Who May Adopt In Indiana?

Any adult resident of the state of Indiana may adopt in Indiana. Hard-to-place children may be adopted by non-residents. Married people must adopt jointly, unless the spouse is the biological or adoptive parent of the child in question.

When May Consent Be Signed?

The birth father may sign anytime. The birth mother may sign anytime after the birth of the child.

How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent?

Consent is typically irrevocable, although the consent can be withdrawn within 30 days if the person can prove that revoking consent is in the child’s best interest.

Does Indiana Have a Putative Father Registry?

Yes.

Does Indiana Allow the Biological Father to Give Consent Before the Child is Born?

Yes.

Can Adoptive Parents Advertise to Find Expectant Parents?

Yes, but only through licensed agencies.

Does Indiana Allow the Use of Facilitators?

No.

How Long Before Adoption Can Be Finalized?

At least 1 month.

Which Expectant Mother Expenses Can Be Paid by the Adoptive Parents?

Medical, legal, and living expenses may be paid up to $3000. Living expenses can include housing, utilities, maternity clothing, pregnancy- and adoption-related travel. Actual lost wages due to pregnancy or childbirth may be paid. Expenses may be paid from the second or third trimester until 6 weeks after the baby is born.

Can Out of State Residents Finalize in Indiana?

Only for “hard to place” children.

Does Indiana Allow for Enforceable Open Adoption Agreements?

Yes. The birth parents can enter into an agreement with the adoptive parents. However, the adoption is not irrevocable, even if one of the parties does not comply with the agreement. In an older child adoption, the court can order the adoptive parents to provide contact with any of the child’s biological siblings. Post-adoption agreements for children under 2 may be signed without court approval. These agreements cannot contain visitation, and are not enforceable.

Resources

• Indiana Department of Child Services
• Adopting In Indiana
• Child Adoption Laws, Indiana
• Child Welfare Information Gateway, State Statutes
• Adamec, Christine. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption. New York: Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2004.
• Adoptive Families Magazine 2008

Photo Credit: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas

So claim more than 60 billboards in Atlanta, GA.

Black women apparently have more abortions than women of other races. From 1997-2006, the CDC reports that approximately 36.4% of abortions were performed on Black women. However, the fertility rate for Black women is still higher than the fertility rate for White women, 69 live births per 1,000 Black women versus 63 live births per 1,000 White women in 2005.

The ads are about gathering support for a law that would ban soliciting abortions for race or gender selection. The group Georgia Right to Life argues that abortion practitioners solicit Black women for abortions. The law would prohibit anyone from performing an abortion based on the race, color, or gender of the fetus/baby. But, abortion practitioners don’t solicit Black women for abortions. Although the Right to Life group claims that all of the abortion clinics are in Black areas, only 4 of the 15 clinics are in areas where more than 50% of the population is Black. Passing this law would essentially make it incredibly difficult for Black women and other women of color to obtain otherwise legal abortions.

So, basically, White people can have abortions, but no one else.

The group SisterSong has been fighting the ads and the bill they support. Their fact sheet is, for me, being a White woman who’s never had to worry about any of this, extremely thought provoking. Miriam Perez at Racialicious offers more insight to the battles women of color fight for reproductive justice.

I actually found out about this campaign via a Black, female friend of mine, who linked her blog post to an article on the site feministing.com. The article is so-so (in my opinion), but the comments are educational. That article links to an article at the Guttmacher Institute about access to health care.

…[B]lack women’s higher abortion rates are directly related to their higher rates of unintended pregnancy. Disproportionately high rates of both unintended pregnancy and abortion are symptoms of the broader health disparities faced by the black community. Fundamentally, the question we should be asking is what can be done to help black women have fewer unintended pregnancies and achieve better health outcomes in general.

The poverty rate is highest among Black people in the US – 33.2% in 2008. I don’t see any billboards about providing education to Black Americans, or lamenting that the educated Black person is endangered. Perhaps more appropriately, ads should be created for birth control (even abstinence would be fine) and then funds appropriated to make sure that women who choose not to have children don’t have them, and to make sure that the women who do want children have the ability to care for them in a stable, financially secure environment.

