The Secretary of State designates one or more accrediting entities to accredit and approve U.S. adoption service providers (ASPs) and to monitor and oversee their activities in compliance with the federal intercountry adoption regulations at 22 CFR Part 96.

Since 2006, the Department has designated the following organizations as an accrediting entity:

Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) – June 2006 to March 2013

Council on Accreditation (COA) – June 2006 to December 2018

Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME) – July 2017 to present

Reviewing, investigating, and responding to complaints is an important part of an accrediting entity’s role. The accrediting entity’s responsibilities include reviewing information submitted to the Complaint Registry, determining if the complaint meets threshold criteria for accrediting entity action, assessing whether the ASP has failed to comply with any of the regulatory standards that govern intercountry adoption, imposing appropriate adverse actions pursuant to 22 CFR Subpart K, and publishing information as required by federal regulations. 

Complaints that do not implicate the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention), the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA), the Universal Accreditation Act of 2012 (UAA), or regulations implementing the IAA or UAA, are screened out by the accrediting entity and the accrediting entity does not conduct a further review. When complaints do implicate the Convention or applicable statutes and regulations, the accrediting entity will determine whether the complaint is: (1) substantiated – the agency/person is out of compliance with the standards applicable to the complaint; (2) unsubstantiated – the agency/person is not out of compliance; or (3) unfounded – the complainant has not provided sufficient information for a review to be conducted and additional information is not possible to obtain.

Information about the outcomes of the current accrediting entity’s complaint reviews is available on IAAME’s website, www.iaame.net, in the Substantiated Complaints and Adverse Action Report, which is updated regularly.  

Complaint Data:

The following information is based on data available to the Department through submissions from accrediting entities regarding the receipt, review, and resolution of complaints filed with the Complaint Registry during the timeframes indicated.

Number of Complaints Filed and ASPs Impacted (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2019):

Accrediting Entity IAAME’s Findings (April 1, 2018** – December 31, 2019

** IAAME assumed monitoring and oversight responsibilities, which included complaint review, on April 1, 2018.

Complaints Not Accepted for Review (Screened Out) - (2012 - 2019):

Accrediting Entity Complaint Processing Times in Months

*** The Department of State’s fiscal year is October 1 – September 30. Each row reflects two quarters of data.

Complaints by Complainant Type (2012 – 2019):

Accreditation Information:

In some cases, substantiated complaints may warrant the issuance of an adverse action that leads to the suspension or cancellation of accreditation. In 2019, four ASPs had their accreditation cancelled, and 19 ASPs either voluntarily relinquished or did not seek renewal of accreditation. The Department reports changes in accreditation through public notices that are posted on our website and disseminated via a listserv, to which any member of the public may subscribe.

Loss of Accreditation Voluntarily and through Adverse Action Imposed by the Accrediting Entity (2012 – 2019) or the Department: