Adoption Facts in Colorado
By Tyra Watts
Adoption is a practice that is common in the United States. Birth mothers have the right to choose adoption, as it is one of the three unplanned pregnancy options, with the other two being the termination of pregnancy and parenting. By placing your baby for adoption, your child is placed in a safe and loving home in which they can grow and thrive. If you are interested in adoption, then you should stick around. In this article, Adoption Choices of Colorado will cover eight facts about adoption. This can help you determine whether or not adoption is the right choice for you.
8 Facts About Adoption in Colorado
As stated earlier, Adoption Choices of Colorado will go over eight facts about Adoption in Colorado. You need to know about these facts because this can help you, the birth mother, gain clarity on adoption and how it is done in the state of Colorado.
1. We Provide Adoption Services for Birth Mothers
Adoption agencies in Colorado provide a multitude of services for birth mothers during their adoption process. We have adoption resources that are eligible can help you. We help cover pregnancy expenses like rent, utilities, and food, as well as medical assistance and prenatal care.
2. You Are In Control of Your Adoption Plan
Not only do you have the right to place your child for adoption, but you are also in control of your adoption plan. You can choose the adoptive family, the type of adoption you want, and your hospital plan. The hospital plan includes who you want present when you give birth and during your hospital stay.
3. There Are Three Types of Adoption
As previously stated, there are three types of adoption that you can choose from: open adoption, closed adoption, and semi-open adoption. Some birth mothers prefer open adoption because it allows for communication with the adoptive family. After the adoption is finalized, there may be a visit or email about the child’s progress. On the other hand, a closed adoption is when the birth mother and the adoptive family have no communication with each other. The adoption is mainly controlled by the adoption agency. Not much information between the birth mother and adoptive family is shared. Lastly, a semi-open adoption is in the middle of open and closed adoptions. It is when the interaction between the birth mother and the adoptive family is facilitated by the adoption agency. When it comes to the type of adoption, it is important to take into consideration your needs as well as the child’s needs.
4. We Have Plenty of Adoption Agencies in Colorado
In the state of Colorado, we have plenty of adoption agencies. Whether they are Christian adoption agencies or an adoption agency in Denver, each adoption agency has a wonderful staff of employees that can assist you with your needs. We have adoption agencies in Boulder, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Brighton, Ft. Collins, Greely, Lakewood, Longmont, Thornton, Westminster, and Wheatridge.
5. We Have Post-Placement Support
After the adoption has been finalized, we will provide post-placement support for you at no cost. You can join a Birth Mother Support Group if you are feeling lonely and in need of help or a support counselor that will be there for you as long as you need it. As an adoption agency, we know how hard it is to place your child for adoption. We want to do our best to be by your side.
6. You Can Place Your Child for Adoption if They’re Already Born
If you have a newborn or young child and you would like to place them for adoption, we are here to help! It is never too late to be considering adoption. We can help you with your adoption plan, selecting an adoptive family, and having an open or closed adoption. One of our biggest priorities is the child, and we want them to be under the care of a good adoptive family.
7. You Do Not Have to Appear in Court to Give Your Consent
When the adoption process is finalized, there’s usually a court date held for you to give up your parental rights and transfer them to the adoptive family. However, in Colorado, you do not have to relinquish your parenting rights in front of the court as long as the child is under one year old. If the child is over one year old, then you are required to go to court.
8. Adoptive Parents Are Required to Update You on The Child
Our adoption agencies require adoptive parents to be open to sending pictures or letters to the birth mother regarding their child at least once a year until the child reaches the age of eighteen. You can also send the adoptive family letters and pictures that are for the baby through the adoption agency.
We At Adoption Choice of Colorado Are Here To Help!
As the birth mother, if you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!