Helpful Organizations & Resources

    GENERAL ADOPTION

     

    • American Adoptions -
      American Adoptions is a licensed non-profit adoption agency providing adoption services to birth mothers and adoptive families. Call 1-800-Adoption to learn more.
    • Adoptive Parents Committee (APC) is a non-profit parent support group comprised of volunteers dedicated to improving all aspects of adoption and interim (foster) care. 
    • Mark Lovett Photography - For clients who want professional photographs for their profile book, new baby or pregnancy experience, Mark provides spectacular images to capture your family. 
       
    • The Adoption Law Handbook -
      written by Jennifer Fairfax, published by the ABA.
       
    • Adoptive Families Magazine -
      Adoptive Families, the award-winning national adoption magazine, is the leading adoption information source for families before, during, and after adoption.

    • Building Your Family: the Infertility and Adoption Guide is a one-stop resource for adoption, assisted reproductive technology (ART), infertility, egg/embryo/sperm donors, and surrogacy information.

    • Center for Adoption Policy -
      Extensive website providing research, analysis and education to practitioners and the public about current legislation and practices governing domestic and international adoption in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa.
       
    • Center for Adoption Support and Education -
      A non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and education to everyone in the adoption community.
       
    • Child Welfare Information Gateway -
      Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families.
    • Creating a Family is a nonprofit providing education and support for infertility or adoption. 
    • Friends in Adoption -
      A non-profit, licensed adoption agency whose goal is to help people make informed decisions about adoption.
       
    • Infertility & Adoption -
      Providing a place of learning, growth, connection, and support to those who are or will be raising "chosen" children.
    • Internet Adoption School provides information on independent, agency, and international adoptions. The website has online educational seminars to help you plan a safe, ethical, and loving adoption. 
    • Internal Revenue Service - Adoption Credit -
      You may be able to take a tax credit for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child (including a child with special needs).
       
    • Jewish Adoption - Jewish parents hoping to adopt, Jewish adoption professionals, forums full of adoption information for Jewish families, an adoption registry to search for Jewish birth families, waiting kids, scriptures, poetry, family stories, and much more.
    • Kidsave - The Summer Miracles Program gives families to older orphans age 11 to 14 who have little chance to be adopted in their own countries through an oprhan hosting program.  This program is open to all families types including same-sex families. 
    • National Adoption Center - Their inspiration comes from the belief that there is no unwanted child, only unfound families. From that they provide the following free adoptive services: Public Awareness and Recruitment, Information and Referral and Publication 
    • National Council for Adoption - Support to both domestic and foreign efforts that ensure every child lives, grows and thrives in a safe, permanent and loving family.

    • National Adoption Foundation provides adoptions grants, adoption loans, adoption funding, and other alternatives to help fund adoptions. The Foundation’s programs are available to any family whether adopting a child domestically, abroad or from foster care. 

    • National Adoption Center Its inspiration comes from the belief that there is no unwanted child, only unfound families. From that it provides the following free adoptive services: Public Awareness and Recruitment, Information and Referral and Publications. 

    • PACT, An Adoption Alliance -
      Dedicated to providing adoption-related services to children of color, their birth parents and adoptive parents.
       
    • Potential Parents -
      A community of hopeful, loving families waiting to grow through open adoption.
       
    • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration -
      US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States of America.
       
    • Center For Kids -
      This Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center provides a home for the birth, nurture and celebration of our organizations, institutions and culture; cares for our individuals and groups in need; educates the public and our community; and empowers our individuals and groups to achieve their fullest potential.

    RESOURCES FOR LGBT FAMILIES 

    • Family Pride Coalition -
      Through advocacy, support and educational activities, advances the well being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their families. Promises positive public policy for families of LGBT families. Provides written guide to starting local LGBT parenting groups.
       
    • PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) -
      Promotes the health and well being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons, their families and friends through support, education and advocacy.
       
    • Proud Parenting -
      Providing community support for gay and lesbian members and their families.
       
    • Rainbow Families -
      Provides local programs to the LGBT families, extended family members in an effort to secure family equality in all 50 states.

    RESOURCES FOR CLIENTS USING ART 

     

    • The Donor Sibling Registry - An article by  Ellen Singer, LCSW-C, Adoption Program Specialist at The Center for Adoption Support and Education, Inc  on "Talking with Children Conceived Through Donor Insemination, IVF with Egg Donor or Surrogacy".
    • Parents via Egg Donation - Created for parents and parents-to-be, by parents and parents-to-be to provide useful information and guidance when using an egg donor.
       
    • Embryo Connection - Resources on professional, medical, legal and moral issues about embryo donations.
       
    • Miracles Waiting - Embryo Donation - A  non-profit organization dedicated to providing valuable and up-to-date information on all aspects of embryo donation, as well as offering embryo donors and recipients the opportunity to find each other and allowing them the freedom to work out the details on their own terms.
       
    • National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) - A non-profit organization whose mission is to protect the lives and dignity of human embryos by promoting, facilitating and educating about embryo donation and adoption.
       
    • The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation (TQCF) - TQCF is a non profit organization that serves the needs of families battling infertility. The TQCF also provides financial assistance to families pursuing infertility treatment or domestic adoption through the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation Family Building Grant. This dual approach distinguishes the foundation as the only organization of its kind in the nation.
       
    • The American Fertility Association (AFA) - National non-profit organization is a lifetime resource for infertility prevention, reproductive health and family building.
       
    • American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) -Non-Profit organization devoted to advancing knowledge and expertise in reproductive technologies.
       
