Adoption Associates, Inc: Domestic Infant and International Adoption Agency

Yes! Families who are open to the adoption of an infant of full African-American heritage are urged to apply at this time. To learn more about our domestic African-American program, call 1.800.677.2367, visit our web site to request a free adoption information packet, or attend a free adoption information meeting at one of our offices.

(Posted January 2010)

While the most urgent need is for families who are open to an infant of full African-American heritage, families who are open to a child of any race are encouraged to apply to our domestic program at this time. We currently have only 40-50 families on our waiting list for domestic infants. With over 70 domestic infants placed in 2009, now is a great time to apply for domestic infant adoption through Adoption Associates, Inc.!

To learn more about our domestic program, call 1.800.677.2367, request a free adoption information packet, or attend a free adoption information meeting at one of our offices.

(posted January 2010)

AAI has placed 1,813 infants as of May 1, 2008.

AAI placed 72 infants in 2009 through the domestic adoption program.

When choosing between domestic and international adoption, one thing to consider is whether a family is willing to work with a birth mother. The amount of involvement with a birth mother or birth parents varies with each placement. However, most AAI placements are semi-open, which allows for contact with the birth parents prior to the birth, and for the exchange of pictures and letters for up to 18 years.

Another consideration is travel. In order to adopt internationally, it is usually necessary for one or both parents to travel to the country from which they are adopting. Other considerations include cost, race of child, and age of child. In an international adoption, it would be highly unusual to get a newborn, Caucasian infant.

To get started, simply request an information packet from AAI. Included in the packet is a Preliminary Application, which you will submit to the agency to set up an appointment to meet with the office supervisor for a consultation. Once the consultation takes place, here is a general idea of the steps taken:

• Submit a formal adoption application
• Attend an Adoption Awareness meeting
• Begin your home study process
• Complete your profile
• Become linked with a birth mother
• Temporary placement/host care
• Birth parent release hearing
• File Petition for Adoption
• Thirty day, three month, and six month post-placement visits
• Finalization of Adoption

We will help you create a profile, or a synopsis of who you are, for a potential birth mother. Once your profile is active, most families are linked with a birth mother in about 12 to 24 months. But since we do not have a “waiting list” because birth mothers choose the family themselves, it is very possible the wait to be linked could be as short as a few days, or longer than 24 months.

AAI works only with heterosexual couples.

We find that birth mothers prefer to place their child in a two parent family. We happily accept single women in our international program.

Our agency places primarily infants in the domestic program. However, many toddlers are available through our international program.

Our waiting families vary each month, but typically AAI has about 100 waiting families.

The majority of our adoptions are semi-open. This means that adoptive couples meet the birth mother and send correspondence through the agency. Identifying information is not exchanged.
We do not accept couples who are interested in a closed adoption. For those couples who do not wish to meet a birth mother, our international program would be ideal.

After a birth mother releases her parental rights in court, she has twenty-one days to file an appeal or ask for a re-hearing. The basis for this cannot be a change in her decision. She cannot come back to the court after this time to ask for the release to be overturned.

Attending an information meeting is not required, but would certainly be helpful to you as both the domestic and international programs are reviewed. The information meeting is a wonderful way to help make the decision between our international and domestic programs.

This is a three hour meeting where various adoption issues are discussed. You will meet other couples who are beginning the adoption process and will learn about networking, birth mothers, and a variety of other topics.

This is a difficult question to answer in domestic adoption as there are so many variables to consider. The average wait for a healthy Caucasian infant is approximately 12 to 24 months from the time a couple submits their profile. Since birth moms select the adoptive family, some families wait a short time while others may wait longer. The more open couples are to unusual situations, which can include a willingness to adopt a child whose birth mother has a history of substance abuse, a child who has a different racial heritage, or simply agreeing to allow more openness in the adoption, the more opportunity we will have to show your profile. The more often your profile is shown, the greater your chances of receiving a placement more quickly. However, Adoption Associates, Inc. cannot guarantee a domestic placement for every family.

