• Adoption Services
  • Adoptive Families
  • Agency Information
  • Birth and Delivery
  • Birth Mother
  • Birth Fathers
  • Contact After Placement
  • Expenses
  • Information Sharing
  • Misc
  • The Papers
  • Intervention
Yes. Florida law permits adoptive parents the actual and reasonable living expenses during the pregnancy and up to a maximum of six weeks following delivery if the birth mother is unemployed, underemployed or suffering from a medically-diagnosed disability. This typically is handled through the agency.

No. Such calls are time consuming and take away from the time we have to search for suitable birth mothers. In addition, such calls are largely unproductive as your place on the list is a compendium of many factors and doesn’t necessarily bear a relationship to when you will be selected by a birth mother.

The birth mother usually makes a “dream family list” that identifies the qualities important to her in an adoptive family. She is then presented with several families on our list that meet her requests and who have comfort levels matching her various social and medical history. She then selects from those families. Occasionally, birth mothers prefer us to select the adoptive family, and this is done in chronological order taking into consideration social/medical situations.

The costs of adoption are wide-ranging, primarily depending on the birth mother’s living and medical expense needs. Generally, the costs range from $30,000 to as high as $40,000 or more even. You will be able to tell us your adoption budget so we can stay within your parameters.

In matched situations where an adoptive family has already identified birth parents, fees typically range from $7,000 to $13,000 depending on the extent services were provided.

In older child or sibling adoption situations, fees range based on services provided.

An independent investigation to verify your suitability as adoptive parents. They are valid for up to one year in Florida and can be updated easily. If you need assistance in obtaining a home study, Heart of Adoptions, Inc. can complete your home study or can refer you to a qualified professional if you live outside Florida. See our forms page to download our application. Our sister agency, Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. handles international home studies, please visit www.heartofadoptionsalliance.com.

Florida law requires monthly post placement supervision visits for a minimum of 90 days and this is usually done by the individual or entity that conducted your home study. If additional visits are needed, you will be notified. Please be sure to notify your post placement provider when you receive a placement.

Whatever is agreed upon by you and the birth parent(s). It is common for birth parents to want to speak to the prospective adoptive parents on the phone, exchange letters and/or meet at lunch or the time of placement. Almost always, this face-to-face contact is limited to pre-birth and the hospital period, although some birth mothers request a baby dedication or one-time meeting shortly after birth. On-going contact after adoption through pictures and letters is required for a minimum of five years (unless waived by both parties) and in many cases, birth parents request eighteen years. This is done confidentially through the agency or Child Connect, so identifying information is not exchanged.

We generally request HIV, drug screening, hepatitis and all the customary OB/GYN tests. Sonograms are also routinely done. You can usually request any other type of testing or additional sonograms, excluding amniocentesis which the doctors will only perform for a medical reason. There may be charges associated with additional medical testing.

We apply for the birth certificate after finalization of the adoption, and it usually takes 4 – 6 weeks thereafter to obtain.

Not until the adoption is finalized and you receive the birth certificate. You can then apply for one at your local office.

Florida law permits finalization once the 90 day post-placement supervision period has expired; however, the Petition for Adoption cannot be set for final hearing until 30 days after entry of the Final Judgment Terminating Parental Rights. Finalization generally occurs within five months after placement, but can be delayed by a birth parent’s failure to cooperate or the court’s crowded docket. We will notify you when your final hearing is set.

The agency retainer is non-refundable as are any costs and living expenses that have been paid out. Any unspent costs and living expenses would be refunded to you. In addition, of the legal retainer that would have been submitted, any unspent would also be refunded to you. Please note, receiving living expenses does not require an expectant mother to follow through with placement.

We strongly advocate counseling for the birth parents, and insist on it to the extent possible. We refer birth parents to free local resources in their area for counseling and support (i.e. crisis pregnancy centers), and to private counselors. Many birth mothers are not willing to attend counseling and, of course, cannot be forced to do so.

Yes. Please discuss with an adoption case worker how this could have an effect on timeframes for various situations. It may be necessary to have a Power of Attorney drawn up to include wording of “adoption related decisions.” Please speak to your caseworker regarding the specifics of your case.

