After many years of service, Catholic Charities of the St. Cloud Diocese will close its Pregnancy Counseling and Adoption Services, according to an Aug. 31 press release.
“This was a really tough decision,” said Steve Bresnahan executive director of Catholic Charities. “As a Catholic organization, we’re very concerned that families have a way to form and be supported, but we need to use the resources the community shares with us as wisely as possible.”
Bresnahan noted that a decline in the need for pregnancy and adoption services reflects a national trend — the teenage pregnancy rate is at a 20-year low, and there is a significant reduction in the number of adoptions, he said. The agency placed two children last year, down from about 30 a year in the 1980s.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis closed similar services earlier this year.
“While there is still a need for these services, there are many other organizations who provide these services, and provide them with the same philosophies that we have,” Bresnahan said. “By not duplicating efforts, overall, more people will be able to receive the services they need.”
Pregnant women were referred to other agencies beginning earlier this year, and those whose cases are currently being managed will be supported through the end of their pregnancies, and beyond if needed.
The diocesan Office of Marriage and Family lists helpful agencies on its webpage at http://omf.stcdio.org/respect-life/crisis-pregnancy-centers/.
Catholic Charities is exploring who will hold their adoption records and facilitate future information requests. They are also working to find other agencies willing to work with families seeking to adopt children.