a documentary about their agency and their philosophy that was made in the late ’70’s. In the documentary, Moffett says, “One year before we opened our doors, there were 1,300 children placed in white families. There were only 93 black children placed. 300 black children were left in foster care.”
Moffett explains in the video how important it is for the group to get to know the potential adopters and form a close relationship that starts with an immediate response to their inquiry about adoption. That has resulted in HBC successfully provided adoption services to more than 2,000 children of all ages, including sibling groups.
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Michigan News Source will continue to monitor the situation.
