ISS-USA

What ISS-USA does

ISS-USA (legal name: International Social Service - U.S.A. Branch, Inc.) is a Maryland-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded as part of the International Social Service network in 1924 and headquartered in Baltimore. It is the U.S. member of a global child protection network spanning 140+ countries, and serves as the specialized intermediary for cross-border family welfare cases that U.S. domestic agencies cannot resolve unilaterally. Its core service offerings include home studies for international placements, relative tracing across borders, document acquisition (birth certificates, adoption records, school records), repatriation coordination for U.S. and non-U.S. citizens, post-placement monitoring, community resource assessments, and advocacy for children reuniting with families abroad. The organization also delivers training and technical assistance programs—including the Children on the Move curriculum—for child welfare professionals managing international cases.

The underlying delivery model is service-network based, not technology-product based: ISS-USA mobilizes a domestic and international network of licensed social workers, legal professionals, and government liaisons to coordinate cases across jurisdictions. No proprietary software platform, API, or AI tooling is disclosed; the technology footprint is limited to a WordPress-based public website, newsletter infrastructure, and Instagram presence. Operational artifacts referenced include 223 home studies conducted in 2025, 42 new cases opened in a single June month, and active cross-border work spanning 11 countries in that same month.

ISS-USA's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure. Direct services to individuals are provided at no cost, while institutional revenue is generated through formal service agreements with U.S. state child welfare agencies (e.g., Texas, Connecticut) and referrals from legal service providers and government offices. The organization is additionally funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations, plus grants supporting its mission. There is no disclosed private equity, venture capital, or parent company ownership; governance rests with a 14-member Board of Directors chaired by João Roquetti. The organization operates with a headcount in the 11–50 range and maintains a single U.S. office in Baltimore.

Name

ISS-USA

Legal name

International Social Service - U.S.A. Branch, Inc.

Website

https://iss-usa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ISS-USA is the U.S. branch of the International Social Service global network, providing cross-border child welfare and family reunification services—including home studies, relative tracing, repatriation, and document acquisition—to U.S. state agencies and individuals separated by international borders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cross-Border Child Welfare and Social Services

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (928), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Border Management & Humanitarian Border Assistance (BPADAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consular Services & Citizen Assistance (BPAIAIAB)

Keywords

• Cross-border child welfare
• International family reunification
• International home studies
• Repatriation coordination services
• Relative tracing abroad

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: ISS-USA operates as a nonprofit organization and generates revenue through donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations who support their mission of connecting separated families across borders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ISS-USA provides cross-border social services to vulnerable children, adults, and families separated by international borders, including international home studies, repatriation coordination, relative tracing, document acquisition, post-placement monitoring, and community resource assessments. It also delivers training, technical assistance, and case referral coordination to U.S. child welfare agencies and legal service providers, operating as the U.S. branch of the International Social Service global network.

Product overview

ISS-USA is a social service organization that offers a coordinated suite of cross-border family reunification and child welfare services. The organization operates as a service provider network rather than a technology product company. Core offerings include relative tracing, home studies, repatriation coordination, document tracing, and post-placement monitoring services. These services are complemented by training and technical assistance programs for partner agencies and legal service coordination. The organization connects vulnerable children, adults, and families separated by international borders to needed services and support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Home Studies

Quantifiable outcome

• 223 home studies conducted in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International Social Service (ISS) Global NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISS-USA is the U.S. member branch of the International Social Service global network, a worldwide organization providing cross-border social services and child protection. This affiliation provides access to coordinated services across 140+ countries through reciprocal arrangements with other national branches.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• USAHello: Nonprofit providing orientation, education, and resources to immigrants and refugees in the U.S. Comparable in serving immigrant populations, though with broader content vs. casework focus.

Direct peers

• HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society): International nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, asylum, and family reunification services. Comparable in cross-border family reunification work and serving vulnerable populations separated by borders.
• National Council For Adoption (NCFA): U.S. nonprofit advocating for ethical adoption practices and supporting adoptive families, including cross-border placements. Comparable in facilitating cross-border child placement and family services.
• US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI): National nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, immigration services, and advocacy. Comparable in cross-border family reunification and refugee support services.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): U.S.-based nonprofit providing legal and social services to unaccompanied immigrant children, including cross-border case coordination. Directly comparable in serving separated children and families navigating immigration systems.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major humanitarian organization providing refugee resettlement, asylum, and child welfare services across the U.S. and globally. Comparable in serving vulnerable populations separated by borders, with broader humanitarian scope.
• International Social Service (ISS) General Secretariat: The global coordinating body of the ISS network of which ISS-USA is the U.S. branch. Directly comparable as the parent coordination structure for cross-border child welfare and family services across 140+ countries.
• Catholic Charities USA: Large national nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and family reunification support across the U.S. Comparable in serving cross-border separated families, though at much larger scale.

Others

• International Child Welfare Services (Hague Conference): Intergovernmental organization setting standards for intercountry child protection and adoption under the Hague Convention. Comparable as the policy framework underpinning ISS-USA's Hague Convention case work.

Regional players

• Adoptive Families Association: U.S.-focused organization supporting adoptive families, including those formed through international adoption. Comparable in serving cross-border family formation and post-placement needs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/internationalsocialserviceusa
• Xx.com/ISS_USA
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalSocialServiceUSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-social-service-usa-branch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ISS-USA