If a baby is born with an unexpected medical problem, the agency will work with the birth mother and the adoptive family to learn about the child’s condition and determine if the adoptive family is prepared to handle these special needs. If not, the family is not obligated to proceed with the adoption. If a family decides against proceeding with the adoption, the agency will immediately locate a family that meets with the birth mother’s approval and is prepared to adopt a child with this condition.

AAI had 76 placements through the domestic infant adoption program in 2008. 62% of the total placements (47) were through our Caucasian program, and 38% of the placements (29) were through our African-American and biracial program.

Of the total placements, 83% were agency-matched adoptions and 17% were designated adoptions.

The adoption triad refers to the three parties in adoption—the birth parents, the adoptive parents, and the baby.

A designated adoption is a situation where an adoptive family and birth parent find each other through mutual friends, family, pastor, advertising, etc. They often have a common contact who has introduced them without the assistance of the agency. This is also often called a private adoption.

A matched adoption is a situation where a birth parent selects the adoptive family from looking at agency profiles. She can look at the profiles on the web site, or she can request profiles that specifically meet her requests.

Adoption Associates, Inc. works with families pursing both of these types of adoptions.

Most adoptions at Adoption Associates, Inc. are semi-open adoptions. A semi-open adoption usually includes an in-person meeting, but no identifying information is exchanged. The meeting is often at the office and is facilitated by an agency staff member. Arrangements may be made in a semi-open adoption for some further communication between the birth parent and adoptive family by using a non-identifying phone number or e-mail address. There is also an agreement to exchange photographs and letters, often for up to eighteen years of age. These pictures and letters are sent to the agency and we act as an intermediary to send the photographs and letters on to the birth parents. Birth parents may also send photographs and letters to the adoptive family in the same way. A written agreement is developed by the agency which will outline the birth mother’s and family’s wishes so that everyone knows what the expectations are.

There are some birth parents who will request a fully open adoption, which includes the exchange of identifying information, as well as visitation over the years. This type of adoption is optional for Adoption Associates, Inc. families, and only families who are fully comfortable with this have their profiles shown to a birth mother who is asking for a completely open adoption.

Rarely, a birth parent will ask for a totally closed adoption. Usually this is because of confidentiality issues, and the agency will honor her request. In this situation, she can still be matched with an adoptive family of her choosing, but there will be no in-person meeting and no agreement to send photographs and letters over the years. Closed adoption is not a common request from birth parents and adoptive families that AAI works with cannot specify that they are only open to closed adoptions.

The offices of Jenison, Lansing, and Farmington Hills offer a group meeting for prospective adoptive couples that are awaiting placement. We strongly encourage families to attend these meetings, as they offer valuable education about the adoption process, plus an opportunity to network and connect with other waiting families. Check with your caseworker for more information about the meetings in your local office.

A home study is simply an evaluation of a home, and the family living in it, to be sure it/they can provide a safe and loving environment where the physical and emotional needs of the child can be met. Many different areas are covered, including almost all areas of your life. The home study is required by all courts in the State of Michigan.

A home study is current for one year. If a couple has not been placed after one year, your caseworker will come to your home and do an update of your home study.

Licensing requires that a caseworker visit your home in order to ensure that your house, property, neighborhood, schools, and community are adequate before you adopt. This is the purpose of the home visit. You do not need to childproof your home.

In 2008, the average cost of all agency matched domestic adoptions was approximately $21,222. Because every adoption includes somewhat different situations with adoptive families and birth parents, it is impossible to give a definite amount.

The fees required in an adoption may seem overwhelming at first, but broken down, and with the help of the U.S. federal tax credit of over $12,000 (tax year 2009), adoption is more affordable than you think.

Here are the ways most prospective parents raise the necessary funds: Federal and state tax credits, home equity loans, personal savings, employer benefits, family loans or gifts, churches, refinancing a mortgage, credit card payment, borrowing from 401(k), pension or insurance policy, or using grants and loans.

AAI works hard to keep adoption costs manageable.

Visit our adoption funding web page to learn more about additional funding resources.

