Still researching agencies -- *any* recs, *any* state!!

[CurlySu717]

Hey guys, I'm sorry to be such a pain in the ass, but I'm working on my research and at this point I'm looking for recs on *any* agencies in *any* state for domestic adoption.  Not picky at this point.    I'm having a really hard time digging up this information for some reason; if you have any recs on where I ought to be looking, I'm open to that too!!

Thanks for putting up with me!!  I'm coming off a pretty awful Donor Sperm experience, and part of the reason it was awful is because I thought I had done enough research and I hadn't -- so I'm desperate to avoid making that same mistake again.  As I'm sure y'all know, mistakes on the journey to parenthood are usually expensive.  

[ceejay]

Hi CurlySu717. Are you specifically looking for domestic infant adoption agencies? Or also considering foster care adoption?

[CurlySu717]

Open to either -- we haven't ruled anything out at this point.

[ceejay]

Well for the most part, we really like our foster care agency. But as far as I know they only work in a few states. If you want, I could PM you some more information.

For foster care adoption, you'll have to do some research for your particular state because every state has different processes for it. Some states don't really have foster care adoption programs, it's all foster care and then can turn to adoption if the case heads that direction. Other states have more defined foster to adopt programs set up. Some states contract with private agencies for foster care, other states have all fostering/foster to adopt through DCFS, and other states have a mix of both!

[CurlySu717]

ceejay, thanks for the response! I'm in Texas and I don't fully understand their system yet but the state contracts out to agencies that handle foster care and adoption for the state. I have 4 friends who have successfully adopted through one agency in particular and they had good experiences. We will for sure attend one of their information sessions. I'm actually more interested in this route, but DH is really worried about prenatal drug and alcohol exposure and feels that this will not be as big an issue if we use a private agency. I don't know that he's right about that.

This particular state agency seems to be very good at identifying limited risk situations. One of my friends took in brothers on a foster basis (same mother, different fathers) and one father wanted his son but they adopted the other. The others did not experience their kids going back to their biological families.

At this point, the only thing we're ruling out (for now; I've been on this IF roller coaster long enough to know you should never say never) is international adoption.

[pinkie]

I sent you a pm

[kj1013]

Hello
We are working on Foster to adopt in Texas and we didn't have to go through a private agency we are going straight through cps. I'm happy to answer any questions about what we have been through so far.

[gnomesweetgnome]

Sept 9, 2016 17:54:42 GMT -5 CurlySu717 said:

ceejay , thanks for the response! I'm in Texas and I don't fully understand their system yet but the state contracts out to agencies that handle foster care and adoption for the state. I have 4 friends who have successfully adopted through one agency in particular and they had good experiences. We will for sure attend one of their information sessions. I'm actually more interested in this route, but DH is really worried about prenatal drug and alcohol exposure and feels that this will not be as big an issue if we use a private agency. I don't know that he's right about that.

This particular state agency seems to be very good at identifying limited risk situations. One of my friends took in brothers on a foster basis (same mother, different fathers) and one father wanted his son but they adopted the other. The others did not experience their kids going back to their biological families.

At this point, the only thing we're ruling out (for now; I've been on this IF roller coaster long enough to know you should never say never) is international adoption.

I am also in TX and have done private adoption and am now doing foster-to-adopt.  PM me if you want to chat!  I will say that you have to make tough decisions regarding prenatal drug and alcohol exposure with private infant adoption as well as foster-to-adopt, and you might have a better idea of any issues present with foster kids than through private adoption since they often don't show up until later and not every birth/expectant mother is forthright about what substances she may have used, how much, how often, etc.

[gnomesweetgnome]

CurlySu717, I responded to your PM.