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The mission of ISS-USA is to promote resolutions in the best interests of children, adults and families separated by international borders. ISS-USA accomplishes its mission through the provision of intercountry social services, research, training, technical assistance, and advocacy.
ISS-USA is the US branch of an international social service federation. The federation (International Social Service) is composed of an international network with units in over 100 countries and with its General Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland. ISS-USA, the only unit in the United States, is located in Baltimore, MD. ISS-USA provides intercountry social work services within the U.S. and coordinates with its federation partners when work is needed in another country. In addition, ISS-USA provides repatriation services to American citizens stranded in another country. ISS-USA also answers questions and requests for information related to a range of cross-border child welfare and child protection issues, including permanency planning, international abduction, international adoption, document tracing, and accessing social service resources in other countries
Methodology: International Social Service-USA links social welfare services from one country to another in order to carry out a variety of service requests made by social work agencies, legal and judicial professionals, governmental agencies, and individuals. Intercountry casework demands the complex collaboration of international, legal, immigration and socio-political systems. The nature and extent of intercountry casework varies considerably with the different types of services requested. ISS-USA works with many families who have members living (or previously lived in) outside the U.S. for reasons such as military or work placement, immigration, divorce, education, and/or retirement. ISS-USA is staffed by licensed professionals who are multi-lingual and multi- cultural. They are knowledgable and skilled in handling socio-legal issues across international jurisdictions. ISS-USA's caseworkers encompass a range of roles such as advocates, liaisons, mediators or clinicians depending on the nature and needs of each individual case. ISS-USA