The cost of your adoption through Adoption Associates, Inc. is accumulated on a fee for service basis. You are charged for time and expense in the case. These fees are recorded at an hourly rate for any service provided by the agency and include pregnancy-related living expenses for the birth mother as allowed by the law. The total cost of your adoption can vary greatly depending on when the birth mother is due, how much time the agency needs to put into the case, how far the birth mother lives from the agency, etc. Whether a birth mother needs help with living expenses has a great deal to do with the final cost of your adoption. You can refer to the agency fee schedule for specifics on the fees for your adoption.

Voluntarily-released infant placements by Adoption Associates, Inc. are divided into two categories: designated placements and agency-matched placements.

Designated placements are adoptions where the adopting couple and the birth parents have had contact before the agency begins to serve the birth parents.

Agency-matched placements occur when the birth parents come to the agency and then select their child’s adoptive family from the profiles available through the agency. In agency-matched cases, the administrative fee of $9,000 is added to the time and expenses incurred in serving the birth parent(s). In designated placements, $9,000 is deducted from the administrative fee.

The administrative fee covers approximately two-thirds of our total costs for statewide Yellow Pages and other advertising, administrative and support staff salaries, agency insurance, development and publication of resource materials for birth parents, legal services, travel expenses, telephone/Internet expenses, and office expenses. In addition to these expenses, there is a tremendous cost to the agency in serving birth mothers who ultimately do not release their children for adoption. These expenses help enable services to adopting couples and birth parent(s), but are not individually or easily attributed to individual cases.

There are expenses involved in adopting both domestically and internationally, but you will also find many resources available to assist a family with the cost of your adoption. There is a Federal Tax Credit which provides a credit of over $12,000 per child to eligible families. There is also an additional tax credit of $1,200 from the State of Michigan. Many businesses offer some form of adoption benefit or reimbursement. Check with your company to see if this is an option for you. If not, you can present information to the business to encourage them to develop an adoption benefit for employees. Many families use funds from family members, other adoption assistance programs. or fundraising efforts to support their adoption.

Check out the adoption funding section of our web site for more ideas and further information on funding the cost of your adoption.

When developing your profile, work closely with your home study caseworker. Your caseworker’s guidance will help make your profile high quality from the beginning of the process. Also, remember that the photographs are very important as they are often the element that catches a birth mother’s eye and then entice her to read the profile. Take time to make sure your pictures are high quality, attractive, bright, active, and engaging.

When a birth mother is ready to review profiles, the caseworker will talk with her to find out if there are specific characteristics that she is looking for in an adoptive family. We do not give her a checklist or suggest what she should consider, but leave this totally up to her. We take the characteristics that the birth mother lists and then request profiles from our corporate office that match her wishes. When determining the profiles that are shown to the birth mother, we also take into account information about the baby she is carrying, such as the child’s race and whether or not he or she has been exposed to any substances during the pregnancy. The profiles we show to the birth mother are of families that are accepting of the child and the birth mother’s situation, in addition to reflecting the characteristics that the birth mother has requested.

If the birth mother does not have many specific requests about the adoptive family, and the number of qualified families is too large to show her, we might select a number of the qualified families that have been waiting the longest. Sometimes birth mothers may have quite a few qualifiers which limit the number of profiles to a smaller amount. In these cases, we might include extras which don’t exactly match her requests. However, we will let her know that we have included some others as well, and identify those as such.

Profiles are shown to birth mothers at all of our office locations, and most birth mothers are given a number of profiles to review. Generally, she does not comment on why she didn’t select a particular family, but rather discusses why she did pick the family she has chosen. Because of this, caseworkers generally don’t have this information available. If a birth mother makes a negative comment about a particular profile that can be corrected, the information will be passed on to the adoptive family’s caseworker to share with the family.

Not necessarily. Birth parents chose profiles for very personal and individualized reasons. We can never predict exactly what a birth mother will be looking for or how quickly a profile will be selected.

They are arranged alphabetically by the adoptive father’s first name. Upon entry to the waiting families section, pages are rotated regularly so that families receive equal opportunity to be viewed. The waiting families section does not always start with page one.

Profiles can be viewed in the domestic section of AAI’s web site and on AAI’s birth mom web site, PlanAdoption.com.

You will receive instructions on completing your profile at the Adoption Awareness meeting that is attended after submission of your formal application. You will also receive a written set of instructions in the Profile Guidelines booklet. You will work cooperatively with your caseworker to write a profile and select photographs that accurately represent your family. Families usually complete their profile during their home study process.

The frequency of how often we can show your profile depends on what requests the birth mother is asking for. A family who is open to unusual situations, such as more openness, drugs, alcohol, history of mental illness, or transracial adoption, will have their profile shown more often.

Occasionally birth mothers looking on the web site call Adoption Associates, Inc. regarding a specific family. It is also common that a birth mother calls the agency after looking at the web pages because she sees the large number of families we are working with and knows that she will be able to find a family that meets her requirements here.

Choosing an adoptive family is a very personal situation, and varies greatly from birth parent to birth parent. Some common things that birth parents are looking for may include the age of the adoptive parents, if there are other children in the home, if there will be a stay at home parent, or the religion of the adoptive family.

We encourage prospective adoptive parents to network in as many ways as you feel comfortable. One great option is including your profile on our two web sites, AdoptionAssociates.net and PlanAdoption.com. In our computer savvy world, many birth mothers seek out information via the Internet. Other times, our birth mother caseworkers will refer a birth mother to PlanAdoption.com as a tool to learn more about adoption and the adoptive parents who are waiting.

When a birth mother is selecting families, she has an opportunity to make stipulations regarding what she desires in a family. Sometimes she has several stipulations, such as religion, adoptive mother’s work status, whether or not the couple is childless, etc. However, sometimes she simply requests a loving couple. If this is the case, we have well over 75 profiles that could be shown to her. Normal procedure is to select profiles of couples that have been waiting the longest that fit the requests of the birth mother.

A birth mother has the right to change her mind about adoption until she goes to court to release her parental rights. This hearing usually takes place two to four weeks after the birth of the baby. There is no time period following that hearing that allows her to change her mind. The release of rights is permanent at that hearing.

The ages of families range from the mid-twenties to the mid-forties.

Complete health backgrounds are reported from the birth mother. Additionally, the agency will get prenatal records, if possible, and will provide the family with medical reports on the child.

If a birth mother should change her mind and decide to parent, the couple will return to the profile book and be shown to other birth mothers.

If your link with a birth mother includes a meeting, there are several things you can easily do when you first meet her. Bringing some kind of simple gift of hospitality is a really nice thing to do. It shouldn’t be anything costly, but flowers, bath and body products, or homemade cookies, etc., are all examples of something that shows her your concern about her personally. After the meeting, sending her a brief note to say how much you enjoyed meeting her, maybe including a toll-free number where she can call you during the pregnancy if she has questions or wants to talk, or offering to meet with her again prior to delivery if she would like, can be very supportive things to do.

If your link does not include a meeting, you can still send a note or card as mentioned above with details particular to your circumstance. You can talk with her caseworker to learn more about her circumstances so that your note can be personal and thoughtful.

At the hospital there are many things you can do to be supportive of her. Try to treat the situation as you would when a friend or family member is in the hospital—bring flowers, a magazine, or a special treat. Pay attention to her personally, her needs and wishes about seeing the baby, having her family/friends come to the hospital to see the baby, or even having time with the baby alone. Find out ahead of time what she likes—maybe she likes a certain kind of candy or reads a certain magazine. If you are going out for a bite to eat, ask if you can bring something back for her. Small, personal, thoughtful gestures at the hospital help her remember that you care about her well-being too, and help to reinforce that you aren’t going to forget about her now that the baby is here.

Sending photos and letters over the years as agreed upon before the adoption is one of the most important things that an adoptive family can do to support a birth mother. Honoring your promise is important to help her know that she can trust you, and sending photographs and a letter helps her healing and grieving process by assuring her that her child has a wonderful family, a bright future, and all that she hoped she was giving him/her by choosing adoption.

