Family-Match is a new technology that is changing the way adoptions are performed across the state of Florida. Approved families can upload a profile and complete an assessment on the website. Case managers also complete assessments on available children. The program then runs an algorithm that produces compatibility scores for families and children. Case managers can then proactively reach out to families with high compatibility scores to children on their caseloads. This data-driven innovation is helping to reduce the potential wait time for children and families, and for the first time, we have a tool that provides other agencies across the state access to home studies of potential parents with the click of a button.
Families interested in adoption who have an approved home study to adopt can register on Family-Match. Even children who have experienced challenges in finding a good match — older, school-aged, sibling groups or those with mental, physical or emotional needs — can be connected to loving adoptive parents sooner. With help from Family-Match and loving adoptive families, these children’s life stories can change from traumatic to positive.