Yes. We work with families residing outside the United States, but many international families should be aware that the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption may govern their adoption. If so, a referral to our sister agency, Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. will be made. Additionally, the adoption laws of the adoptive family’s country of residence must also be followed as well as citizenship and/or permanent resident cards must be up to date and meet all regulations.

Yes. We process many Interstate Compact adoptions and assist in reconciling the conflict of laws that often exists between states. Please feel free to discuss specific regulations/requirements of ICPC with an adoption case worker.

There are no restrictions due to religious beliefs. There are no blanket restrictions on age or marital status, and each case is handled based on its individual merit.

Pursuant to Florida law, a birth parent who executes a consent for adoption involving a child six months or younger, does not have a grace period in which to change their mind. The consent for adoption is permanent and irrevocable from the moment it is signed, and only can be overturned based on fraud or duress. However, in cases where the birth mother is placing a child older than six months, the birth parents have 3 business days to revoke a consent for any reason.

Yes. Florida law permits adoptive parents the actual and reasonable living expenses during the pregnancy and up to a maximum of six weeks following delivery if the birth mother is unemployed, underemployed or suffering from a medically-diagnosed disability. This typically is handled through the agency.

Yes. In the event that you decide to place your file on a hold status (i.e. you are matched with a birth mother via another agency, you choose to pursue fertility treatments, you become pregnant), you must notify the adoptive parent coordinator who will place your file on hold for up to six (6) months. If you do not contact the adoptive parent coordinator before the expiration of the six (6) months to obtain an extension, your file will be closed. Please be advised that the length of time your file is on hold does not count toward your total wait time. If your file is closed and you decide to re-apply to our agency at a later date, you will be responsible for re-starting the process.

No. Such calls are time consuming and take away from the time we have to search for suitable birth mothers. In addition, such calls are largely unproductive as your place on the list is a compendium of many factors and doesn’t necessarily bear a relationship to when you will be selected by a birth mother.

The birth mother usually makes a “dream family list” that identifies the qualities important to her in an adoptive family. She is then presented with several families on our list that meet her requests and who have comfort levels matching her various social and medical history. She then selects from those families. Occasionally, birth mothers prefer us to select the adoptive family, and this is done in chronological order taking into consideration social/medical situations.

The agency will attempt to expedite another match for families who experience
a disrupted adoption.

We have the ability to work with birthmothers from all over Florida and many across the nation. They typically connect with us through yellow page advertising, Internet search engines, and word of mouth referrals.

The costs of adoption are wide-ranging, primarily depending on the birth mother’s living and medical expense needs. Generally, the costs range from $30,000 to as high as $40,000 or more even. You will be able to tell us your adoption budget so we can stay within your parameters.

In matched situations where an adoptive family has already identified birth parents, fees typically range from $7,000 to $13,000 depending on the extent services were provided.

In older child or sibling adoption situations, fees range based on services provided.

In most situations, you will receive a lengthy family, social and medical history compiled by the birth mother, and sometimes the birth father. Where possible, we also obtain medical records from the OB/GYN and the hospital. If requested, we can obtain criminal records or other third party documents. We cannot guarantee the health or medical history of the baby.

Your “Dear Birth Parent” letter and family profile should include information you want your birth mother to know about you. The birth parents may also ask additional questions which will be answered with your approval. It is common, for example, for a birth mother to want to know the first name you select for the baby.

Florida law requires monthly post placement supervision visits for a minimum of 90 days and this is usually done by the individual or entity that conducted your home study. If additional visits are needed, you will be notified. Please be sure to notify your post placement provider when you receive a placement.

These are monies that are collected from adoptive parents, they are included in your fee schedule. These monies are set aside for future adoptions to be used for various reasons, such as: a birthmother may need some assistance before an adoptive family is found, the agency may need to uncover some possible fraudulent adoption plans, or a baby may be born with unexpected special needs and may require additional medical care and services before a family is choosen or exceedes the family’s anticipated budget.

There are many different variables, but our statistics show most birth mothers who have placed their children with our adoptive families are between 19 and 30 years of age, are single parents to one or more children, know the realities of parenting, and are more likely to go through with an adoption plan. Expectant mothers in their teens sometimes choose adoption; however, many decide on parenting or abortion.