The caseworker will gather health and background information from birth mother clients, including use of drugs or alcohol during their pregnancies. We explain that gathering this information is for the best interest of the baby, not because we are just trying to be nosy or intrusive, and that it is very important for her to be honest with us. Having a proper health history helps assure us that we are matching her to a family that is right for her situation and is best for her child. In the majority of cases, birth mothers are honest about their substance abuse, but there are some situations where prenatal testing or testing at delivery reveals information that was not provided by the birth mother.

Due to the unpredictability of domestic adoption, it is generally best to keep things rather low key and just share minor details with people who need to know when you are linked. Cautious optimism is a good way to approach things. Many people don’t understand the uncertainty of domestic adoption. It is better to share all the exciting news after placement, rather than have to explain to everyone when there is a change of plans or complications occur. Also, remember that the information you receive about a birth mother is your child’s personal history, and it is important not to share too many details with people who don’t need to know. This information is your child’s to share at a later date.

No. All the courts are very diligent in asking every birth mother many questions to ensure that she comprehends the legal purpose of the hearing. The courts make sure that she understands that signing the release is voluntary and that no one can force her to do so. They ask her if she has had enough time to make the decision, if she needs more counseling, and remind her that the 21 day appeal period is NOT simply a time period for her to change her mind. It is, instead, a time to correct flaws in the legal system if any occur.

Review the agency policy regarding gifts for birth mothers. This policy was developed to help families by providing guidelines that will allow you to give gifts to a birth mother but to also be sure that these gifts will not be misinterpreted as coercion in her adoption decision. You can provide her with thoughtful gifts at the hospital, for Christmas, or on her birthday as long as you stay within the $40 per person limit. Be creative! Sometimes flowers from your garden or homemade baked goods can be even more meaningful than purchasing these kinds of items. Sometimes a family might want to purchase a special gift for the hospital or after delivery, like a necklace with the baby’s birth stone, a locket, a bathrobe, etc. If you choose a special gift that is over $40, remember that you must provide a receipt to the birth mother caseworker so that she can record it with the court.

If you become aware of personal needs, household items, or financial assistance that is needed during a birth mother’s pregnancy, please discuss these needs with the birth mother’s caseworker. The law provides guidelines on helping birth mothers with expenses during their pregnancies, and there is agency policy on how to handle this. The caseworker can assess these types of situations and see that the birth mother’s needs are met by following agency policy and staying within Michigan law. You should never buy household or personal items for a birth mother or pay her bills on your own.

Having the opportunity to talk frequently or spend time with a birth parent during her pregnancy is a great opportunity for you to get to know more about her personally. It is okay to talk about your family, job, interests, etc., but the birth mother should be the center of discussion. Here are some topics you may want to consider discussing: how she is feeling, her prenatal care, her family and friends, the birth father, her interests, her job or school situation, her goals, and her other children. It is important for her to see your excitement about the adoption and this baby in particular, but also remember to be cautious with your emotions as complications could arise before the child is born or the adoption is finalized.

Adoption Associates, Inc. strongly encourages a birth mother to obtain prenatal care and will assist her in scheduling appointments, getting to the clinic or doctor, etc. However, we do not require drug testing and/or prenatal testing. If there are unusual medical circumstances, we work directly with the prenatal care provider to gather as much medical information for the prospective adoptive family as possible. When medical testing is appropriate, it must be ordered by the physician.

Adoption Associates, Inc. works very hard to make sure that information about Adoption Associates, Inc. is easy for birth mothers to find. Our primary method of advertising is in the Yellow Pages, which consistently brings us approximately 60% of our initial birth mother inquires. When advertising in the Yellow Pages, we aim to place the biggest and best ad on the page, which usually draws the birth mother’s attention right away. Because birth mothers see our agency’s name so quickly, we are frequently the first—and only—agency that they contact. Our ads appear in Yellow Pages directories across the state.

Another important advertising tool is the Internet. We currently have a strong presence on the web with our agency web site, www.AdoptionAssociates.net, and a separate web site that reaches out to birth mothers, www.PlanAdoption.com.

