Interstate Adoptions Program and Registration Page
Very sadly many, many people have related tragic stories to them about their failed attempts to adopt children through the Florida State foster care system. Although others have succeeded in adoption after fostering several children, most repeat a variation of the following issues about their negative experiences in Florida. Fortunately, our Interstate Adoption Program prevents or reduces many of these Florida based problems as explained below.
Reason #1
Adopting parents report how discouraged they were in attending the Florida 30 hour required MAPPs course as it is not geared to adoption but to fostering children only. Then, if they missed even one class for unavoidable reasons they could not easily make it up and did not graduate. Often the course they signed up for was suddenly canceled for lack of attendance and then they had to wait many months for the next course. Interstate requirements vary but are generally more tolerant about the educational requirements and often allow for substitutions by internet long distance education, which is much easier to accomplish. However, if you have already completed the MAPPs course, usually there are no additional courses needed.
Reason #2
In Florida the process has been called Foster to Adopt; however, due to lawsuits and legal challenges, the state has recently advised agencies not to use those terms. People have interpreted this foster to adopt to mean a symbolic rent to own, where if you pay the lease payments, then you can have the car. Basically, this means, if you take care of the children, you will have a possibility to adopt the children that are living in your home, whom you love, and with whom you have bonded. Interstate regulations do NOT allow cross state fostering and so any and all placements are only for adoption and permanent placement purposes, and never for fostering. In other words, if you are selected for a child, or children, there is a certainty that the placement will be concluded with an adoption finalization unless the placement does not work out for you and the child.
Reason #3
Parents repeatedly report how the very children who have been in their home for months or years have been suddenly removed by the DCF or Florida Agency without legal recourse to get them back, despite the bonding, healthy parenting reports, and no complaints. In Florida, only 15% of the children on the Heart Gallery are available for adoption since the parents’ rights are not yet terminated. Florida most often defaults to any extended family member as they have rights of first refusal with priority over any foster parent. The process does not seem to consider the possibility that the foster parents are more capable, or the child is bonded to the foster parents and wants to stay with them. This ruling sometimes seems to disregard the best interests of the child in an effort to honor the blood line. That is why people often talk about the 4 heart break rule, where you seem to have to foster 4 children before you get to adopt one…with the attendant grief and dislocation to your family. In the Interstate Adoption Program, the child will not be removed from your home due to parental rights, as the sending state must always have the parental rights of the child terminated without appeal, and they also must have ruled out any possible extended family member wanting the child so all placements are final, solely based on the best interests of the child or children.
Reason #4
People complain that in fostering, the agency never releases all the information on the child they are inquiring about as the prospective parents are only fostering and the agency is not mandated to share all of the data in an effort to protect the child. The agency states that it is on a need-to-know basis, but the people do not get the critical information they need about the health and potential hazards. In the past, this has included pertinent information about sexual predatation or violence, which may create a dangerous situation for the adopting family and emotionally traps them to adopt a child that they may not have been prepared to handle. Interstate regulations mandate that ALL information is released by the sending state agency to the receiving state agency (which would be Hope For Families). Florida regulations state that in the process of adoption, all Florida agencies must release all information to adopting parents. In other words, the sending state MUST release ALL information to us about a child before placement, and we MUST release all information to you before placement. Therefore you will get ALL the information available on the child or children before you make your decision to adopt them and have them in your home, which is completely opposite to the fostering system.
Reason #5
Often in Florida, the children are placed in your home to foster with little information or choice on your part, and many people have stated that they have felt pressured by the system to take children that they were not ready to care for. Many parents complain that they end up dealing with adoption authorities that may not treat them fairly. In our Interstate program, we give you 120 plus websites with photo listings for you to select your own inquiries. Then the process will provide increasingly more information on the child so that you can make a careful decision before committing to the child or being pressured to take a child. With our Interstate Adoption Program, we represent you throughout the entire process in a very compassionate and professional manner.
Interstate adoption assists needy children without parents find permanent loving families!
In 2009, there are about 600,000 children in the US foster system and approximately 140,000 children are available for adoption at any time. You can begin to search for children at a link we will provide for you, but you will need to register for the program information first in order to utilize Hope for Families as your receiving agency. There are strict rules designed to protect the safety of children that restrict the release of information to private citizens, and the various state agencies will only give you the child’s information, and consider you for adoption if you are working with another local licensed adoption agency. We hope you understand why this information is not readily available to the public.
· Caucasian, Hispanic, Afro-American, Asian or bi-racial ethnicity
· Children are usually 4 years of age and older
· Semi-open adoptions typical
· Children of either gender
· Sibling sets are often possible
· Search 48 States for children
Interstate adoption is the lowest cost adoption option!
