What Sets Adoption Choices of Colorado Apart from Other Adoption Agencies?
By Blessing E. Ikhimokpa
For birth mothers deciding to place their birth child up for adoption. They’re probably looking for an adoption agency in their area. Or an adoption agency in general. There are two types of adoption agencies when it comes to location. Birth mothers can choose local or national, where local is the state and the cities in that state. While national is the entire country. When it comes to the types of adoption agencies, there are two, a public and a private Adoption agency. Our agency, Adoption Choices of Colorado, is a private adoption agency where the birth parent (s) get to decide what they would like. For their adoption process.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
How are Adoption Choices of Colorado Different from Other Agencies in Colorado?
Since our agency is a private adoption agency. The birth parent (s) are in control of their experience. This means they get to decide:
- The adoption type they’d like
- The Adoptive parent (s) they want for the birth child
- Where the adoptive parent (s) live
- Whether the adoptive parent (s) are single, married, or widowed. Or part of the LGBTQ+ community
- The hospital/birth plan
Adoption Choices of Colorado is a non-profit organization compared to other adoption agencies. Which means we’re not providing help for the money. We’re providing help because we want to help birth mothers who are Pregnant and considering adoption. Or is considering adoption after the birth child has already been born.
When it comes to our agency, we treat last-minute adoptions the same as regular adoption. There is no time limit when it comes to placing your birth child up for adoption. At any time during the birth child’s life. The birth mother could decide if they want to place their birth child up for adoption. It’s not anything the birth child did that made the birth mother decide. it’s birth mother decides they don’t want to take care of the birth child anymore.
What do Adoption Choices of Colorado’s Adoption Process Look Like?
At our agency, we have adoption agents and adoption counselors. That will help the birth parent (s) who are considering adoption after the birth parent (s) have told the adoption agent of their plans to place their birth child up for adoption. Then, the adoption agent will tell them they should create an adoption plan.
The steps of the adoption plan are:
- 1st: Contact an adoption agency
- 2nd: Create an adoption plan
- 3rd: Decide whether they’d like an open, semi-open, or closed adoption
- 4th: Create a hospital/birth plan
- 5th: Decide if they want to continue to receive counseling after the adoption is complete
For birth parent (s) that want a local Adoption agency. They can visit Denver Adoption for the birth parent (s) that live in Denver.
What Does Open, Semi-Open, and Closed Adoption Look Like in Colorado?
In Colorado, the birth parent (s) can choose from an open, semi-open, and closed adoption. Which is similar to other states. Birth parent (s) choose open adoption because they’d like to keep in touch. Keep an eye out on the birth child without needing the parental side. This is for the birth parent (s) that would like to:
- Call
- Send messages
- Send photos
- Send emails
- Visit sometimes
But this can only happen if it’s agreed upon between both the adoptive parent (s) and the birth parent (s). In an open adoption, the adoptive parent (s) can be in the room during the birth. While also being able to see the birth child after they have been born.
Semi-open adoption is for the birth parent (s) that don’t want to share contact information with the adoptive parent (s). Which means they won’t be able to keep tabs on the birth child. While only being able to send photos back and forth. Hence, the name. The birth parent (s) have chosen to keep some form of contact. But not all.
Finally, with closed adoption. This is for the birth parent (s) that have decided to take a step back. Let the adoption agency handle everything while the birth parent (s) do them when it comes to sharing contact information, visiting the birth child, or having a relationship. The birth parent (s) don’t want any of that. Even before the adoption agreement is signed and the birth parent (s) have the option to spend time with the birth child. The birth parent (s) would rather the adoptive parent (s) spend time with the birth child instead.
What Services Does Adoption Choices of Colorado offer?
Our agency provides birth parent (s) with:
- Financial assistance includes:
- Medical and legal fees
- Insurance help
- Free adoption counseling during the pregnancy and after
- Housing for eligible pregnant birth mothers
You don’t have to feel like you’re in this alone. Our agency is here to help. 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!