By Rosemary Miller, Exec. Director
Catholic Social Services of Montana

The making and modifying of our laws in the State of Montana is an intriguing process. Two years ago we watched as a bill was introduced to modify the laws effecting adoptions in the State of Montana. After working with these laws since 1997 it became clear that some modifications were necessary, so that birth parents could be better served.

Birth parents entrusted their children to adoptive families, which is a courageous act. They are putting their children’s best interest before their own interests. Many of them make this decision because of their circumstances. They want their children to have a better life than they can provide for them. After they relinquish their children, adoption agencies and other entities were prohibited from providing anything related to “education, vehicles, salary or wages, vacations or permanent housing.”

Because of these restrictions, birth parents could not receive so much as a scholarship to take computer classes, the donation of an old car, or never work for an adoption agency in the State of Montana. Other organizations such as the Knights of Columbus were prohibited from developing a program that was specific to birth parents such as a scholarship fund. It is simply a matter of justice that birth parents receive the services to help them in their life. The bill was killed in committee and thus did not pass the Legislative Session of 2007.

Subsequently, during the two years between legislative sessions, the Licensed Adoption Agencies of Montana in concert with Moe Wosepka, executive director of the Montana Catholic Conference, met on a regular basis to review the laws on adoption.

During the 2009 Legislative Session another bill was introduced – House Bill No. 367, proposing to modify the post-adoptive services that could be provided to birth parents. This bill allowed for a program to be developed, separate from any program for the placement of children and paid for by separate funds. The program could include “grief and loss counseling, temporary housing, mentoring services, job training, life skills development, budgeting and financial management, educational opportunities and transportation.” This time the bill did pass both the Senate and the House and is on its way to the governor for his signature.

It has been a long road to achieve justice for birth parents. Had they chosen to parent their babies they would have received public assistance, medical coverage, food assistance, job training and various other benefits to help them provide for themselves and their family. When they gave birth to their children and entrusted them to loving adoptive parents, they were no longer eligible for assistance.

Their journey is a struggle after they have surrendered their children even for the strongest of birth parents. They deserve our respect, support and prayers.

The challenge ahead of us will be to develop programs and services that help all birth parents to achieve their dreams, to advance their education and skills, and to overcome the circumstances present in their current lives.


Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 25, No. 4, April 17, 2009.