In 1971, two special people made an unconventional decision. Adding to their already large family of ten children (six biological, four adopted), Robert and Dorothy DeBolt adopted Sunee, a child paralyzed by polio. This child, who would have been labeled ‘unadoptable’ by most agencies, brought so much delight to their family that the DeBolts eventually adopted nine more children with special needs.

Appalled by the lack of support, and sometimes outright resistance, they encountered from both government and adoption agencies, the DeBolts formed AASK in 1973 as a vehicle to recruit and refer families who were interested in special needs adoption. Their first office was the garage of their Piedmont home, “complete with cobwebs and dust balls.”

AASK quickly emerged as a leading advocate of special needs adoptions, creating a program model that, throughout the 1980s, the agency’s leadership would help implement in other areas of California and the rest of the country, as far as Arizona, New Mexico and Ohio.

Aiming to create reforms at a higher level, AASK introduced in 1978 the concept for what would become PAARP: state reimbursement for adoptions completed by private agencies, making it much more financially viable to offer services at no cost to our families.

Later, in the 1990s, AASK played a major role in drafting and championing the Adoption and Safe Families Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 1997. This landmark legislation put pressure on states to minimize delays to the adoption of children with special needs.

In 1993, AASK obtained a foster care license, making the choice to focus solely on children waiting in the child welfare system. This move brought a change in the ‘look’ of available children: more Latino and African-American children, sibling groups, and older children. Responding to pressure to place children internationally, Bob DeBolt wrote:

As worthwhile as these causes are, and despite the fact that they may have brought substantial funds to AASK, we have turned them down. We have deliberately limited our efforts to the tens of thousands of special needs children in the United States.

In 2002, AASK began partnering with California counties and UC Berkeley’s Lair of the Golden Bear to create the award-winning Camp ALWAYS, a five-day summer retreat for adoptive families featuring speakers and trainings for parents and outdoor activities for kids.

In 2005, AASK introduced the annual Dorothy and Robert DeBolt Scholarship, awarded each August to promising, college-bound youth who were adopted from the California foster care system.

Over thirty-five years of service, Adopt A Special Kid has continually built upon its past achievements and met new challenges. We have improved our trainings, augmented our staff, and increased outreach to families in underserved communities. We strive to implement best practices in adoption and child welfare through our membership in California adoption and foster care associations. Our founding vision and pioneering spirit serve us well as we work to find homes for the many children who still need them.