In addition to these advertising methods, we also provide agency information and birth mother packets to many referral sources that work with pregnant or young adult women and network with hospital social workers, crisis pregnancy centers, Medicaid clinics, and DHS offices. Furthermore, we provide speakers for school districts across Michigan who tell students about adoption and the Safe Delivery Law. We are constantly looking for new and creative ways to get information to prospective birth mothers.

Michigan allows adoptive parents to pay for pregnancy related living expenses for birth mothers. These expenses usually include items such as rent, food, clothing, and utilities.

If a birth mother asks for assistance with living expenses, her caseworker will work with her to determine appropriate expenses and make sure that the agency has the proper documentation to pay the expenses. We pay bills directly to providers in as many situations as possible or reimburse her for expenses when she turns in receipts. All expenses paid on behalf of a birth mother are documented to the court in her adoption process so that the court is aware of and approves any expenses.

It is typical for a birth mother to use her own last name on the original birth certificate, and that is how the agency instructs birth mothers to complete it. But there have been occasions in open adoptions where full identifying information is disclosed between parties and a birth mother may choose to put the adoptive name as the child’s last name on the birth certificate. There is no law against this. 

If you have the opportunity to meet your child’s birth parents, you can tell him or her the many things that you learned about his or her birth mother or birth father from these meetings. The agency will also provide you with health and background information about your child’s birth parents, which will likely give you some information about why they chose adoption and include personal information, such as some family history and details about their background. Every circumstance is different, but most adoptive parents can tell their children that their birth mother was not able to provide a home and everything that was needed for a baby at the time they were born. For most birth parents, their decision to plan adoption was in the best interest of the child’s future. There are many, many books and articles available that give helpful advice on sharing information with children about their birth parents. Begin to read them now, and develop a library that can be a resource about adoption for you as your child grows so that you can speak openly and comfortably with him or her about it.

Agency statistics show that a little less than half of the birth mothers AAI works with are smokers, about one third drink alcohol during at some time during their pregnancy, and about one quarter use some type of prescription or street drugs during their pregnancy. A large percentage of birth mothers who use drugs or alcohol do so early in their pregnancy, prior to the knowledge of being pregnant, but this is not always the case. Some continue using throughout their entire pregnancy. Specific information about the birth mother who selects your profile will be provided to you at the time you are linked.

About 60% of new birth mother contacts come from yellow pages advertising. In addition to advertising in the yellow pages, Adoption Associates, Inc. has two web sites, develops excellent working relationships with referral sources (i.e., hospitals, crisis pregnancy centers, Medicaid and OB clinics, schools, etc.), and makes sure that our materials are readily available for anyone who might have questions about adoption. Former birth mother clients are also good referral sources and will frequently refer a friend or family member to Adoption Associates, Inc. We are always looking for new and creative ideas to make sure that people know about the services of the agency, and in the past we have used many other advertising resources including billboards.

Birth mother clients can come from any background and social situation, including age, marital status, educational status, health, etc. A common situation frequently includes a single mother between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five who may already be parenting one or two children.

A Destiny Delivered tells the story of Brenda, a 19 year old girl who is experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Featuring support group scenes from real birth parents, this DVD presents adoption as a wonderful and loving choice that birth parents can make for the future of their unborn child.

This 20-minute DVD is offered free to high school counselors and crisis pregnancy centers in Michigan, and an abbreviated version can be viewed on YouTube or Google Video.

Call the birth mother’s caseworker, who will be able to assist you with unexpected problems in the hospital. Remember that even if the office is closed, we have a 24-hour answering service that can contact the caseworker in the evening or on weekends and holidays. You will need to let the answering service know that you are in the hospital with a birth mother client and need to speak with the caseworker immediately. They will either patch your call through to her or have her return your call as soon as they can reach her.

In most counties the adoption petitions are filed via mail. Some counties require a finalization hearing. Our legal department will take care of all of the necessary legal work and will notify you if you must attend.

If a birth mother is married at the time of the conception and/or birth of the baby, the woman’s husband is the child’s legal father. Michigan law requires a legal father to sign a release or a consent to the adoption in court after the birth of the baby, just like a birth mother must do, for the adoption to proceed. If the legal father is not willing to cooperate, an adoption cannot go on as planned.

