On September 27, 2019, the Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME) suspended the accreditation of Shepherd Care Ministries DBA Adoption by Shepherd Care (Adoption by Shepherd Care) for failing to maintain substantial compliance with accreditation standards.

During this suspension, Adoption by Shepherd Care must cease to provide all adoption services in connection with intercountry adoption cases.  Adoption by Shepherd Care is required to transfer their cases to another adoption service provider. If you have an open case with Adoption by Shepherd Care, please contact them directly to find out how the suspension will affect your case. We also encourage families to review the information published by IAAME about selecting a primary provider/adoption service provider and the accreditation/approval requirements.

Affected families may wish to review information about Case Transfer Responsibilities on the Department of State’s website.

The Department of State does not review or approve case transfer plans and has a limited role in their execution. The Department communicates with competent adoption authorities about the accreditation status of agencies and persons and case transfer plans, as needed. The Department also facilitates communication to the public about the outcome of accrediting entity determinations. 

For more information, see IAAME’s website. If you have any questions about this announcement, you may direct them to IAAME at contact@iaame.net.