The Kern County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 unanimously approved a proclamation declaring November 2025 National Adoption Awareness Month in Kern County.

Clifton Taylor, program director for the Kern County Adoption Agency, told the board that National Adoption Day activities will include a Nov. 21 press conference at 9:30 a.m. in Judge Christine Norris’s courtroom, followed by outdoor celebrations after court hearings. Taylor told supervisors he expects “over 50 families” to finalize adoptions during the event and said Kern County currently has “over 2,000 children within foster care.”

Veronica and Modesto Ramos, an adoptive family invited to speak, described adopting seven children and supporting children with disabilities through services from Kern Regional Center and county social workers. Veronica Ramos said the family’s most recent adoption added a two‑year‑old in September and credited social workers for continued assistance. “We have adopted 7 children,” she said.

Supervisor Peters introduced the proclamation and the board voted to adopt it; the item was entered into the official minutes and signed by Chairwoman Leticia Perez.

The adoption office asked the public to attend National Adoption Day events and highlighted community partners, including local court personnel and nonprofit agencies, who help facilitate finalizations and family celebrations. The proclamation and event are intended to raise awareness of adoption as an option when reunification is not possible and to recognize adoptive parents and relatives who open their homes to children in care.

Next steps: the Department of Human Services and the Kern County Adoption Agency will proceed with the Nov. 21 schedule described at the meeting and the proclamation has been recorded in the board minutes.