In the instance where the legal father is NOT the biological father and is NOT willing to cooperate, the agency may obtain an attorney to file a petition for a hearing to determine that the child was born out of wedlock. Guided by the assistance of an attorney, this process requires two court hearings that must occur prior to the hearing for the birth mother to release her parental rights.

A putative father who provides substantial financial support to the birth mother or the baby during the pregnancy or after the birth also has a special status in the court. Although he is not required to be present at court and sign a release like a legal father, if he is not in agreement with the adoption, he can come to court to ask for custody, thereby preventing the birth mother from proceeding with her adoption plan.

The birth mother’s caseworker will prepare her for court and will take her to the release hearing. The purpose of the release hearing is to terminate the parental rights of both the birth mother and the birth father. The hearing will take place in front of a judge or referee.

First, the judge or referee will explain the birth mother’s parental rights to her and make sure that she comprehends them. The judge or referee will ensure that the birth mother’s release is voluntary by asking her numerous questions to ensure that she is not being forced or coerced into following through with her adoption plan. The judge or referee will also verify that she has had enough time to make her decision. Finally, the judge or referee will ask the birth mother additional questions to make sure that she understands that her decision is permanent and that the 21-day appeal period that follows the hearing is not a time frame for her to change her mind.

Then, the judge or referee will ask the birth mother questions about the identity of the birth father. His rights will also be terminated on this day by the fact that he is present and agrees with the adoption, he has signed a Notice to Putative Father and Custody Statement indicating that he is in support of the adoption, he has been served proper notice of the hearing and has not appeared, or he cannot be identified or located.

In any adoption, rights of the birth father must be terminated, even if he is unknown. If the birth mother cannot identify him, the caseworker will speak with her several times to make sure that we have all the information she can provide, or to see if there is anything additional that can be done to identify and locate him. If he truly cannot be identified, the birth mother will testify in court at her release hearing about the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy and why the birth father cannot be identified. She will be testifying under oath, and she will be advised of the importance of telling the truth. The judge or referee will ask her follow-up questions as necessary. If the judge or referee accepts her testimony, he or she will terminate the rights of the unknown father so that the adoption can proceed.

The agency will discuss the importance of locating a birth father with the birth mother and obtain all possible information as soon as possible. Sometimes the agency is able to locate a birth father on its own, but at other times, the agency enlists the services of a private investigator to find him. We make every attempt to locate the birth father to assure the court that there is nothing further that can be done and to protect the child’s placement in your home.

A part of Michigan law, the 21-day appeal period means that after termination of parental rights, a birth mother has 21 days to request a hearing in the court that terminated her parental rights and ask that they be reinstated OR to file an appeal with the Michigan Court of Appeals. The most important thing for you to remember is that the courts do NOT treat this appeal period as simply a time for the birth mother to change her mind. In fact, when birth parents go to court, they are specifically told not to sign the release that day if they have any questions about their decision. The court also makes sure that birth parents understand that the appeal period is only meant to be used if there is a failing in the legal process that terminates their rights. Although it is part of adoption law, there is very, very little risk that parental rights will be reinstated after the termination hearing. Adoption Associates, Inc. has never had a reversal during the appeal period. 

The caseworker and supervisor review each case carefully to determine the best county in which to complete the legal work. Having the hearing in a timely manner is in the best interest of everyone involved. Some counties are busier than others, and some have a process that takes more time to schedule the hearing. By looking at the specific circumstances of the birth parents’ situation and the process that will be required in each location, we usually choose to use the county that can provide the opportunity for the quickest hearing. After you are linked with a birth mother, you will have a meeting with the supervisor in the office where your home study was completed. At this meeting, the supervisor will explain the decisions that have been made for the legal process in your case. 