And while we’re talking about the “species” – Black babies aren’t a species unto themselves. We’re all the same species people! The word “species” just brings me back to the Great Monkey Debate.

It seems to me that you can be an anti-abortion advocate without bringing race or color into the equation. That’s all.

(Note: The title of this post is paraphrased from a quote in The Treehouse of Horror episode “Citizen Kang” of The Simpsons.)

Photo Credit.

Who May Adopt In Illinois?

In Illinois, any “reputable adult” who has “no legal disability” and is a resident of the state may adopt. Married couples must adopt jointly.

When May Consent Be Signed?

The birth father may sign the consent at any time. The birth mother may sign the consent 72 hours after the child is born.

How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent?

Consent is irrevocable once it is signed. However, if the birth father’s consent was obtained before the birth, he can revoke it up until 72 hours after the birth.

Does Illinois Have a Putative Father Registry?

Yes.

Does Illinois Allow the Biological Father to Give Consent Before the Child is Born?

Yes.

Can Adoptive Parents Advertise to Find Expectant Parents?

Yes. However, the law is specific, so you really should read it and consult an attorney just to make sure.

Does Illinois Allow the Use of Facilitators?

No.

How Long Before Adoption Can Be Finalized?

About 6 months.

Which Expectant Mother Expenses Can Be Paid by the Adoptive Parents?

Reasonable and actual medical and legal expenses may be paid.

In an agency adoption, expenses must be pre-approved by the agency. In private adoptions, expenses must be pre-approved by the court.

Counseling and reasonable lodging, food, and clothing expenses may also be paid. “Reasonable living expenses” are expenses related to the activities of daily living and meeting basic needs, including, but not limited to, lodging, food, and clothing for the expectant parents during the expectant mother’s pregnancy. Expenses can be paid no more than 120 days prior to the expectant mother’s expected date of delivery and for no more than 60 days after the birth of the child.

Lost wages, gifts, and educational expenses cannot be paid.

Can Out of State Residents Finalize in Illinois?

Yes.

Does Illinois Allow for Enforceable Open Adoption Agreements?

There are not any laws in Illinois regarding open adoption agreements.

Resources

• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
• Adopting In Illinois
• Child Adoption Laws, Illinois
• Child Welfare Information Gateway, State Statutes
• Adamec, Christine. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption. New York: Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2004.
• Adoptive Families Magazine 2008

Photo Credit: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas

As soon as we got home with Jack, I started noting agencies that other people recommended. We used a facilitator for Jack’s adoption. We were not pleased with the service we received, and we were outraged at how our son’s birth mother was treated. Next time, we would be prepared.

I belong to two different African American/Transracial Adoption support groups. Any time someone recommended his or her agency, I filed the message away. I created a list.*

We contacted the home study agency we used last time (but that’s another post). Now, we have to choose an agency (or facilitator, there is one that made the list). The list is in alphabetical order, so, I started with the A’s.

Did you ever realize how many adoption agency names start with “Adoption”? I looked at 15 tonight. Of those 15, only 5 made the list of agencies I should contact.

• Two agencies served only people in the states in which the agency is located.
• One agency requires documented proof of infertility or “inability to conceive”.
• One agency charges $44,000 for placing a White child, and $22,000 for placing a Black one. (Hispanic and bi-racial children have their own placement prices too.) I plan a post on this reprehensible practice.
• One agency had a poorly designed and misspelled web site. They could be the best agency in the world, but if they don’t know the difference between “lose” and “loose”, I’m not working with them.
• Even though I’m not gay, we do not want to work with agencies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.
• Some agencies charged fees in excess of $20,000.
• One agency requires that parents vaccinate their children.
• One agency wouldn’t allow adoptive parents to specify gender.

Of the 5 that made our cut, I don’t necessarily know that they allow parents to specify gender. One web site was, shall we say, minimalist, so, while it appears to be a good, professional agency, I really don’t know much about them. There could be other, hidden reasons that they or we do not qualify.

