For Prospective Adoptive Parents

Welcome!  We are happy you have decided to consider adoption. Maybe you are ready to start a family, or maybe you are ready to grow your family. Either way, Advocates for Adoption is here to make this process as safe, warm, and stress-free as possible.

  Advocates for Adoption was founded in 1996 by Dr. Judith S. Lee.  She founded the agency after adopting her two children and discovering many flaws within the adoption system.  Dr. Lee was determined to create a small, highly personalized agency that would work directly with both birth parents and adoptive parents and treat all parties involved with respect and honestly.
  Here at Advocates for Adoption, no prospective adoptive family is ever just a "name on a waitlist."  We recognize our client's voices when they call (and they can call 24/7).  We become intimately involved in the adoption process with them, celebrating their joys and sharing in their losses.  Nothing makes us happier than helping families bring home their little miracles!

    1. What services does Advocates for Adoption provide?
   2. there residency requirements?
   3. Is AFA a licensed agency?
   4. What is a homestudy?
   5. How do you find potential birthparent situations?
   6. What information about a birthmother will we receive?
   7. Do we have contact with the birthparent(s)?
   8. How do we handle the potential birthparent expenses?
   9. Will Medicaid cover any of the medical expenses?
  10. How long is your wait-list?
  11. How is relinquishment done?
  12. What is Interstate Compact?
  13. How do we learn of the birth of the child?
  14. What are your fees?

   Some of the services we provide for our adoptive parents:

   ·  Complimentary individual meetings for people considering adoption and who want to better understand the social and psychological issues related to the adoption process

   ·  Homestudies and Homestudy Updates

   ·  Post-Placement Supervision

   ·  Services to biological parents as described in section 421.4 of the Standards of Practice for adoption services.  We provide these services directly when geographically feasible or by referral when distance makes direct delivery impossible or undesirable.

   ·  Surrender of the child to AFA in compliance with section 421.6 of the Standards of Practice for Adoption Services.  The Agency does not provide Foster Care.  We make every possible effort to create a permanent family for the child as quickly as possible.

   ·  Medical, social and psychological services provided as needed to the birthmother either directly or by referral.  These services focus on doing whatever is necessary for the birthmother's general well-being.

   ·  Post-adoption counseling, evaluations, and/or referrals for families who want to maximize their parenting skills through the help of mental health and educational professionals.

  There is no residency requirement in the State of New York for either birthparents or adoptive parents. Compliance with Interstate Compact law is required (see question 10)

  Yes, Advocates for Adoption is a NYS Approved Non-Profit adoption agency. We are also a member of the Better Business Bureau.

  A homestudy is a combination of a home visit(s) and a submission of various kinds of personal information and documentation integrated into a written report prepared by a licensed/certified Social Worker. Home studies are required for all prospective adoptive parents. Prospective adoptive parents should arrange for their home study to be done soon after deciding to adopt, since a child may become available for placement at any time. It is illegal for an adoptive family to be matched with a birthmother before their homestudy is completed.

  AFA's executive director, Dr. Lee, is a licensed/certified clinical social worker who has conducted over 500 domestic and international homestudy reports. She does all of the Agency homestudies herself unless geographically impossible. She is never a removed, uninvolved part of your adoption.

  We seek out birthparents in a variety of ways. We advertise in city newspapers, penny savers, yellow pages, college bulletins, crises centers, and pregnancy magazines across the country. We also receive referrals from other professionals and attorney's. Birthparents also come to us through word of mouth, and sometimes they have worked with us in the past.

  We try to have as much information as possible when we present adoptive parents with a new situation. All our birthmothers fill out a background questionnaire, which includes a physical description, their medical history, and their reason for wanting to make an adoption plan. We ALWAYS receive confirmation of pregnancy before working with a birthmother. We also require the birthmother to sign a medical release form so we can request medical records.

  Many times, more information on the birthparent(s) becomes available during the course of the match. Adoptive Parents will immediately receive this new information (i.e. forwarding medical records, ultrasound pictures, photographs of the birthparent, etc).

  Chances are your birthparent will want to speak with you and possibly meet you before the baby is born. The amount and level of contact is determined on a case-by-case basis. In some instances a birthparent may want a completely closed adoption where there is no contact at all.

  However, adoptive parents are very likely to develop a very close relationship with the birthparent. Much (non-identifying) information may be, and certainly should me, exchanged. Adoptive parents are advised to not give their last name or address (state or residence only), nor should they discuss finances.

  Pictures and letters are sometimes sent to the birthparent via AFA, after the baby is placed with the adoptive parents. This depends on the preferences of both the adoptive couple and the birthparent.

  Certain expenses may be paid for the birthparent by the adoptive family. If a birthmother does require financial assistance, AFA will create a detailed budget that the adoptive family will review and sign before committing to the match. The expenses are paid by AFA from the escrow account that the family has established with the agency for that purpose.

  The amount of birthparent expenses can vary widely. The determining factors include the birthparents financial need, how far along she is, and the state she resides in. AFA provides itemized statements of the birthparent expenses and supplies full accountings to adoptive parents, the Court processing the adoption and to Interstate Compact.

  Advocates for Adoption will work closely with the Medicaid program to determine a birthparent's eligibility. If eligible, thousands of dollars in medical costs may be covered. Most commonly, this coverage is available.

  Advocates for Adoption has a very short, ever changing wait list. We rarely work with more than 25 families at a time, matched and unmatched included. Being inclusive regarding race and gender makes the wait shorter. In 2005, our families waited an estimated 7 months from time of approval to time of placement (when the baby was placed in their home). This means a family may be matched with a birthmother only weeks after they become an approved prospective adoptive parent.

  Because our waitlist changes so much, for an accurate estimate you can call us at 1-800-427-7557.

  The biological parents must execute a relinquishment document prior to placement of a child in the adoptive home. This document can be signed either hours or days after birth, depending on state regulations. For example, a birthmother in New Jersey can sign relinquishment papers 72 hours after delivery. A birthmother in Louisiana can sign 6 days after delivery.

  A birthmother's revocation of consent is also determined by state regulations. In New York, a birthmother has 30 days to give written notice of her intent to revoke. In Louisiana, a birthmother cannot revoke consent after she signs relinquishment papers. Each state has its own laws which we explain at the time of matching.

  Interstate Compact approval is needed anytime a child is born in a state other than the one where the family lives. Approval is obtained by various documents being reviewed and accepted by the State Department of Family and Children's Services in the state where the child was born and then sent to the State Department of Family and Children's services in the state where the adoptive family lives and has been granted approval as adoptive parents. It is absolutely necessary to comply with the regulations of Interstate Compact.

  Since this process could take several days after the signing of the surrender and placement documents, the adoptive family should be prepared to spend up to 10 working days in the state where the baby was born. Although we cannot control the process, we do everything possible to speed up the process as we appreciate how hard it is to be in a hotel with a baby.

  The agency or its designee will immediately advise you of the birth upon our knowing. In many situations, birthparents request the adoptive parents at the hospital for the delivery, and adoptive parents should be ready to leave for the hospital as soon as we call them. Prior to delivery we speak with the hospital's social work staff to ensure a smooth visitation process.

  Advocates for Adoption charges a moderate, competitive fee for services rendered. Half of this fee is due upon signing up with our agency, and the second half is due when the child is placed with you. To receive more information on our fees, please call us at 1-800-427-7557 or 212-957-3938. We would be happy to answer all your questions. We put a great deal of effort in trying to make adoption an affordable option for as many people as possible.

  For more information on affording adoption, please see the links section of our website. It provides links to information on the adoption tax credit, on employee adoption benefits, and available loans and grants.