County OKs plan to pay some of workers’ bills for adoption

Stephen Curran

Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005 | 9:52 a.m.

As part of its continuing effort to attract would-be foster parents, the Clark County Commission on Tuesday approved a plan to pay some of the bills for its employees planning to adopt.

Under the plan approved 5-0, the county would reimburse employees for up to $1,000 for any legal fees, mental health and medical care not covered by insurance, clothing and equipment.

The plan mirrors pleas made to area employers on the heels of a countywide campaign to encourage residents to become adoptive or foster parents. With more than 10,000 employees, the county itself is one of the region's largest employers, Commissioner Lynette Boggs McDonald said. "I think as we were hearing those discussions (about adoption), a lightbulb went off in my head," she said. "I hope, once we adopt this, that more of our employees will consider adoption."

Speaking Tuesday to the county's Interfaith Roundtable, Susan Klein-Rothchild, director of the county's Department of Family Services, praised what she called "a good start" to the campaign, but she said the agency is still working to devise ways to get the word out about the program.

Commissioner Chip Maxfield, who sits on the interfaith group with Boggs McDonald and Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, said the adoption process is a kind of "bureaucratic monolith" that many average citizens have trouble penetrating.

In May the month the campaign was launched, inquiries into adoption swelled from 116 the month before to 631. Meanwhile the number of applications to become a foster parent doubled last month from 17 in May, she said.

"People are getting the message and getting the outreach," Klein-Rothchild told local religious leaders.

David Robeck is one of those helping the county get its message out. Robeck, an unmarried Las Vegas banker who has adopted four Russian boys, has created a DVD for use at churches around the valley.

Robeck, a member of the interfaith committee, said many unmarried people think they must be married before adopting children.

Robeck said he decided to adopt after "reaching an age" where he wanted a family but was not in a long-term relationship.

"My kids are thrilled with the fact that they're adopted," said Robeck, who choked up as he remembered a parent-teacher conference at one of his adopted sons' schools. "He (his son) knew everything was going to be taken care of, but he wanted to show off his papa."

County officials continue to struggle with rising numbers of children needing care, Klein-Rothchild said. By the end of the Labor Day weekend, 24 new children were brought to the county's Child Haven facility, adding to the 250 already in county shelter care.

There are about 2,000 children in foster care since the county took over Family Services in October. About 800 of them are awaiting legal adoption, according to the county.