    • Creating a Family - A nonprofit providing education, resources, and support for those touched by infertility or adoption.
       
    • Infertility Answers, Inc. -Information on third party reproduction.
       
    • Infertility Network - An independent, registered Canadian charity which strives to provide support and information to help people make informed choices about their family-building options.
       
    • National Infertility Network Exchange (NINE) -National not- for- profit organization for persons and couples with impaired fertility.
       
    • RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association - A community for women and men with infertility, providing information and support.
       
    • All About Surrogacy (AAS) - Community of Surrogate Mothers, Intended Parents and Egg Donors that is built by the members, for the members.
       
    • Surrogate Mothers Online (SMO) - Ad postings for surrogate mothers and intended parents.
       
    • GIVF Institute - Recruits anonymous sperm donors to help others build their families.

     

    BOOKS ON ADOPTION:

    • Adopting in America: How to Adopt Within One Year, by Randall Hicks
    • Adopting After Infertility, by Patricia Irwin Johnston
    • You CAN Adopt, by Susan Caughman
    • Adoption: The Essential Guide to Adopting Quickly and Safely, by Randall Hicks
    • Adoption in the United States, by Henry & Pollack
    • Adoption Nation: How the Adoption Revolution is Transforming America,by Adam Pertman
    • Dear Birthmother, by Kathleen Silber
    • I’m on it: What adoptive parents would like you to know about adoption (A Guide for Relatives and Friends), by Elisabeth O’Toole
    • The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption, by Christine Adamec
    • The Family of Adoption, by Joyce Maguire Pavao
    • The Five Love Languages of Children, by Gary D Chapman and Ross Campbell
    • Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child
    • Tell Me a Real Adoption Story, Betty Jean Lipton
    • Truly Yours, Laura Dale
    • Mothering Without a Map: The Search for the Good Mother Within, by Kathryn Black (good for Dads too!)
    • Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew, by Sherrie Eldridge
    • Lifegivers: Framing the Birthparent Experience in Open Adoption, by James L. Gritter
    • Making Sense of Adoption, by Lois Melina
    • Journey of the Adopted Self: A Quest For Wholeness, by Betty Jean Lifton
    • The Handbook of International Adoption Medicine, by Dr. Laurie C. Miller

    BOOKS ON ART

    • The Complete Lesbian and Gay Parenting Guide, by Arlene Istar Lev
    • Donor Insemination Guide: Written By and For Lesbian Women, by Leslea Newman & Diane Souza
    • The Lesbian Parenting Book: A Guide to Creating Families and Raising Children, by Merilee D. Clunis & Dorsey G. Green
    • For Lesbian Parents: Your Guide to Having Your Family Grow Happy,Healthy and Proud, by Suzanne Johnson
    • New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth, by The American Psychological Association Committee on Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Concerns, Committee on Children, Youth & Families, and Committee on Women in Psychology (Available through the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.)
    • The Ultimate Guide To Pregnancy For Lesbians: How To Stay Sane and Care For Yourself from Preconception through Birth, by Rachel Pepper
    • The Queer Parent’s Primer: A Lesbian and Gay Families’ Guide to Navigating Through A Straight World, by Stephanie Brill

    CHILDREN’S BOOKS ON ART

    • A Tiny Itsy Bitsy Gift of Life, an Egg Donor Story, by Carmen Martinez Javier
    • How Babies and Families are Made: There is More Than One Way, by Patricia Shaffer
    • Mommy Was Your Tummy Big?, by Carolina Nadel

     

     

    Will our surrogate have medical insurance?

    Usually insurance will cover pregnancy and delivery, with relevant deductions or co-pays.  You will know when matched with a surrogate what type of insurance she has and/or if we need to arrange for a policy for her, which is very likely.  There are many insurance plans that now exclude a surrogate pregnancy.  The good news is that there are also plans exclusively for a surrogacy arrangement that will insure coverage. 

    What expenses can be paid to the birth parent(s)?

    In the District of Columbia, an adoptive family may only pay for medical, counseling and legal services related to the adoption for the birth family.  The District of Columbia prohibits paying for living expenses or providing clothing, food or gifts to a birth family.  In Maryland and Virginia, a birth mother may obtain reasonable and necessary living expenses if she obtains written confirmation from her doctor that she is unable to work due to the pregnancy.   

    Are there age limits to adoption?

    Many agencies do have an age limit in which they are willing to work with for domestic adoption and many foreign countries have age requirements but they vary from agency to agency and by country.  You should discuss this with an adoption attorney.  There is no age limit for an independent adoption; however, birth parents often select the adoptive parents so each case is specific to the birth families personal preferences.   

    What expenses can be paid to the birth parent(s)?

    In the District of Columbia, an adoptive family may only pay for medical, counseling and legal services related to the adoption for the birth family.  The District of Columbia prohibits paying for living expenses or providing clothing, food or gifts to a birth family.  In Maryland and Virginia, a birth mother may obtain reasonable and necessary living expenses if she obtains written confirmation from her doctor that she is unable to work due to the pregnancy.   

    “I believe in working with each of my clients—in support of their family dynamic—to make the dreams of parenthood a reality. Whether you are single or married; or gay; a step-parent, a surrogate or intended parent or a child of adoption, it is my mission to serve as your advocate. With a dedication to the ethical and sensitive nature of each situation, I will help you understand the laws within Maryland or Washington, DC for adoption or surrogacy, and pledge to be your partner throughout the journey.” - Jennifer Fairfax

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