Whatever is agreed upon by you and the birth parent(s). It is common for birth parents to want to speak to the prospective adoptive parents on the phone, exchange letters and/or meet at lunch or the time of placement. Almost always, this face-to-face contact is limited to pre-birth and the hospital period, although some birth mothers request a baby dedication or one-time meeting shortly after birth. On-going contact after adoption through pictures and letters is required for a minimum of five years (unless waived by both parties) and in many cases, birth parents request eighteen years. This is done confidentially through the agency or Child Connect, so identifying information is not exchanged.

In Florida, if able and aware of the pregnancy, a birth father who desires to establish and/or protect his rights is expected to pay a fair and reasonable amount of the expenses incurred in connection with the mother’s pregnancy and the child’s birth, in accordance with his financial ability, when not prevented from doing so by the birth mother or others. We attempt to locate and contact birth fathers to see if they will voluntarily cooperate with the adoption and sign a consent or affidavit of nonpaternity.

For unmarried biological fathers who are located and will not cooperate, the Florida law has mandates that we serve them with a notice of the birth mother’s intended adoption plan. The notice gives the potential father a period of 30 days within which to indicate his intent to contest the adoption by taking certain specified actions which include that he register with the Putative Father Registry, file an affidavit with the court committing to certain obligations with respect to the child, and provide physical and financial support to the unborn child. If the unmarried biological father fails to timely complete the required actions, we seek a court determination that he has no rights to the child. If the unmarried biological father timely completes the required actions, he preserves his right to notice and his consent to the adoption is required as if he had been married to the birth mother or was otherwise established to be the child’s legal father. In such cases, his failure to provide financial support to the birth mother during her pregnancy remains a basis for the court to waive his consent and the judge will determine if he provided the pre-birth support necessary to veto an adoption. All placements are at-risk.

This means you may have to return the child, should termination or finalization be denied by the court. Additionally, birth parents and legal parents have a period of 1 year to challenge termination of parental rights and any subsequent adoption, measured from the time the termination of parental rights order is entered. Arguments may be made to extend these time frames if there is fraud or other misconduct.

You should focus on being yourselves, letting the birth parents get to know you and establishing a comfort level. We want the birth parents to have concern and empathy for your situation, and for you to understand theirs. You should not be interrogative, ask for personal or confidential information or question medical history. If you have a question in this regard, let your adoption caseworker handle the matter.

We request routine newborn testing and where indicated, HIV, drug screening, and hepatitis testing.

We generally request HIV, drug screening, hepatitis and all the customary OB/GYN tests. Sonograms are also routinely done. You can usually request any other type of testing or additional sonograms, excluding amniocentesis which the doctors will only perform for a medical reason. There may be a charges associated with additional medical testing.

Pursuant to Florida law, the consent will be signed no sooner than 48 hours after delivery unless the birth mother is being discharged earlier by her doctor. With a c-section, the wait may be slightly longer as we must ensure that the birth mother is free of narcotic medication.

We have the birth mother sign a financial agreement, which obligates her to repay such monies if the match fails. In reality, very few birth mothers have the resources to do so. The financial agreement may allow you to write off such losses as a bad debt. In addition, you can pursue a judgment against the birth mother, which is valid in Florida for 20 years (and renewable for another 20). An attorney that specializes in creditors’ issues can then handle pursuit and enforcement of the judgment.

Most insurance companies in Florida are mandated by law to provide coverage for an adopted child. Coverage can exist from the moment of birth if the adoptive family agreed to the placement prior to the child’s birth. Additionally, federal laws, including the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 “OBRA ’93” (private employers) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 “HIPPA” (governmental employers), prohibit discrimination against adopted children. Therefore, health insurance coverage for adopted children is available to all families covered by group health plans at the time of placement, which is defined as the time when the adoptive family assumes financial responsibility for the child. Health insurance plans that are individual plans (not employer-sponsored) are not subject to federal regulation. If you are covered by an individual plan, you should check the laws of your state to determine your rights. We suggest that you contact your insurance company as soon as you have a match so that you can ensure your coverage is in place for the child’s birth.

Yes. Please discuss with an adoption case worker how this could have an effect on timeframes for various situations. It may be necessary to have a Power of Attorney drawn up to include wording of “adoption related decisions.” Please speak to your caseworker regarding the specifics of your case.