No. While it is always preferable to have an involved and supportive birth father, the reality is that those cases are rare. In the majority of cases, the birth father does not want to be involved at all. It is rare for a birth father to be so strongly against the adoption that he will try to stop the placement from happening. Even then, this is a challenging process for him. First, he must appear at the scheduled court hearing on the matter and declare his desire for custody of the child. It is not enough for him to state that he opposes the adoption but does not want custody, or for him to state that he would like his parents, sister, etc. to have the child. He must be asking for custody himself. The next step involves a “contested hearing” where a judge will hear testimony about the birth father and his lifestyle, his ability to care for a child, and his ability to provide for a child. Ultimately, the judge will make a determination about what is best for the child. If the birth father has a criminal record, does not have stable employment, or does not live a lifestyle conducive to parenting, it is most likely that his rights will be terminated and the adoption will be allowed to proceed. Cases that go as far as a contested hearing are unusual, but Adoption Associates, Inc. does have experience handling these situations and uses attorneys very familiar with the adoption code when it does become necessary to defend the best interests of a child. There is one exception to this: If a birth mother is married at any time during her pregnancy or at the time of delivery, her husband (whether or not he is the biological father) is considered the legal father of the child and afforded the same rights as the mother. Therefore, the husband must agree to release his rights in court along with the birth mother in order for the adoption to proceed.

After the baby is born, a court hearing is scheduled at which a birth mother voluntarily releases her parental rights. She may change her mind about the adoption at any time prior to signing the release paperwork during that court hearing, but, once she signs, her rights are terminated and there is no “change your mind” period. Michigan does provide for a 21 day appeal period following the release, but it is made very clear to the birth mother both before and during her court hearing that she may not use that time to rethink her decision. The appeal period exists to protect against things like fraud, coercion, or legal technicalities.

If the baby is placed in host care, he or she may go home once Adoption Associates, Inc. receives a copy of the Order Placing signed by the judge. After the birth parent’s rights are terminated, the judge signs an Order Placing legal document within three to 14 days. When Adoption Associates, Inc. receives a copy of the Order Placing, the baby is placed in the adoptive home.

Adoption Associates, Inc. encourages you to continue your lifestyle and all of the activities that you enjoy. We recommend that you not put your life on hold while you wait for a call about a prospective placement. However, should you travel away from home, please be sure to leave your contact information with your caseworker should we need to contact you regarding any possibilities that arise.

Because domestic adoption can be unpredictable and uncertain, every family handles this differently. The agency doesn’t recommend or require you to prepare a nursery prior to being linked with a birth mother or before the baby is born. Most families feel this is something that they can complete at their own leisure after a permanent adoptive placement occurs, but you’ll need to figure out what works best for you. If you always like to be prepared and want things to be orderly, you might feel better if you have completed some initial preparations ahead of time. This can range from simply making lists of what you will need to purchasing some things and leaving them in boxes in the basement. Some couples even choose to paint the room. However, you may want to wait to complete the baby’s room until later in the adoption process, especially if it would be difficult for you to walk past an empty nursery every day.

Openness is discussed during the pregnancy to make sure that the birth mother is given profiles appropriate to her requests. An actual openness agreement is written around delivery time, hopefully to give her the opportunity to make sure that she is making an accurate request. A birth mother can change the agreement at any time, as long as she is not asking for more than the typical agency agreement of semi-open adoption, including photographs sent through the agency to her on a scheduled basis for up to eighteen years of age.

You will be able to apply for the social security number once you have received the child’s new birth certificate, but remember that this will take some time. You will first need to complete the period of supervision, during which time the agency will do a 30 day visit and two required home post placement visits before filing with the court for finalization. After finalization of your adoption, you will receive a copy of the final decree of adoption, and then four to eight weeks later the State of Michigan will send you a new birth certificate. When you receive the birth certificate, you can then apply for the social security card. Prior to getting a social security number, our Jenison office will email you a copy of the signed Order Placing, which you can use to apply for a federal Temporary Tax Identification number in the meantime.

Educating children at an early age about adoption is highly recommended. There are a growing number of books about all types of adoptions, beginning with simple children’s story books. Adoptive Families magazine also has an excellent web site with a section on adoption books. You can research children’s books to choose the books that best fit your adoption and family situation.