- Hope for Families is a non profit, licensed child placing adoption agency in Florida
- We always answer your call or email
- Professional yet compassionate service
- Children of all races available for adoption
- Children usually have received counseling
- Children have been monitored and cared for by licensed foster care workers
- Medical reports given before commitment
- Referrals of children have already had the birth parents rights terminated
- Adoption from other states for safety
- Wide variety of adoptable children
- Adopting parents select their child
- Numerous websites to search for kids
Interstate adoptions helps our own children right here in the United States…charity begins at home!
How can we leave our children in foster home without the emotional support of a permanent loving family and the essentials of live? Adopting these dear children is simply saving a child from a horrible life of emotional deprivation. Adoption is God’s idea and at great cost, Christ has adopted all of us into His forever family to save us from hell…can we do less for these dear children???"
Lynn and I have visited many hundreds of families for their post placement assessments after they have adopted children from foster homes. We are happy to report that nearly everyone has been delighted with the placement of their adopted children. Parents regularly insist that, despite the difficulties, they would do it all over again with no regrets. Everyone that we have helped in this form of adoption has asserted that their child is loved and now an integral part of their family.
Adopting from foster care:
Our Interstate Adoption program is designed to assist you in adopting children who need a loving, permanent family right here in the United States. This is an amazing adoption opportunity as there are about 600,000 children in the US foster system and approximately 140,000 children are available for adoption at any time. You can begin to search for children at www.adoptuskids.org but you will need to join our program first in order to register Hope for Families as your receiving agency. There are strict rules designed to protect the safety of children that restrict the release of information to private citizens, and the various state agencies will only give you the child’s information, and consider you for adoption if you are working with another local licensed adoption agency.
Mission of Hope for Families:
Our goal is to make the whole adoption process a positive experience supporting you to quickly become adoptive parents!
As a Florida licensed non-profit Child Placing Adoption Agency #19-3363-000-09 is certified to complete domestic adoptions. The purpose of Hope for Families is to assist loving, stable parents fulfill their dream of a permanent family by adopting children who are living in foster care in the United States.
Domestic Requirements vary State to State but usually are:
Both married couples can adopt, with few age restrictions, other than younger than 65 years and older than 21 years, with less than 50 years difference to the child. No more than three previous divorces are acceptable and parents must not have a major criminal record although we will review every situation. Applicants must not have a major life threatening medical illness or severe mental health diagnoses at the time of the application. Household income must at least $30,000 or more. At least one of the adoptive parents must be a U.S. Citizen or have permanent US resident status.
The first step is to have us complete your adoption home study, take a parenting course, along with signing our Interstate Adoption Review Contract so that you can begin receiving detailed information about the children you select within the foster system in other states outside of Florida. The Interstate Compact and State where the child lives will require you to have a licensed agency as your receiving agency so that we can assist you in receiving, assessing and reviewing the confidential information about the children you are interested in adopting and coordinate with the Sending Agency for child placement.
Interstate adoption is the lowest cost adoption option!
Friends of the Adopting,
Dr. Ken and Lynn Brown
“Let the little children come unto me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14
Professional Service…
Hope for Families has a tremendous team of experienced staff, including social workers, case managers, coordinating agencies and attorneys with unique talent, education, and experience that will make every effort to remove anxiety and stress from your adoption experience. We will assist with all aspects of the adoption including the home study and post placement so that you can quickly fulfill your dream of completing your own permanent family! We have a heart for adoption and consider it an honor to serve adopting parents through out the adoption.
Several componants are included in the Interstate Adoption Program. There are a number of "third party" fees that are required either by state or federal laws and may also include attorneys' fees. In this program you will have up front costs of $7,500 to $9,000 which include the adoptive service fees and home study. Any related travel expenses may be additional. However, after the Federal Adoption Tax Credit of $11,800, there is usually NO net cost to the adoptive family.
The Sending State generally pays for post placements visits and reports, legal’s, interstate compact, finalization, and most often all medicals of the child until finalization.
Through registration of interest in this program, you will receive special links to full written disclosures for the program together with all forms, program agreement and detailed information laying out costs and associated expenses for this type of adoption. You will be given a link to view the eligible children for this program. You may call co-founder, Lynn Brown at cell 772-538-4112 to be prequalified for the adoption program of your choice, or you may register at the link below.
This inquiry does not oblige you to use Hope For Families Adoption and Counseling. But it will provide you with useful information in your search and we hope that you will consider us as your agency in this wonderful life changing event. Please click HERE to inquire for this program and receive the disclosures and associated costs.
It is the mission of HOPE FOR FAMILIES ADOPTION HOME STUDY Agency to fully inform you so that you can make the best adoption choices for your vision of family and life circumstances. After considering the previous information, please request information or ask us specific adoption questions by clicking on the link below so we can help you
There is Hope For Families!
Thank You and please feel free to Contact Us by Email or
call at (772) 429-3334 or TOLL FREE (866) 773-3334
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