When a 2006 Survey Report from Children's Rights, Inc underscored the high importance of federal subsidies that encourage adoption of eligible children in foster care, thus providing permanent homes and achieving substantial government savings compared to the cost of foster care, we wondered aloud how much attention this significant work would receive, and how, in real life, its findings would be converted to action .How would the sponsors, which included The National Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) and National Foster Parents Associations (NFPA) follow up to achieve national impact?

But first, some highlights from the findings:

• 81% of respondents reported that the availability of adoption subsidies was important to their decision to adopt;
• 58% said they could not adopt without a subsidy
• More than half the respondents said the subsidy was not sufficient;
• Almost half-47%---of adoptive parents received an adoption subsidy that was lower than the rate they received as foster parents;
• 88% reported that the receipt of Medicaid for the child was critical to their decision to adopt.

As we publish this first issue of our 360 Smart Brief, we are following the trail. We'll report back with our next issue, when we will also publish an interview with Julie Farber of Children's Rights by contributing editor Ray Schultz. So as we sometimes say here, "Stay tuned. We'll be right back."