+------+---+-------------------------------------------------------------+
|      |   | ###### [CROSSROADS ADOPTION SERVICES]{.underline}           |
+------+---+-------------------------------------------------------------+
|      |   | a licensed, non-profit, child-placement & assistance agency |
+------+---+-------------------------------------------------------------+

December 9, 2003

To Whom It May Concern"

[]{.mark}

Crossroads Adoption Services recommends "recognition of compliance" with
identified duplicative standards for those agencies currently accredited
by the Council on Accreditation (COA) for inter-country adoption
services.

Crossroads Adoption Services understands the importance of the new Hague
Accreditation standards and process to ensure compliance with the
Inter-country Adoption Act. Currently, Crossroads Adoption Services is
accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Inter-country Adoption
Services. Having already demonstrated compliance with a number of
sufficiently similar standards, we encourage the State Department to
allow currently COA accredited organizations to receive credit for
compliance this select group of duplicative standards.

"Recognition" provides no unfair benefit to currently accredited
agencies, as we will not achieve full accreditation without undergoing
the Hague Accreditation and responding to a significant number of
additional standards. In sum, all inter-country adoption providers will
be held to the exact same requirements regardless of their current
voluntary accreditation status, however the documentation and review of
duplicative standards (highlighted in this response and the attached
crosswalk) would be unnecessary.

Attached is the chart prepared by COA identifying the sufficiently
similar standards that warrant recognition. A copy of the complete
crosswalk comparison of the regulations and COA standards was provided
in COA's comments to the draft regulations, or could be obtained by
contacting COA.

Your consideration of this "recognition" is greatly appreciated. It is
apparent that all organizations, government oversight bodies and
accreditors are pursuing quality standards and in these times of
important movement towards accountability it is also important to
achieve these outcomes without duplication of effort.

Sincerely,

Ann M. Sinnott

Executive Director

Main: 4620 West 77^th^ Street, Suite 105, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435
Phone 952-831-5707 Fax 952-831-5129

Wisconsin Office: 911 4^th^ Street, Suite 214, Hudson, Wisconsin 54016
Phone 715-386-5550 Fax 715-386-5670

Visit our Website at
[www.crossroadsadoption.com](http://www.crossroadsadoption.com/) ♥
E-mail: <kids@crossroadsadoption.com>

# 

# 

# 

# 

# Proposed Standards for Recognition

**for Hague Accreditation**

+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| # Sufficiently Similar            |                                  |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| # Proposed Rules                  | **COA Standards**                |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.30 a)                          | S15.2                            |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.30 b)                          | G11.3.01                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.30 c)                          | S15.2.03                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.32 b)                          | G3.1.01, G3.6, and G3.7.01 (a,   |
|                                   | d)                               |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.32 c)                          | G3.5.07                          |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.33 a)                          | G6.2.02 and G6.2.04              |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.34 c)                          | S15.3.03                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.34 d)                          | G4.2.02                          |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.35 d) 1)                       | G4.7.04                          |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.37 a)                          | S15.6                            |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.37 b)                          | S15.6.04                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.37 c)                          | S15.6.07                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.37 d) 1)                       | S15.6.01 (a)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.37 d) 2)                       | S15.6.01 (b)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.37 e) 2)                       | S15.6.02                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.38 a) 6)                       | S15.6.03 (a)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.38 a) 7)                       | S15.6.05 (b)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.38 b) 1)                       | S15.6.03 (a)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.38 b) 2)                       | S15.6.03 (b, d)                  |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.38 b) 7)                       | S15.6.03 (b)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.39 c)                          | S15.3.06                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.40 a)                          | S15.3.01                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.40 b) 3)                       | S15.3.02 (e)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.40 b) 7)                       | S15.3.01                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.41 d)                          | G1.8 (d)                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.41 h)                          | G2 and G2.1.01                   |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.42 d)                          | S15.5.01 (a, c)                  |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.42 e)                          | G11.4.07 (a)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.45 a) 1)                       | G11.8.05 (a)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.45 b) 5)                       | G11.7.04 (i)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.45 b) 13)                      | G11.7.04 (l)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.47 a) 2)                       | S15.4.02 (c)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.47 c) 2)                       | S15.2.03                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.48 b) 7)                       | S15.4.07                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.48 c) 1)                       | S15.4.07                         |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.48 c) 3)                       | S15.4.03 (c)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.50 c)                          | S15.5.02 (b)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 96.50 g)                          | S15.5.02 (a)                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+