What if I Don’t Want Any Support Through the Adoption Process?
By Talia Washington
Support, whether it be financial, emotional, medical, or transportation, is optional and completely free for birth mothers.
Adoption Choices of Colorado wants our birth mothers stress-free before, during, and post-adoption. Programs, including housing, financial, medical, and mental health counseling, are available for women post-adoption.
Assistance from the adoption agency can used alongside a strong support system or the primary source of support. Adoption Choices of Colorado understands that birth families may refuse support from the adoption agency for many reasons.
So what if you don’t want support after the adoption process?
Am I Required to Accept Post-Adoption Support?
Dealing with unplanned pregnancy, adoption processes, and trial hearings is not easy for any party involved. The stress of the process alone could be draining, without the mention of stresses afterward. Some birth mothers are without support systems, so being the sole provider and out of work could be devastating.
Adoption Choices of Colorado understands assistance programs are placed to ensure the mental, physical, and financial stability of birth mothers. Our only goal is to ensure the comfort of the birth mother after braving the adoption process. Counseling is offered to birth mothers as a healthy coping mechanism but is not required.
Adoption agencies in Colorado will never force, coerce, or badger anyone to accept post-adoption support.
Why Birth Mothers in Colorado Decline or Accept Financial Assistance
The conclusion of the adoption process means birth mothers adjusting and healing post-adoption. This process usually puts women out of work, leaving some without a stable income. Lack of income and necessities are where Colorado adoption agencies are more than happy to help. The financial assistance programs are for mothers in need of food, shelter, or general aid.
Birth mothers with open adoption may have the support of the adoptive family based on their ideal plan. Women with support systems and stable finances are more likely to opt out of monetary assistance. Other women may refuse support to show concern for birth mothers in ‘worse’ conditions.
Adoption Choices of Colorado support programs supply aid to help all birth mothers. The resources are for birth mothers, so never feel guilty for needing help after such a daunting adoption process. You will never be forced to accept financial assistance, and it’s thoughtful to consider limited resources for adoption in Colorado.
Adoption Choices of Colorado encourages financial assistance for birth mothers but are never pressured into accepting or denying. Even if you initially refused, you can always reach out and request resources.
Why Some Women Decide Against Assistance with Medical Care
Childbirth is not easy. The strain pregnancy places on the human body calls for medical assistance. Hospital stays, delivery charges, and similar things contribute to the medical bills. While insurance may cover some bills, the cost of being healthy can be overwhelming.
Medical expenses can be covered by insurance in some cases. If the insurance covers most of the cost, the birth mother may not need support. This is considered the best-case scenario when declining medical expense assistance. Adoption agencies in Colorado want to ensure the health and safety of birth mothers. In other instances, the adoptive parents and/or adoption agency contribute.
Expenses regarding medical procedures can be wholly or partially covered by Adoption Choices of Colorado. Recovery looks different for each mother, and Colorado adoption agencies are here to help.
Housing and Transportation Post-Adoption
Support systems are incredibly helpful during the time after the adoption process. Women dealing with post-adoption alone may not have access to resources like housing or transportation. For many birth mothers, an unplanned pregnancy costs them their home.
Birth mothers may not be able to afford reliable transportation due to finances after giving birth. The lack of transportation can affect prompt and convenient medical care, quality of life, and mental health. Women may need to commute to counseling,
Adoption agencies in Colorado intend to care for birth mothers the same as the child. The adoption agency will only support birth mothers in ways deemed acceptable. While the Colorado adoption agencies encourage accepting aid, women are not required to accept resources.
I Don’t Need Assistance, I’m Looking into Adoption
Adoption Choices of Colorado understands that birth mothers are strong, intelligent, courageous people who have overcome complicated and life-changing circumstances. Conquering pregnancies, adoption, and the aftermath is something that requires true strength, and the decisions birth mothers make are respected.
If you are a woman dealing with an unplanned pregnancy and considering adoption, you have made it to the right place. Considering adoption for my baby is a complex and important decision. Support comes in many forms to make Colorado adoption and adoption education smooth and effective. You have support; if you have questions on how to give the baby up for adoption, contact us.
Visit Adoption Choices of Colorado, and we will work with you to create the most effective and comfortable birth plan.
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!