SEATTLE, WA-The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy will honor Casey Family Programs, and the work of the Powerful Families program, with the 2006 Maestro Award. The Maestro Award is the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy's highest honor, acknowledging individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to systemic improvements in the areas of adoption and/or child welfare.

A partnership of Casey Family Programs and community, civic and faith-based organizations, Powerful Families promotes personal and community development as essential building blocks for social change and vibrant communities. The program provides parents, caregivers and foster care youth becoming legal adults with tools to advocate for the material and psychological needs of their families. Through free workshops co-run by parents, the program fosters stable, strong relationships between caregivers and children.

The Maestro Award recognizes exceptional dedication, creativity, and achievement in service to children who need permanent, safe and loving homes and the families who provide them. Casey Family Programs will be presented the Maestro Award at the 2006 National Multidisciplinary Symposium in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday, October 5. Past individual and institutional Maestro Award winners include Dave Thomas, Wendy's Founder and Adoption Champion; The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in recognition of its Permanency Planning Project; Joe Kroll, Executive Director of the North American Council on Adoptable Children; and congressional adoption leaders Senator Mike DeWine, Senator Jay Rockefeller, Congressman James Oberstar, and Congresswoman Deborah Pryce.

The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy seeks to improve the law, policies and practices associated with child protection and adoption systems. The center works toward realizing the goal that all children have safe, healthy and permanent homes. Center advocacy projects are aimed at bringing about improvements through changes in the law and the way the law is implemented.