We do know that he has inserted into the proposed FY2007 state budget a grant for $375,000 to the Center for Family Connections, which probably does some great work -- but which also is running a summer seminar in Provincetown this July for adoptive families. Hmm... This might prove more interesting than his recent encounter with marshmallow fluff. (See EHS 940 in Senate Budget amendments.) The Center's website wasn't up, but we found this info on the Mass. Adoption Resource Exchange site:
Center for Family Connections : 21st ARCHeology Summer Intensives on Adoption and Complex Blended Families Searching For Self: How the search-and the story-heal. Sunday, July 9th – Wednesday, July 12, 2006. Provincetown Theater, Provincetown, Cape Cod MA. For more information on fees and registration, please call Caitlin Fitz Gerald at 617-547-0909 or 1-800-KINNECT or visit their Web site. Each presenter will tell one story that will illuminate, teach, humor, honor and heal. All will look at the personal search that is a part of building your ‘self ’ as a parent (birth, adoptive, foster, step); as an adopted person (legal adoption or emotional adoption); and/or as a professional who comes in contact with mythic that search that people take in finding themselves and their families.
The founder and director of the Center for Family Connections, Dr.Joyce Maguire Pavao, has reviewed a book on "Gay Men Choosing Parenthood", which she says:
"gives the reader an opportunity to explore the fact that no one has the right to be a parent , but anyone who has the desire and the ability to provide a safe and stable family for a child in need, should be able to provide that healing and that family. People may have problems with policy around gay parenthood, but once a family is formed, we must work to provide the holding environments to keep that family—and most especially those children—safe and sound. Fathers are often underrated and underserved in general, and the world at large and professionals whowork with families need to have an understanding of the challenges and how to provide support , especially for gay fathers."
