The curriculum developed by the Infant Adoption Training Initiative, Understanding Infant Adoption (UIA) is designed to train health care professionals how to provide adoption information and referral to pregnant women. The UIA provides participants with opportunities for self-reflection and open discussion of issues facing women with unintended pregnancies, as well as the different service providers available in their areas. Understanding the different resources available for pregnancy counseling and adoption services is a key characteristic necessary to make informed referrals consistent with client/patient needs and preferences.

UIA training goals include:

• Develop an understanding of the adoption process
• Understand state and federal laws that govern the adoption process
• How social and cultural issues that impact adoption
• Adolescent development and the adolescents attitudes toward adoption
• Non-directive counseling techniques
• Adoption resources and referrals

UIA training includes:

• Interactive experiences that promote skills development
• Exercises that promote awareness
• Understanding birth family, adoptive family and adoptee experiences
• Resource materials to support attendees ability to provide information and make referrals