Yes. We work with families residing outside the United States, but many international families should be aware that the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption may govern their adoption. If so, a referral to our sister agency, Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. will be made. Additionally, the adoption laws of the adoptive family’s country of residence must also be followed as well as citizenship and/or permanent resident cards must be up to date and meet all regulations.

Yes. We process many Interstate Compact adoptions and assist in reconciling the conflict of laws that often exists between states. Please feel free to discuss specific regulations/requirements of ICPC with an adoption case worker.

Yes, we will file a Notice of Intended Placement with the Court and you will receive a copy of the Court’s Order confirming the placement of the child with you. This Order may also assist you with obtaining insurance for the child. Typically, the Order is mailed to you from Court within 14 business days. At the time of the discharge, you may also receive a statement on agency letterhead confirming you have temporary custody of the child pending finalization.

Upon discharge, we will request the birth mother and child’s hospital records. It can take up to four weeks for processing; the records will be forwarded to you upon receipt.

Post placement supervision should begin within the first 30 days so please be sure to notify the individual or entity that did your home study. Florida law requires monthly post placement supervision visits for agency placements for a minimum of 90 days. If additional visits are needed, you will be notified.

Florida law permits finalization once the 90-day post-placement supervision period has expired; however, the Petition for Adoption cannot be set for final hearing until 30 days after entry of the Final Judgment terminating parental rights. Finalization generally occurs within five months after placement but can be delayed by a birth parent’s failure to cooperate or the court’s crowded docket. We will notify you when your final hearing is set.

You can visit www.irs.gov and follow their directions to apply for a Taxpayer Identification Number for your child.

Yes. We encourage you to network, but require that you inform us if you have been matched through another agency. You may request to be removed from our waiting list or placed on a hold status. Remember that a home study is good for one year or one placement, so it will need to be updated in the event you have taken placement of a child and would like to continue towards another adoption.

An independent investigation to verify your suitability as adoptive parents. They are valid for up to one year in Florida and can be updated easily. If you need assistance in obtaining a home study, Heart of Adoptions, Inc. can complete your home study or can refer you to a qualified professional if you live outside Florida. See our forms page to download our application. Our sister agency, Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. handles international home studies, please visit www.heartofadoptionsalliance.com

Florida law requires monthly post placement supervision visits for a minimum of 90 days and this is usually done by the individual or entity that conducted your home study. If additional visits are needed, you will be notified. Please be sure to notify your post placement provider when you receive a placement.

Pursuant to Florida law, a birth parent who executes a consent for adoption involving a child six months or younger, does not have a grace period in which to change their mind. The consent for adoption is permanent and irrevocable from the moment it is signed, and only can be overturned based on fraud or duress. However, in cases where the birth mother is placing a child older than six months, the birth parents have 3 business days to revoke a consent for any reason.

We have a 24-hour on-call system for the birth mothers to reach us when they are admitted to the hospital for labor. We suggest that you carry a prepaid cell phone after being matched with the birth mother so we can reach you at any time, especially if the birth mother requests that you be present for delivery.

We request routine newborn testing and where indicated, HIV, drug screening, and hepatitis testing.

Pursuant to Florida law, the consent will be signed no sooner than 48 hours after delivery unless the birth mother is being discharged earlier by her doctor. With a c-section, the wait may be slightly longer as we must ensure that the birth mother is free of narcotic medication.

Most insurance companies in Florida are mandated by law to provide coverage for an adopted child. Coverage can exist from the moment of birth if the adoptive family agreed to the placement prior to the child’s birth. Additionally, federal laws, including the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 “OBRA ’93” (private employers) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 “HIPPA” (governmental employers), prohibit discrimination against adopted children. Therefore, health insurance coverage for adopted children is available to all families covered by group health plans at the time of placement, which is defined as the time when the adoptive family assumes financial responsibility for the child. Health insurance plans that are individual plans (not employer-sponsored) are not subject to federal regulation. If you are covered by an individual plan, you should check the laws of your state to determine your rights. We suggest that you contact your insurance company as soon as you have a match so that you can ensure your coverage is in place for the child’s birth.

Yes, reasonable and pregnancy related expenses can be provided during the pregnancy and up to a maximum of 6 weeks following delivery.