I’d forgotten how confusing and somewhat demoralizing this process is. But, at least I can write about for your entertainment and education purposes.

* Due to adoption.com restrictions, I cannot share the list. Sorry!

Photo Credit.

Because of Christmas, I didn’t actually start reading the book until January. And because of work and being a mom (OK, fine, and reading Twilight fan-fic. I admit it.), I didn’t finish it until the end of February.

Long story short: Buy the book.

It’s an easy, interesting, and informative read. I like the stories from Adoptive Families readers, which are located on practically every page of the book. Essays that have previously appeared in Adoptive Families are reprinted here as well. It’s a great mix of practical information and enjoyable asides.

The book is aimed at an audience that is new to adoption, but I believe even experienced or well-read adoptive parents can learn a lot from the book. I write about adoption practically every day, but I still learned quite a bit.

I do have some criticisms, of course. The last chapter of the book, titled “Will We Live Happily Ever After?”, is a collection of statements from adoptees. All of the statements are sunshine and roses. I understand that the editors want to paint an optimistic picture of adoption, but a wider variety of responses would be more helpful to readers. One of the statements was written by Phil Bertelsen, a transracial adoptee and filmmaker. I know he’s done a frank film about the challenges of growing up in an interracial family, but his statement doesn’t reflect that at all.

I would have liked to see more specifics about state laws. I know that laws can change, and the authors want to keep the book as timeless as possible, but even some pointers to where adoptive parents can find the laws would be useful.

I was also left wanting more. The material in the book is very broad but not necessarily deep, especially in some subjects. I would have liked to see more in-depth looks at the different types of adoption. A scant 33 pages is devoted to the differences between domestic and international adoption.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. I wish it had been available 5 years ago. However, I’m glad that it exists to help my family with the next go-round.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Remember, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. Consult an attorney or other adoption professional with specific questions. If you have adopted in Idaho and would like to share your experience with others, please leave a comment or email me at RobynC@adoptionblogs.com.

Who May Adopt In Idaho?

Any adult resident may adopt in Idaho. Unless the adoptive parent is the spouse of the biological parent, then the adoptive parent must be at least 15 years older than the child or must be 25 years of age or older.

When May Consent Be Signed?

Consent may be signed any time after birth. However, the consent must be signed in front of a judge, magistrate, or an “authorized officer”.

How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent?

Consent is irrevocable.

Does Idaho Have a Putative Father Registry?

Yes.

Does Idaho Allow the Biological Father to Give Consent Before the Child is Born?

No.

Can Adoptive Parents Advertise to Find Expectant Parents?

No.

Does Idaho Allow the Use of Facilitators?

There are not any laws in Idaho regarding the use of facilitators.

How Long Before Adoption Can Be Finalized?

In an agency adoption, about 8-12 months. In a private adoption, about 3-5 months.

Which Expectant Mother Expenses Can Be Paid by the Adoptive Parents?

Legal and medical expenses and reasonable living and maternity expenses may be paid up to 6 weeks postpartum. Expenses over $500 require pre-approval from the court. Expenses cannot exceed $2,000.

If a birth mother revokes consent, she must pay back all of the expenses. (Yes, I did just write that consent is irrevocable, and yet, the Idaho law provides for revoking consent. Anyone in Idaho know what that’s all about?)

Can Out of State Residents Finalize in Idaho?

No.

Does Idaho Allow for Enforceable Open Adoption Agreements?

There are not any laws in Idaho regarding open adoption agreements.

Resources

• Idaho Foster Care and Adoption Programs
• Adopting In Idaho
• Child Adoption Laws, Idaho
• Child Welfare Information Gateway, State Statutes
• Adamec, Christine. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption. New York: Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2004.
• Adoptive Families Magazine 2008

Photo Credit: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas

Remember, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. Consult an attorney or other adoption professional with specific questions. If you have adopted in Hawaii and would like to share your experience with others, please leave a comment or email me at RobynC@adoptionblogs.com.

Who May Adopt In Hawaii?

Any legal adult may adopt in Hawaii. Married couples may adopt jointly.

When May Consent Be Signed?

