The Adoption Process For Adoptive Parents And Birthparents

Of course, a great alternative to abortion is adoption, but what are the details for adoption?   The Adoption Assistance Agency in Albuquerque, New Mexico, predominately does local newborn adoptions.  Adoption Assistance Agency is a non-profit agency with the following mission:  to help children join families who will love, nurture, protect and embrace them for a lifetime. We believe it is our heavenly Father who creates families and we have seen Him faithfully create so many loving adoptive families.

This information about the adoption process is from their site:

Adoption Process for Adoptive Parents

All people wanting to adopt an unrelated child must have a Pre-Placement Study (also called homestudy). Sometimes relatives and stepparents must also have a Pre-Placement Study to adopt a child. It is best to check with a licensed adoption agency, licensed adoption provider or an attorney to see if a Pre-Placement Study is needed.

Only agencies and individuals appropriately educated and licensed to provide adoption services may do Pre-Placement Studies, matching for adoption, birthparent counseling and post placement supervision of an adoption.
A normal agency adoption by a NM family of a child born in New Mexico through Adoption Assistance Agency, is about $17,000, which includes the application fee, the Pre-Placement Study, the Listing Fee, the Birthmother Expense Fee and the Placement Fee. It does not include legal fees.

(When people react negatively to the cost) It is tempting to think that this is more expensive than having a biological child, but just the medical expenses for an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth typically run in the neighborhood of about $12,000-$13,000. It is just that most people are covered by insurance or Medicaid. Then if you add in living expenses (some of which are covered for a birthmother in the adoption fees), it will easily match or exceed the $17,000 for an adoption.

A Pre-Placement Study takes about 3-4 months to complete. The family has some control over part of the time frame for the homestudy.

If approved through the Pre-Placement Study process, the adoptive family will prepare a photo album to be used to introduce them to prospective birthparents. They will be able to view other albums and will determine what pictures and information to share in the album.

Birthparents typically select the adoptive family they want for their child. When the adoptive families undergo the homestudy, they are asked what ethnicities they wish to accept and what level of openness with the birthparents they desire. The birthparents (most often the birthmother) are shown the albums of approved adoptive families that match what she is looking for in a family and for whom she is a good match.

Since birthparents select the adoptive parents, AAA does not have control over the waiting time to be matched. It could be weeks up to about 2 years. It is best for families to emotionally prepare themselves for a wait of at least 14-15 months, since many families wait this length of time and it is better to plan for longer than to think it will happen right away.


Services Provided For Adoptive Parents

1. Free consultation regarding their adoption options in person, over the telephone or via e-mail. We are happy to help you explore all options until you arrive at the type of adoption plan that is right for your family.
2. An application is supplied to the potential adoptive family to be completed and submitted along with the application fee.
3. Following an approved application, a Pre-Placement Study (homestudy) which is an assessment for adoption, will be completed. For families inside New Mexico, this includes home visits and face-to-face interviews. For families outside of New Mexico, a licensed agency in their state of residence will complete the homestudy. Adoption Assistance Agency will provide information to the homestudy agency to make sure the homestudy addresses all the issues required by New Mexico so there will be no delay in placing a child.
4. If the Pre-Placement Study is approved, the adoptive family is shown to birthparents who are planning an adoption via a photo album.
5. Birthparents are interviewed, screened and counseled regarding adoption.
6. Once selected by a birthparent, Adoption Assistance Agency provides all the professional social work services for the entire adoption process. Legal services are separate.
7. We provide emotional support throughout the entire adoptive process. If needed, professional counseling regarding infertility or grief issues may be provided as well.
8. For agency placements, Adoption Assistance Agency is authorized to make adoptive placements of the child pending the finalization of the adoption.
9. We provide all of the adoption documentation prepared on the adoptive family and on the birthparents to the attorney of your choice so that your adoption petition may be filed with the court.
10. We provide a referral list of attorneys with whom we have experience and whom we believe will provide expert service for filing your adoption. However, you may select any attorney of your choosing.
11. We provide post placement services that involve follow-up, visits and support after the child is placed to help insure the successful and happy transition and growth of the family.
12. We provide the Post Placement Report to the court and consent for the finalization of the adoption.
13. We love our families and children and enjoy updates or families dropping by the office for a quick visit!

The Adoption Process from the Birthparent Perspective

• One hour counseling session mandated by law. Average birthmother receives 4 hours of adoption counseling and the average birthfather receives about 2 hours as that is all they are usually available for. We like to provide more counseling but it is at the request of the birthparent and is discretionary.
• Counseling content.

An initial session for information and/or intake.

Assessment of the desires of the birthparent regarding adoption- how sure or unsure.

Answer questions and provide information as requested.

Assessment of the basic needs of the birthmother:

• Is there a stable living situation with adequate shelter, food, and clothing?
• Does the birthparent have a means or access to a means of transportation?
• How are medical needs being met?

A second session is used at a time when the birthparent indicates a readiness to view albums of prospective families. ( This may or may not be accomplished in one session and may be addressed in the first session if birthparent indicates readiness.)

* A third session is used to prepare the Counseling Affidavit by means of an interview done with the birthparent. (Mandated by law).

A fourth session is used to:
1. Determine the birthparents’ (usually the birthmother’s) wishes regarding emotional and physical support during labor and delivery and the hospital stay, contact with the baby, adoptive parents, etc.
2. Review and signing of documents, if this has not been completed.
3. Interview regarding open adoption requests to confirm information gathered initially.
4. Grief Counseling.

Any additional sessions are used for building support and for meeting all of the counseling needs listed above in a more relaxed fashion.

Services Provided For Birthparents

For women and men facing decisions about a pregnancy:

1. Free counseling to discuss all your options until you arrive at a decision that you are comfortable with, even if that is not adoption. No one is ever pressured to choose adoption.
2. If you choose to parent, you may receive counseling and training for parenting if you wish. You may also receive referrals to other agencies that may be able to provide assistance.
3. If you choose adoption:
• You can select the adoptive family for your child.
• You can meet the adoptive family if you choose.
• You may involve the family in the pregnancy and birth, if you want to.
• You still choose your prenatal care, your physician and hospital, your birthing plan, the amount of time with the baby.
• You receive hours of support counseling as well as specific preparation for the adoption process- free of charge.
• You may receive some financial living support under the guidelines of New Mexico adoption law. This support is provided by the adoptive family through the agency and is paid to a third party, such as a landlord or a grocery store, etc.
• We provide birthing support and interfacing with the medical team to make sure the process goes smoothly.
• You will receive independent legal counsel to fully inform them of all your legal rights in regard to the adoption- free of charge.
• You may request letters, pictures, and even some level of structured visits with the adoptive family and child until the child is 18.
• You may receive as much counseling before and after the birth of the child for anything related to the adoption with the agency until the child is 18 years of age (as long as the agency is in business)- free of charge.