Adoption
poll: the proximity of your agency
hi all! Hope you had a really fabulous weekend!
I have been starting to gather more and more information about agencies. Even though we are far from making a decision at this point, i am curious as to how close your agency is? Do you work with someone local? Or is your agency a few hours or a few states away?
I spoke with someone on the phone friday, and really clicked with her, and she is sending a package of information too. They are clear across NY, about 5 hours away. They use SW in our area too, but i just wonder what all of your experiences have been? Or if in the process, what you are doing?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: poll: the proximity of your agency
Our agency HQ is about two hours away- we've never been. They also have an office at the end of our block which is 99% just for BMs, we talked to someone there and they have a SW in the area too. Our agency also works with most of New England, so they work with lots of people out of state.
We were willing to work with one out of state we just wanted to be sure they were licensed in our state so that we didn't have to get a lawyer as well.
We looked at agencies close to us and far from us. In the end we selected an agency that met all of the 'important' needs of ours (which did not include proximity). They are based in KS but licensed in about 10 states including NJ - which means they can do their own home studies and they are can also work with BM from ALL states. They do not have a local office here in NJ.
Having a local office was not important to us. I'm not sure why it would be? Our BM could be from ANY state - so it isn't like we would go and pick up your baby or meet with our BM at a 'local office' necessarily. All paperwork is fed-exed overnight by them to us or through fax. All emails and phone calls are returned same day or next day (in case of a weekend or holiday). We have direct access via cell phone with our "adoptive parent" SW for when we are matched, we will also have access to the BM's SW at time of match.
I think unless you are ONLY open to BM from the state you live in for DA then I'm not really sure why a local office is important unless you feel there are questions or paperwork that you could not do as well from your home than by sitting in an office.
You have to go with what you are comfortable with but I guess with I would make a list of why it is important to have them be close, then see if those items can be mitigated in some way.
Our facilitator's office was about 1 and 15 minutes away. We had to go there three times as well as our social worker's office which was about the same distance. We had to go there 2 times.
The agency was used was actually about 15 hours away from us. We actually had to travel 12 hours to pick up our son. They had a main office in Dallas, but had other small offices around the state. We used one of those. We also looked at agencies in Utah, Washington State, and Oklahoma because of the fact that as soon as birth parents sign their TPR 48-72 hours after the birth, then they can't change their mind. In the state I live in, the BM has 10 days and in some states as many as 30 days and I couldn't handle that.
Good Luck!
We have not picked an agency just yet.
Amie
Our agency is about 20 minutes away from us. We didn't really look out of state because we have a few good agencies right in our county and we've learned that the county we live in is very adoption friendly, so there was no need to look beyond. Our SW works out of our agency HQ and our classes and home-study meetings will be there, so it's convenient for us.
The only upside I've found to adopting from your own state is that you only have one set of laws to adhere to. Interstate adoption can be slightly trickier as far as satisfying the laws of both states, but I would think this is really not that big a deal, and I'm sure adoption lawyers are used to dealing with this all the time.
I'd just choose the agency that's right for you, and then you and your SW can worry about logistics.
3 out of 4 dead babies agree! pepsi is better than coke! - EdithBouvierBeale
Lordy. Grow some balls and stop lurking. It's like stealing from the internet. Jesuschrist. -- AudreyHorne
I hate love and marriage. I got married so I could destroy these things from the inside. - NoisyPenguin
It's a good thing my circle of trust is as giant as my vagina. That only leaves a couple people out. - Cali
I'm an upstate NY girl too and I think I know the agency that you are referring to...we did not end up using them, but did attend an info session. We were already signed w/ CFC in Rochester (about 20 mins away from home) at that point. I'd be happy to share/chat about my impression of them though...
jewele803 at hotmail dot com
I honestly never considered going out of state. Well, just briefly because our state has the 30 day wait. But once I learned more about that, I was fine with it.
Our agency is large with 6 offices around the state. The office in our town is 15 minutes away. I guess I just like having a SW nearby.