The petition for relinquishment may be signed at any time after the expectant mother’s sixth  month of pregnancy. However, the consent cannot be executed until after the child’s birth. Then, the biological parents must submit written “reaffirmation of their desires to relinquish”.

How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent?

After the child has been placed with adoptive parents, consent is irrevocable.

Does Hawaii Have a Putative Father Registry?

Yes.

Does Hawaii Allow the Biological Father to Give Consent Before the Child is Born?

Yes. However, the consent cannot be taken until after the child is born.

Can Adoptive Parents Advertise to Find Expectant Parents?

There are not any laws in Hawaii regarding advertising for birth parents. However, Adoptive Families magazine reports that advertisements are not allowed.

Does Hawaii Allow the Use of Facilitators?

There are not any laws in Hawaii regarding the use of facilitators.

How Long Before Adoption Can Be Finalized?

About 2 to 3 months.

Which Expectant Mother Expenses Can Be Paid by the Adoptive Parents?

Hawaii does not have any laws regarding the payment of expectant parent expenses. In practice, the court decides what is reasonable and customary. Medical, legal, counseling, and living expenses, as well as lost wages, may be paid. The payments can last up to 2 months postpartum.

Can Out of State Residents Finalize in Hawaii?

Yes.

Does Hawaii Allow for Enforceable Open Adoption Agreements?

No. There are not any statutes in Hawaii regarding open adoption agreements.

Resources

• Adopting In Hawaii
• Child Adoption Laws, Hawaii
• Child Welfare Information Gateway, State Statutes
• Adamec, Christine. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption. New York: Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2004.
• Adoptive Families Magazine 2008

Photo Credit: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas

So, without further ado, welcome to our eighth post in the series Adopting in the 50 States. Today, we’re in Georgia, the home base of my favorite Food Network star, Alton Brown. Remember, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. Consult an attorney or other adoption professional with specific questions. If you have adopted in Georgia and would like to share your experience with others, please leave a comment or email me at RobynC@adoptionblogs.com.

Who May Adopt In Georgia?

Any adult person who meets all of the following criteria may adopt:

• at least 25 years old or married and living with his or her spouse
• at least 10 years older than the child in question
• has been a resident for at least 6 months
• is financially, mentally, and physically ready to have permanent custody of the child

When May Consent Be Signed?

Consent may be signed anytime after the child is born.

How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent?

The birth parents have 10 days to revoke consent. After 10 days, the consent is irrevocable. If the tenth day is a holiday or a weekend, then the revocation period extends to the next business day.

Does Georgia Have a Putative Father Registry?

Yes.

Does Georgia Allow the Biological Father to Give Consent Before the Child is Born?

No.

Can Adoptive Parents Advertise to Find Expectant Parents?

No.

Does Georgia Allow the Use of Facilitators?

No.

How Long Before Adoption Can Be Finalized?

45-60 days after filing the petition for adoption.

Which Expectant Mother Expenses Can Be Paid by the Adoptive Parents?

Any medical expenses directly related to the mother’s pregnancy and the birth of the child may be paid. The law does not specify exactly what may or may not be reimbursed, but it appears that only legal and medical expenses are generally accepted.

Can Out of State Residents Finalize in Georgia?

No.

Does Georgia Allow for Enforceable Open Adoption Agreements?

No. There are not any statutes in Georgia regarding open adoption agreements.

Resources

• Georgia Adoption
• Child Adoption Laws, Georgia
• Child Welfare Information Gateway, State Statutes
• Adamec, Christine. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption. New York: Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2004.
• Adoptive Families Magazine 2008

Photo Credit: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas

How do you handle racism? GIMH knows that some of you may not have encountered this in adoption but what WOULD you do if you were to encounter it?

The question references two blog posts about families reacting to racist comments by young children. I highly recommend reading them.

• Little Bigots at Basketball
• The Chinese Food Email

Kids do recognize skin color, even if they don’t attribute the same values to it that adults often do. My Brown (”I’m not Black! I’m Brown!) son wanted to exclude all the White kids from his pretend party. He only wanted to invite people who “had the same” as he did. We now have The Berenstain Bear’s book No Girls Allowed, in which Brother Bear and Sister Bear each create their own exclusive clubs for members of the same sex. Although the book ends with everyone co-mingling, Jack decided that only boys could go in his room for awhile today.

