What Age Do I Have to Be to Go Through The Adoption Process?
By Rose O’Connor
When you face an unplanned pregnancy, it can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what your options are. Firstly, it is your choice to choose an option that feels the most comfortable to you. One of those options you may have chosen is adoption. You may be asking yourself how to put a child up for adoption. That is why Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to help you every step of the way.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
What is The Adoption Process, and What Are The Main Steps?
The adoption process is a step-by-step guide when you are placing your baby for adoption. Moreover, it gives more in-depth of who you will be working with and what tasks you will be doing. Here are the detailed steps:
Step 1: Contact Adoption Choices of Colorado
You can contact us in any form that is convenient for you. These forms can include a phone call, video chat, or in person!
Step 2. Schedule a Meeting With an Adoption Specialist
When you meet with an adoption specialist, together you will go over your specific needs. Then, you will complete the important paperwork. You will then create an adoption plan. An adoption plan is a personalized and customized outline for you and your baby. You get to decide on the provided topics that need to be addressed within the process.
Step 3: Review Specific Needs Assistance
We want to make sure you are supported through us at Adoption Choices of Colorado. Moreover, our agency will provide living expenses (court-approved) if you need further assistance. Additionally, we fully help you look for assistance in taking care of medical expenses.
Step 4: Reviewing Family Profiles and Choosing an Adoptive Family
At Adoption Choices of Colorado, your adoption specialist will assist you with finding an adoptive family when choosing adoption in Aurora. Therefore, you are able to choose a family that fits your needs. We will show you a variety of family profiles that have been carefully screened through us!
Step 5: Making a Hospital Plan
A hospital list is a personalized outline that details what you want or does not want during your stay at the hospital. Therefore, when you create one prior to going into labor, it will help you feel more prepared. It also gives a better understanding of your adoption specialist and your adoptive family.
Step 6: Post-Placement Support
We understand how emotional this process can be. That is why Adoption Choices of Colorado offers post-placement counseling. We want you to have a good support system with us, and we want to make sure you are comfortable with the post-adoption journey.
Our Adoption Agency Will Advocate for You Regardless of Your Age
There is no such thing as being “too old” or “too young” when you are placing your baby for adoption. Moreover, there is no cutoff age! When you choose Adoption in Colorado, we make sure to offer you all of the support, regardless of your age. Adoption Choices of Colorado is a fully licensed private adoption agency. We will advocate for you and your child’s needs. You have the right to be involved in every aspect of your adoption journey! Overall, what matters most is finding a nurturing and loving home for your child and guiding you through your journey,
The Available Resources to You Before, During, and After Your Adoption Journey
Adoption in Colorado offers many great resources for you and your child! When you choose adoption, you are offered medical, financial, and post-placement support assistance. In fact, you are offered these resources before, during, and after your adoption journey. Here is a more detailed insight into those factors.
Insurance Assistance: Since Prenatal care and the delivery process is often covered by government-issued medical insurance. You will be offered this assistance first. Moreover, the adoptive parents are responsible for the baby’s medical and health coverage once the baby is born. Therefore, all you have to do is to sign the placement papers in order to make this happen.
Medical Assistance: Since major fees, such as legal and medical fees, can add up quickly, it can be very overwhelming. This can be given by the fact that you may have initial stress of going through the process, And thinking about fees can add more stress in the process. However, you do not need to worry because Adoption Choices of Colorado will cover you. Any out-of-pocket expenses that are not covered through your health insurance will be taken care of through your chosen adoptive parents.
Housing Assistance: If you need further assistance in housing when choosing adoption, we will do our best to assist you with that. Moreover, we will make sure that we offer the healthiest and safest environment for you and your child. Overall, we want to make sure you are comfortable and safe in your place.
Financial Adoption Assistance: Finances can put more stress on an individual, especially if they have enough on their mind. That is why our agency will offer resources to help take some stress away.
Post-Adoption Service: When you choose adoption through Adoption Choices of Colorado, you will be assisted with post-placement services or resources. Additionally, this includes counseling, therapy, support groups, and many more. We also have post-placement counseling services that are available to help you put together a customized plan for you and you only! Overall, we are here to help you.
A Message for You When Choosing Adoption
You are not alone in your journey. Going through an unplanned pregnancy can be scary and overwhelming. That is why Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to help you every step of the way. We will make sure that we provide support to your specific needs. We will offer you additional resources to help you further into your journey.
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!