PROCEDURES FOR COUNSELING UNWED MOTHERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00375R000200090040-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 20, 2002
• Sequence Number: 40
• Publication Date: July 29, 1977
• Content Type: MF

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2 9 JUL 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director of Personnel
Chief, Benefits and Services Division
SUBJECT : Procedures for Counseling Unwed Mothers
1. Usually PAB is notified by a supervisor or a personnel officer
that an office has an unmarried expectant mother, and PAB is requested
to interview and counsel the girl. Occasionally, one of the girls will
call us themselves. Sometimes during the exit-processing procedure or
when the LWOP action is being processed, it will surface that a maternity
case is actually an unwed mother.
2. During the counseling interview, the PAB counselor attempts to
reassure the girl involved. Frequently she is very nervous and upset.
Several of them have thought they were in imminent danger of being fired
as soon as the Agency became aware of the situation. The girl is given
the usual exit-processing information, with two exceptions: (a) she is
asked to send the doctor's certificate directly to the PAB counselor, and
(b) she is asked to call the PAB counselor when the baby is born, and again
when she has a firm return to duty date.
3. Further than this, the co selo* attempts to ascertain (tactfully)
whether there is any possibility 5 i titzal marriage, whether the girl
can expect any financial support from the baby's father, and what kind of
reaction the girl has had from her family, especially her parents.
Obviously, there are enormous difficulties when the girl is rejected by
her parents, is comparatively low grade level, receives no financial (or
other) help from the responsible man, does not have much leave, and has
to go on extended leave without pay. The problems are compounded when
the girl has a difficult pregnancy and has to use leave before she would
normally have had to do so.
4. Since the circumstances vary with each person interviewed, it
is difficult to set any definite guidelines as to what should be discussed
and how it should be handled. If there is a possibility of marriage, the
girl is advised to let the counselor know as soon as possible so that
the necessary paperwork can be initiated. Frequently the expected
marriage does not materialize.
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5. The hospitalization policy is carefully checked to make sure the
girl has coverage, and she is briefed on procedures concerning changing
from single only to family plan while in a pay status. PAB will follow
through on this if the girl does marry while on leave and/or has the
baby while she is still in a pay status. Otherwise she is advised to
contact the Insurance Branch immediately upon her return to duty. Her
designation of beneficiary on FEGLI is checked, and particularly if there
is a prior designation on file, she is briefed on the effect this would
have on her expected child.
6. Finances are discussed with the girl, and if she will have to go
on LWOP, she is advised to obtain a loan from the Credit Union while she
is still in a pay status. If she waits until she is on LWOP, the Credit
Union will refuse the loan. In very rare instances, and where there are
other complicating circumstances, small PSAS loans have been obtained for
the girls.
7. Sometimes the girl will request a different shift from that to
which she is currently assigned. Again depending on individual circum-
stances, the girl will either be advised to see her personnel officer, or
the PAB counselor might call the personnel officer. Instances of the
girl wishing to be transferred to a completely different office because ofSTATINTL
STATINTL reaction in the office to her pregnancy are now very rare. In transfer
cases the Chief or Deputy Chief, PAB will contact appropri el
offirers in the Q ice of Personnel, Office of Security or
and attempt to make a temporary placem girl
1101-1117=T-Mmains- on the staffing complement of her original office until
after the baby is born and she is ready to return to duty. This is the
only way that temporary placement can normally be made and all parties
must understand. Many individuals in these circumstances eventually
return to their original offices. If not, PAB will determine possible
staffing needs from SPD and contact personnel officers to arrange a
permanent new assignment upon return to duty.
8. At an appropriate time the girl is given "last working day" in- and she is told that she will be processed by the same counselor
rather than by the person who routinely does the exit processing. The
person handling exit-processing is given all the details for preparation
of the required card, and inclusion in the list, but "maternity" is not
shown on either card or list. All routine procedures for annotating card
and logging the personnel action are followed.
9. Followin the interview, the counselor advises the Chief Nurse,
STATOTHR on extension II This is in order to prevent OMS sending a routine
enquiry to the office while the girl is on sick leave. The Office of
Security is also advised (extension I. If the counselor has been STATOTHR
able to ascertain whether or not the at er of the baby is an Agency
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employee Security is so informed at this time. Security makes their
own determination as to whether or not they wish to interview the girl.
In cases where the girl has been rejected by her parents, the PAB
counselor has an additional problem because the girl tends to call the
counselor whenever any problem comes up that she would normally have
discussed with her mother.
10. On the last working day, when the girl concerned is actually
checking out, PAB calls the Insurance Branch and informs the person who
will be doing the exit-processing that this is a special case, i.e., an
unwed mother, in order to avoid any possible embarassment during the
insurance briefing, and also to ensure that the girl receives the necessary
instructions concerning her medical claims.
11. The girl's personnel officer is also briefed concerning the
processing of the LWOP action, and anything else which surfaced during
the interview which is absolutely necessary for her to know. The personnel
officer is requested to make sure the action says Medical and not Maternity,
and to send it directly to the counselor in PAB, who then notifies Staff
Personnel Division. One of SPD's officers will then sign the action the
next time he/she comes to Headquarters. The counselor shows the signing
officer the doctor's certificate, and then keeps it in PAB. PAB does not
suggest that Advance Sick Leave is available, but if questioned, will
provide necessary information. The Personnel Officers are all usually aware
that Advance Sick Leave may be requested provided an adequate doctor's
certificate can be obtained.
12. When the girl is ready to return to duty, she advises PAB, hope-
fully thirty days ahead of time. The PAB counselor calls SPD with the
necessary information and advises them that this is one of our special cases.
If the girl has any trouble with her badge when she returns to work, the
PAB counselor goes down to the Badge Office and tries to straighten it out.
13. Most of the girls keep their babies nowadays. With certain excep-
tions, the choice seems to have been between abortion and keeping the baby
after birth. Some of the girls who have intended to place their baby for
adoption have reneged at the last moment and kept the child. PAB does not
attempt to influence the girl in any way concerning the decisions she should
make in this regard. If questioned, the counselor will discuss the pros
and cons of each choice. All the girls interviewed seem to have made up
their minds before they come in here, and in spite of several changes of
mind caused by various influences to which they are subjected during the
waiting period, invariably in the end do exactly what they wanted to do
in the beginning. This now means keeping the baby. If at the time of the
original interview, they have already decided on an abortion, this is what
they do, and soon.
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14. Since the single plan now covers both maternity and abortion, it
has not been necessary for several years to contact such agencies as the
Florence Crittendon Home. The girls stay at work, and if necessary, find
their own apartments or other places to live. The girls do have an
extremely hard time, however, and no matter how well they handle the situa-
tion, continue to have problems for years to come and frequently return to
PAB for counseling. When appropriate PAB will suggest referral to OMS for
professional counseling.
15. Although procedures for dealing with unwed mothers in cases where
the girl is assigned overseas have not been discussed above, the situation
remains basically the same and involves working with the responsible STATINTL
component personnel officer on whatever requirements may be appropriate.
(Note from DD/Pers - 29 Aug 77)
"DD/Pers/SP - Let's keep this as is and treat it as an informal S.O.P.
Please let us know as new cases arise and we'll want to be kept
abreast of progress."
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