News  Massachusetts Trial Court to Celebrate National Adoption Day in Courthouses Across the Commonwealth

WHAT:
On Friday, November 21, the Trial Court will celebrate National Adoption Day, an annual event that raises awareness of the thousands of Massachusetts children in state foster care who are in need of adoptive families. This year's celebration will commemorate the 134 adoptions scheduled to take place in courthouses across the Commonwealth and will recognize the other adoptions that have been finalized this year.

This year, the Plymouth County Juvenile Court in the George N. Covett Courthouse in Brockton and the Hampden County Juvenile Court in Holyoke will host formal speaking events.

At the Plymouth County Juvenile Court, speakers will include: Trial Court Chief Justice Heidi E. Brieger; Juvenile Court Chief Justice Dana M. Gershengorn; Commissioner for the Department of Children and Families Staverne Miller; and Tyler Busnengo, adoptee, and Kayla Milka, adoptive parent. Plymouth County Probate and Family Court Judge Megan English Braga will moderate the event.

At the Hampden County Juvenile Court, speakers will include: Hampden County Juvenile Court First Justice David Paradis; Andrew Blefeld, the Deputy Regional Counsel for the Department of Children and Families; and Stephanie DiMichele, Director of Permanency Services at 18 Degrees Family Services for Western Mass.

Adoptions will also take place in Juvenile Courts located in Boston, Dedham, Hadley, Lawrence, Lowell, Pittsfield, and Worcester. 

National Adoption Day is supported by the Massachusetts Court Improvement Program which is administered by the Supreme Judicial Court. National Adoption Day committee members include court leaders and personnel from the Juvenile Court and Probate & Family Court, as well as staff members from the Department of Children and Families (DCF), Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and community volunteers.

WHEN:
Friday, November 21, 2025 

WHERE:
Adoptions will take place in the following Juvenile Courts:

Boston, Suffolk County Juvenile Court, Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, 24 New Chardon Street, 9:00 a.m.

Brockton, Plymouth County Juvenile Court, George N. Covett Courthouse, 215 Main St. #270, 9:00 a.m.

Dedham, Norfolk County Juvenile Court, 55 Allied Drive, 9:00 a.m.

Hadley, Hadley Juvenile Court, 116 Russell St., Route 9, 8:30 a.m.

Holyoke, Hampden County Juvenile Court, 121 Elm Street, 9:00 a.m.

Lawrence, Essex County Juvenile Court, Fenton Judicial Center, 2 Appleton Street, 9:00 a.m.

Lowell, Middlesex County Juvenile Court, 370 Jackson St., 9:00 a.m.

Pittsfield, Berkshire County Juvenile Court, 190 North Street, 9:00 a.m.

Worcester, Worcester County Juvenile Court, 225 Main Street, 8:30 a.m.

For media interested in connecting with an adoptive family please contact Zoe Perkins, MARE, at zoep@mareinc.org.