About Us
In 1998, Act of Love Adoptions was created to specifically work with birth parents interested in placing their newborn babies for adoption with prospective adoptive families. We are committed to educating, preparing and supporting prospective adoptive families before, during and after the adoption process. Act of Love Adoptions places infants born throughout the United States with prospective adoptive families living in Massachusetts. Presently, the waiting time from application to placement is approximately eighteen months to two years, depending on your level of openness.
We offer:
- Information and Orientation: Complimentary meetings are available to discuss all aspects of Act of Love Adoptions including agency philosophy, outreach to birth parents, selection criteria and approval of adoptive families, support services and financial policies.
- Homestudy: Conducted by licensed, experienced social workers, this process is intended to be a learning experience for prospective adoptive families. It also gives Act of Love staff the opportunity to get to know and support the families in developing and implementing the right adoption plan for them.
- Educational Seminars: An educational series is offered to all prospective families as well as a monthly While U Wait group. These meetings provide adoptive parents with the opportunity to meet other adoptive families, to address adoption specific issues and to continue preparing for the arrival of their child.
- Post-Placement & Post-Adoption Services: Monthly contact is maintained after the arrival of a child, to assist and support the family through the transition. Act of Love Adoptions also offers post-adoption seminars and groups after the legalization of the adoption to help with some of the lifelong issues that come with the adoption of a child.
- Openness: Act of Love Adoptions works with birth parents who choose the adoptive family for their child. The degree of openness is mutually agreed upon between the adoptive family and birth parent, with guidance and support from the staff. After the placement, the adoptive family is expected to share information, confidentially, about the ongoing development of their adopted child.
Our Staff
Penny M. Harrison, M.S., LSW
Director
Penny has recently accepted the position of Director of Adoption Services for Act of Love Adoptions. Penny has been working in the adoption field for almost twenty years. She has a Master’s in Human Services with a concentration in Program Development and Planning. As the Director of Adoption Services, Penny will oversee both pre and post adoptive services, including our AFT (Adoptive Families Together) program which offers continued support, education, training and advocacy to all members of the adoption triad. Contact Penny at 617-587-1554 or pharrison@mspcc.org.
Stephanie V. Filice, MSW, LCSW
Adoption Social Worker
Stephanie was first introduced to adoption while interning at MSPCC’s Act of Love Adoptions during her final year at Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. After graduating in May of 2009, she accepted a job as an Adoption Social Worker at Act of Love Adoptions. Stephanie works with prospective adoptive families to assist in their journey through the adoption process. Stephanie also conducts the child assessments and home studies for the Department of Children and Families, as well as overseeing the search process for MSPCC. Contact Stephanie at 617-587-1527 or sfilice@mspcc.org.
Sybil A. Turk, MSW
Adoption Social Worker
Sybil is a recent graduate of Boston College’s Graduate School of Social Work. While there she was able to gain knowledge in adoption and child welfare through internships at the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange and the MA Child Welfare Institute at the Department of Children and Families. Sybil works with Act of Love as an Adoption Social Worker, helping adoptive families to navigate the adoption process. She also conducts homestudies and child assessments for the Department of Children and Families. Contact Sybil at 617-587-1519 or sturk@mspcc.org.
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Donna Morrison
Adoption Social Worker
Donna has been a social worker in MA for over 30 years. For most of that time Donna has specialized in foster care and adoption. She worked with the Department of Children and Families as a social worker, supervisor, and as the Director of Recruitment of Foster and Adoptive Families. Donna has been working with MSPCC for the past three years managing a contract with DCF to assess families wanting to provide permanency for the agency’s children and assessments to determine if adoption is an appropriate goal for a child in the Department’s care. Contact Donna at 617-587-1537 or dmorrison@mspcc.org.