Yes, we have profiles of many families, in state, out of state, and even internationally for you to look through to help you select the family that you feel is the best fit. If you prefer, the agency can select the family for you as well.

This depends on what you are looking for. It can include picture and letter updates, emails, or even annual visits. This is something you will discuss with your caseworker and we will help you find an adoptive family that is open to the same level of post- placement communication.

This is OK. The important thing is that you disclose what you do know and are open and honest with the caseworker so we can be sure all required steps are taken that are necessary to either locate and notify him or to show where we have done our due diligence to protect all involved in the process appropriately.

The adoptive family will cover the expenses for the adoption. You will not be responsible for any legal fees, counseling fees, and may be eligible for assistance with living expenses depending on your circumstances.

Yes. You will work with your caseworker to develop a hospital plan so we can support whatever level of interaction you want to have. Some expectant parents want to have the bay in the room with them, others want the bay in the room with the adoptive family at the hospital. We will work with you, the hospital, and the adoptive family to support whatever choices you want for this. You can decide if you want to feed, change, rock, comfort the baby and how often or how much interaction you feel is best for you.

Yes. All of our caseworkers are experienced in providing education about your rights in relation to adoption. They will also provide you information about other options such as parenting, foster care, or having a family member care for the child- to ensure adoption is the right option for you. We also will assist you with obtaining services from a licensed counselor that can provide confidential sessions to you that will not cost you anything.

Yes. Some expectant parents choose to select a name for the birth certificate. Some come to an agreement on a name with the adoptive family. Whichever you choose, there isn’t a right or wrong choice- it is what you want. You can also receive a copy of the birth certificate with the name you gave the child if you want it.

By working with one of our caseworkers, you will be provided education and resources to help you know all of your options. We will discuss things such as your financial ability, living situation, & support system- just to name a few- which can help you decide if adoption is the best option for you.

Yes, many families are open to many different situations and are open and able to care for all types of needs the baby/child may have. Just like you have specific things you will want in an adoptive family; adoptive families will be open and looking for specific situations too. Adoptive families are educated on various possible risks and we will help you find the best family to fit whatever is going on.

Pursuant to Florida law, a birth parent who executes a consent for adoption involving a child six months or younger, does not have a grace period in which to change their mind. The consent for adoption is permanent and irrevocable from the moment it is signed, and only can be overturned based on fraud or duress. However, in cases where the birth mother is placing a child older than six months, the birth parents have 3 business days to revoke a consent for any reason.

In most situations, you will receive a lengthy family, social and medical history compiled by the birth mother, and sometimes the birth father. Where possible, we also obtain medical records from the OB/GYN and the hospital. If requested, we can obtain criminal records or other third party documents. We cannot guarantee the health or medical history of the baby.

In Florida, if able and aware of the pregnancy, a birth father who desires to establish and/or protect his rights is expected to pay a fair and reasonable amount of the expenses incurred in connection with the mother’s pregnancy and the child’s birth, in accordance with his financial ability, when not prevented from doing so by the birth mother or others. We attempt to locate and contact birth fathers to see if they will voluntarily cooperate with the adoption and sign a consent or affidavit of nonpaternity.

For unmarried biological fathers who are located and will not cooperate, the Florida law has mandates that we serve them with a notice of the birth mother’s intended adoption plan. The notice gives the potential father a period of 30 days within which to indicate his intent to contest the adoption by taking certain specified actions which include that he register with the Putative Father Registry, file an affidavit with the court committing to certain obligations with respect to the child, and provide physical and financial support to the unborn child. If the unmarried biological father fails to timely complete the required actions, we seek a court determination that he has no rights to the child. If the unmarried biological father timely completes the required actions, he preserves his right to notice and his consent to the adoption is required as if he had been married to the birth mother or was otherwise established to be the child’s legal father. In such cases, his failure to provide financial support to the birth mother during her pregnancy remains a basis for the court to waive his consent and the judge will determine if he provided the pre-birth support necessary to veto an adoption. All placements are at-risk.

This means you may have to return the child should termination or finalization be denied by the court. Additionally, birth parents and legal parents have a period of 1 year to challenge termination of parental rights and any subsequent adoption, measured from the time the termination of parental rights order is entered. Arguments may be made to extend these time frames if there is fraud or other misconduct.