If I didn’t have a brown son, would I care so much about skin color? That is, would I care if the books I bought reflected different skin tones? Would I notice if the schools had children of different colors? Would I be as happy to see a lot of Black kids playing in a park and have them play with my child?

I don’t know, but the blog posts really got me thinking. Growing up, my best friends were Phillipino and Hispanic. Linda was very dark, and, when I took a trip with her family, apparently her Dad got questioned about me. I always knew she was dark, like “burnt toast” she would say. It never mattered. Similarly, in high school, my friends were of different colors. Technically, two of them should have hated each other – their words – because one was Japanese and one was Korean. They laughed about it.

But when I entered college, my roommate was Black. She said to me, “You haven’t spent a lot of time around Black people have you?” I said, “No. Why?” She said, “It shows.” She never expanded on that. (Then again, this was the girl who set up her mirror so she could spy on our other roommate wherever she was in the room. Weird.)

All of this is to illustrate that I feel that I was raised to be colorblind, for the most part. Maybe that’s because I’m White, but I live in a place where I’m the minority. The dreaded colorblind worked, to some extent, because race was all around me, and it was never a big deal.

Unfortunately, I know that I can’t raise Jack that way. He has brown skin, and, even in place where White people  are the minority, he’s going to be judged for that. I’m hoping that such judgement will diminish as generations age, more people are of mixed heritage, and reason prevails. I feel fortunate that I haven’t experienced any racist remarks – yet. I’m sure they’ll happen. And when they do?

I hope to react with the class and grace of the women who shared their experiences. I hope I have the guts to address the parents of the child(ren) in question and talk about the situation calmly. I hope Jack won’t feel too hurt or humiliated, and he’ll come out of the situation knowing that he’s right and they’re wrong.

Photo Credit.

Who May Adopt In Florida?

Florida does not permit homosexuals to adopt. Any other adult may adopt.

When May Consent Be Signed?

A birth father can sign the consent before the child is born, however, the consent cannot be granted until after the child is born. A birth mother can sign the consent 48 hours after the child is born, or when she is discharged from the hospital or birthing center, whichever is earlier.

How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent?

Consent is irrevocable if the child is under six months old. If the child is six months old or older, then consent may be revoked within three business days.

Does Florida Have a Putative Father Registry?

Yes.

Does Florida Allow the Biological Father to Give Consent Before the Child is Born?

Yes. However, the consent cannot be accepted until after the child is born.

Can Adoptive Parents Advertise to Find Expectant Parents?

Yes, but only through a licensed agency or attorney.

Does Florida Allow the Use of Facilitators?

Yes.

How Long Before Adoption Can Be Finalized?

4-6 months.

Which Expectant Mother Expenses Can Be Paid by the Adoptive Parents?

Up to $5,000 of living and medical expenses, $5,000 of legal expenses, and $800 in court costs may be paid without a court review. All expenses must be disclosed to the court. Reasonable expenses include housing, utilities, phone, and medical travel, and may be paid up to six weeks postpartum.

Can Out of State Residents Finalize in Florida?

Yes.

Does Florida Allow for Enforceable Open Adoption Agreements?

Yes. The child’s siblings, biological parents, and specific biological family members may be a party to the open adoption agreement. The court can review and modify the agreement at the request of the adoptive parents.

Advice From People Who Have Been There

Florida is a popular state with adoptive parents. The ICPC takes very little time. One woman told me that her child’s birth mother was able to sign consent 24 hours after the baby was born, because that’s when she was discharged from the hospital.

Adoptive parents recommend talking with the ICPC office in your home state to become familiar with them and their requirements.

Resources

• Florida Adoption
• Child Adoption Laws, Florida
• Child Welfare Information Gateway, State Statutes
• Adamec, Christine. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption. New York: Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2004.
• Adoptive Families Magazine 2008

Photo Credit: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas