Birth Mother Adoption Bill of Rights for a Colorado Adoption
The decision to pursue Colorado adoption is life-changing, and it is a choice that is not easy to make. However, choosing adoption, whether you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy or not, can be rewarding, especially if you understand the type of future you want. Adoption is a choice you should make solely based on your own judgment because the choice you make will determine the future you will live. As daunting as it sounds, you don’t have to make these decisions alone. In fact, you should make these decisions about your future with as much information as you can get.
At Adoption Choices of Colorado. we understand how difficult it can be to decide to put your child up for adoption and navigate the nuances of the adoption process. We also understand how complicated the process of adoption can be. As such, our staff is willing to help you understand each step of the process so that you can make the best, informed decisions about your future and the future of your baby.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
Colorado Adoption
The process of adoption first begins with you making the decision. You may be wondering, how do you know adoption is right for you? Adoption, first and foremost, is a choice made out of love. Thus, if you are in a situation where you know you cannot take care of your child, whether it be because of your financial situation or because you’re not ready to become a mother, that is a good indicator that adoption may be right for you.
After making the decision, you should get into contact with Adoption Choices of Colorado, who will be able to answer any questions and hesitations you may have about adoption. Once you get into contact, a birth parent counselor will work closely with you to help you create an adoption plan and a hospital/birth plan. Creating an adoption plan will help you map out exactly what you want.
Once you have figured out the details of your future, you can begin looking at family profiles for your baby. This is one of the most important steps of the process because this is where you will shape the future of your baby and their prospective family. Before you make any final decisions, you should consider whether or not you want your child to have siblings or if you want your baby. These are just some of the nuances you should consider when looking at a family profile. While considering these details, you can rest assured that all the families have completed a home study and many background checks.
Once you have made a choice, you will have an opportunity to get to know the family, and you can get in contact with the family through phone calls, video chats, and even face-to-face meetings. Getting familiar with the family that will raise your child can be extremely healthy and beneficial not only for your child but for you as well.
Understanding Your Rights as a Birth Mother
You have finalized an adoption plan and have chosen a family for your child. The last part of the process is to wait for your delivery date. Once you have delivered your baby, you have to wait between 48-72 hours until you can sign the adoption paperwork. Once you have signed the paperwork, you will have officially relinquished your rights as a legal parent. What this means is that you will no longer be able to make decisions about your child. You will not be able to make decisions about their education or their health care. While this may be a disconcerting thought initially, understand that the family you have chosen will love your child and take care of them to the best of their ability.
Furthermore, when you voluntarily relinquish your parental rights, you may be the only parent to do so if the father signs a statement that denies his paternity. As a result of this, the adoption process may happen faster because less paperwork is needed. If the father is involved, consent from both parents must be established before the adoption process. Consent to adoption can only be revoked within 90 days if the parent can show that consent was given under duress or fraud.
Adoption Paperwork
While your birth parent counselor will largely guide the process of adoption, it is still beneficial for you to understand as much of the process as possible. One of the key components of the adoption is the paperwork, but it can be complicated. Some of the documents needed for adoption are your medical history forms, planning documents, and consent forms.
It may seem overwhelming, but your birth parent counselor will help you get all the necessary documents so that your Colorado adoption will be as smooth as possible. What you should keep in mind is that every adoption process is different, so the paperwork you need may vary. It’s also important to understand that you are honest with your birth parent counselor, especially if you are unsure about certain paperwork. Your birth parent counselor will be understanding and will work to ensure that you understand all of your options during the adoption process.
Reaching Out to an Adoption Agency Near You
Understanding all the nuances in the legal paperwork and general paperwork needed for adoption can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. With a good support system and a birth parent counselor who can guide you, you can take a lot of weight off of your shoulders. At Adoption Choices of Colorado, our staff is more than willing to help you.
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.
Meet the author: Victoria is a sophomore at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and she is currently a Literature, Media, and Communications major. She currently runs her own blog, where she shares her poetry and creative writing projects. When she is not working or studying for school, she is often reading or writing, as she seeks to pursue a career in writing.
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!