Pursuant to Florida law, the consent will be signed no sooner than 48 hours after delivery unless the birth mother is being discharged earlier by her doctor. With a c-section, the wait may be slightly longer as we must ensure that the birth mother is free of narcotic medication.

Whatever is agreed upon by you and the birth parent(s). It is common for birth parents to want to speak to the prospective adoptive parents on the phone, exchange letters and/or meet at lunch or the time of placement. Almost always, this face-to-face contact is limited to pre-birth and the hospital period, although some birth mothers request a baby dedication or one-time meeting shortly after birth. On-going contact after adoption through pictures and letters is required for a minimum of five years (unless waived by both parties) and in many cases, birth parents request eighteen years. This is done confidentially through the agency or Child Connect, so identifying information is not exchanged.

You should focus on being yourselves, letting the birth parents get to know you and establishing a comfort level. We want the birth parents to have concern and empathy for your situation, and for you to understand theirs. You should not be interrogative, ask for personal or confidential information or question medical history. If you have a question in this regard, let your adoption caseworker handle the matter.

Yes. Florida law permits adoptive parents the actual and reasonable living expenses during the pregnancy and up to a maximum of six weeks following delivery if the birth mother is unemployed, underemployed or suffering from a medically-diagnosed disability. This typically is handled through the agency.

The costs of adoption are wide-ranging, primarily depending on the birth mother’s living and medical expense needs. Generally, the costs range from $30,000 to as high as $40,000 or more even. You will be able to tell us your adoption budget so we can stay within your parameters.

In matched situations where an adoptive family has already identified birth parents, fees typically range from $7,000 to $13,000 depending on the extent services were provided.

In older child or sibling adoption situations, fees range based on services provided.

Yes, if you otherwise qualify under the IRS rules and regulations. These are two separate tax benefits.

Many adoptive parents are entitled to a federal adoption tax credit on their income tax obligations. Parents who adopted a child who has been determined to be special needs by the state or county child welfare agency can claim the maximum credit regardless of whether they have qualified adoption expenses at all. For other adoptions (other than stepparent adoptions, which are not eligible for the credit at all), parents can claim the credit for qualified adoption expenses up to the maximum amount of the credit in any given year.* So if a family has $5,000 in expenses for a private, non-special needs adoption, they can claim only that $5,000 not the maximum. Families who have expenses above the maximum can only claim the maximum. In all cases, how much a parent will actually receive in a given year depends on their tax liability as the credit is currently non-refundable (but it does carry forward). Please be aware that we are not versed in tax law and provide no advice or opinion regarding your eligibility for the tax credit. We encourage you to consult your own tax attorney, accountant, or other trusted tax advisor with any tax questions. You may also be interested in reviewing adoption credit materials found at [email protected] for a fuller discussion of tax related benefits for adoptive parents.

*The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2019-44 (a link is here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-19-44.pdf ) listing the Adoption Tax Credit adjusted numbers for 2020. The maximum amount allowed is set at $14,300 per child for 2020 (it was $14,080 in 2019). The tax credit starts to phase out for families with modified adjusted gross income in excess of $214,520, and is completely phased out for families with modified adjusted gross income of $254,520 or more.

These are monies that are collected from adoptive parents, they are included in your fee schedule. These monies are set aside for future adoptions to be used for various reasons, such as: a birthmother may need some assistance before an adoptive family is found, the agency may need to uncover some possible fraudulent adoption plans, or a baby may be born with unexpected special needs and may require additional medical care and services before a family is choosen or exceedes the family’s anticipated budget.

Check with your tax advisor, but generally in the year you accept placement of the child. If you do not yet have a social security number, an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number can be issued in the interim. You must complete IRS Form W-7A, which can be downloaded at www.irs.gov or you can call the IRS at 1-800-829-3676.

We have the birth mother sign a financial agreement, which obligates her to repay such monies if the match fails. In reality, very few birth mothers have the resources to do so. The financial agreement may allow you to write off such losses as a bad debt. In addition, you can pursue a judgment against the birth mother, which is valid in Florida for 20 years (and renewable for another 20). An attorney that specializes in creditors’ issues can then handle pursuit and enforcement of the judgment.

Most insurance companies in Florida are mandated by law to provide coverage for an adopted child. Coverage can exist from the moment of birth if the adoptive family agreed to the placement prior to the child’s birth. Additionally, federal laws, including the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 “OBRA ’93” (private employers) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 “HIPPA” (governmental employers), prohibit discrimination against adopted children. Therefore, health insurance coverage for adopted children is available to all families covered by group health plans at the time of placement, which is defined as the time when the adoptive family assumes financial responsibility for the child. Health insurance plans that are individual plans (not employer-sponsored) are not subject to federal regulation. If you are covered by an individual plan, you should check the laws of your state to determine your rights. We suggest that you contact your insurance company as soon as you have a match so that you can ensure your coverage is in place for the child’s birth.

In most situations, you will receive a lengthy family, social and medical history compiled by the birth mother, and sometimes the birth father. Where possible, we also obtain medical records from the OB/GYN and the hospital. If requested, we can obtain criminal records or other third party documents. We cannot guarantee the health or medical history of the baby.

Your “Dear Birth Parent” letter and family profile should include information you want your birth mother to know about you. The birth parents may also ask additional questions which will be answered with your approval. It is common, for example, for a birth mother to want to know the first name you select for the baby.

You should focus on being yourselves, letting the birth parents get to know you and establishing a comfort level. We want the birth parents to have concern and empathy for your situation, and for you to understand theirs. You should not be interrogative, ask for personal or confidential information or question medical history. If you have a question in this regard, let your adoption caseworker handle the matter.

We generally request HIV, drug screening, hepatitis and all the customary OB/GYN tests. Sonograms are also routinely done. You can usually request any other type of testing or additional sonograms, excluding amniocentesis which the doctors will only perform for a medical reason. There may be a charges associated with additional medical testing.

Most insurance companies in Florida are mandated by law to provide coverage for an adopted child. Coverage can exist from the moment of birth if the adoptive family agreed to the placement prior to the child’s birth. Additionally, federal laws, including the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 “OBRA ’93” (private employers) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 “HIPPA” (governmental employers), prohibit discrimination against adopted children. Therefore, health insurance coverage for adopted children is available to all families covered by group health plans at the time of placement, which is defined as the time when the adoptive family assumes financial responsibility for the child. Health insurance plans that are individual plans (not employer-sponsored) are not subject to federal regulation. If you are covered by an individual plan, you should check the laws of your state to determine your rights. We suggest that you contact your insurance company as soon as you have a match, so that you can ensure your coverage is in place for the child’s birth.

Once the adoption process is complete and you have welcomed your son or daughter home, make an appointment with your attorney to revise your Last Will and Testament. Having an up-to-date Will is important for all of your children whether they came to you through birth or adoption.

There are many reasons why parents should have a current Will. Two of the most important reasons involve naming your children as beneficiaries of your estate and appointing their guardians. Although most states treat adopted children the same as birth children, it is best to specifically identify your adopted child(ren) as a beneficiary of your estate. Making the decision to appoint a guardian for the child is important, and be sure to name someone as conservator of the child’s property. A Will is the only place you can make these designations. If you fail to designate someone to act in these capacities, the Court will make the determination for you.

The ICPC offers safeguards to all parties involved in the adoption, especially the child.

The ICWA is a federal law that was enacted in 1978 to protect American Indian children who are members of or eligible for membership in an Indian tribe from being placed for adoption with non-Indian families. The ICWA allows for a tribe to intervene in a termination of parental rights proceeding and, in some cases, allows for jurisdiction to be transferred to the tribe. In order to determine that a child placed for adoption does not fall within the ICWA, we request information from the birth parents as to whether they, or their relatives, are eligible for tribal membership. In order to comply with the ICWA, we must contact any tribe that the birth parents indicate may have an interest in the child. In most cases, the child does not qualify for tribal membership and the tribe responds that it has no intention to intervene in the placement. An adoptive placement that involves a child with American Indian heritage is at risk until such time as the tribe indicates that it has no intention to intervene and until the birth parents’ rights are terminated.

The ICPC is a uniform law drafted in the 1950’s, which today has been enacted in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ICPC contains 10 articles which establish the procedures for interstate placements and assign responsibilities for all parties involved in placing a child for adoption. The ICPC applies only to children who are placed for adoption across state lines, but not to placements made with a parent, stepparent, grandparent, or other close adult relatives.

ICPC typically requires the submission of your baby’s medical records so only when these items become available can the ICPC package be completed and sent. Once the ICPC paperwork has been submitted, it takes an average of 7–10 business days to process. This is an average time frame and some ICPC offices can take longer. Adoptive families should make the necessary arrangements to stay in the state for at least 2 weeks. Only one parent must stay with the child or foster care can be arranged if necessary.

Adoptive families will be notified immediately upon ICPC approval. We need to know where you are at all times during this wait and have as many contact numbers as possible. Clearance for you to return home MUST be received by you from our office, not your home study agency or the ICPC offices of your home state.

We understand the adoptive family’s desire to get back to their home and share their excitement and joy with family and friends as quickly as possible. We encourage you to use the time to bond with your newest family member during the ICPC process. Looking at the clock or counting the days that have passed will only make the wait seem longer. We will endeavor to minimize your wait. However, the wait for ICPC approval is generally out of the control of the agency or your attorney. You will be contacted only when ICPC approval has been given. Until that time, we appreciate your patience and understanding and ask that you refrain from contacting the agency or your attorney to see if ICPC approval has been granted. These requests are not favored by the Florida ICPC office.

Important! ICPC offices process each placement in the order they receive them. Adoptive families should NOT contact us to check the status of their placement. Both the agency and the ICPC offices use the fastest means of communication whenever possible including e-mail, phones, fax and express mail service. Adoptive families will be notified immediately upon ICPC approval. We need to know where you are at all times during this wait and have as many contact numbers as possible. Clearance for you to return home MUST be received by you from our office, not your home study agency or the ICPC offices of your home state.

We apply for the birth certificate after finalization of the adoption, and it usually takes 4 – 6 weeks thereafter to obtain.

Not until the adoption is finalized and you receive the birth certificate. You can then apply for one at your local office.

An intervention is the legal process triggered when a birth parent is placing a child in foster care for adoption through a private agency, even when the child is under the jurisdiction of the dependency court. The birth parent has this right as long as no final judgment of termination of parental rights has been entered.

There is a significant amount of legal work that goes into an intervention case. In addition, coordination of services between the dependency (foster care) program and the private entity must occur to ensure all aspects of the situation have been evaluated and the law followed.

The legislature has given priority to these kinds of cases but the time frame can vary based on factors such as the court’s docket, hearings already scheduled, requests by the court and bonding assessments that may need to be completed. We also must have an approved home study for the intended adoptive family to file with the court when the Petition for Intervention is submitted. Once the intervention hearing occurs, there may be a transition plan if the child is approved for placement with the adoptive family

Possible people that can be involved in the intervention process include but are not limited to: The birth parent(s), attorney for the birth parent(s) through the dependency system, possibly a Guardian ad Litem and the Guardian ad Litem attorney, caseworker and/or caseworker supervisor through the dependency program, current foster family the child is placed with may/may not be involved in the transition plan. Various transition specialists, i.e. counselor, PT, OT, PT, etc. can also be involved. Your caseworker and agency attorney will also be involved.

No. At least one parent has to be in agreement and willing to sign a voluntary consent for adoption to initiate the intervention process.

Yes, we will provide redacted documents that provide social, medical, and/or abuse history. We do not always have this at the beginning of the case, but will provide it to you as it becomes available to us.

Once the intervention has been approved and the transition plan (if any) is complete, placement can occur. You will need to then follow ICPC guidelines (see above for reference) before returning to your state of residence if it is not Florida.

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418 West Platt Street,
Suite A Tampa,
Florida 33606
Ph: 813-258-6505 | Contact

NAPLES

1000 Tamiami Trail N.,
Suite 501, Naples,
Florida 34102
Ph: 239-594-2830 | Contact

ORLANDO

1604 South Bumby Ave.,
Orlando,
Florida 32806
Ph: 407-898-8280 | Contact

COCONUT CREEK

4580 Briarcliff Lane,
Coconut Creek,
Florida 33066
Ph: 800-GO-ADOPT | Contact

MERRITT ISLAND

360 Tangerine Ave.
Merritt Island,
Florida 32953
Ph: 321-301-4545 | Contact