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FROM KODAK CITY TO HEALTHCARE HUB
Heart to Heart Adoptions — Rochester, New York
Are you pregnant in Rochester and weighing what your options are? As you know Rochester is a place that has reinvented itself. This was once the home of Kodak’s manufacturing, but now it has become a center for healthcare and higher education. There is the University of Rochester, RIT, and Monroe Community College all part of the city’s daily life.
Rochester has also welcomed refugees that live near a large Puerto Rican community that goes back to the 1950s.
Heart to Heart Adoptions has served birth mothers across Rochester and the wider Finger Lakes region for years.
When you call the 24/7 hour line, you will get one of three women who have counseling thousands of women who are unsure about what is going to happen for them in the future. This is a time that these women will listen to you. You are in an unexpected situation and you are trying to find the right path.
Counseling starts right away. Living-cost help starts at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
Florida Phone: 518-557-1722
Ithaca, New York Office
200 E Buffalo St # 301, Ithaca, NY 14850
Reviewed by: Jodi Grizzle, LCSW (Clinical Director) | Wendy Knowles and Michelle Barrus, Birth Parent Support Specialists
Last reviewed: August 2026
What support is available for birth mothers in Rochester?
Heart to Heart gives the full range of free support to women in Rochester. Counseling starts with your first call — 24 hours a day. Living-cost help starts at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
- Counseling: available 24/7, from your very first call. We know that when you first call you are probably wanting to see the broader picture to decide what should happen with your life.
- Housing assistance: starting at month 8 of pregnancy under NY law. If you are in an unsafe situation or a toxic situation, we will help you get support immediately.
- There is the potential for support for medical care.
- Groceries, utilities and daily needs: help that fits where you live
- You will have a lawyer that is not only free, but is there for you. Not for the adoptive parents, not for the agency, but for you to help you understand your rights and make certain you do not feel pressured.
Because there are so many students in Rochester, we often get calls from women who are juggling classes, family expectations, and money worries. They do not know what to do with the extra pressure of an unplanned pregnancy.
We understand the pressure you may be under. Whatever your background or whatever your first language. Heart to Heart Adoptions can connect you with the right support.
Hospitals in this area
If you’re making a hospital plan, here are two maternity hospitals in Rochester. Heart to Heart Adoptions has worked with these hospitals and others in the area. We want to go to the hospital that you feel the most comfortable working with.
- Strong Memorial Hospital — UR Medicine
601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642 | 585-275-2100
- Highland Hospital — Family Maternity Center
1000 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620 | 585-341-6875
How does the adoption process work here?
When you make the first call toe Heart to Heart Adoptions, or you make that first text, you haven’t really started the process, you have started your investigation. Here is where you decide what is right for you and what kind of help is possible.
From there, a caseworker helps you build your plan at your own pace.
If you sign consent outside of court, New York law gives you a window afterward to change your mind. That is a great thing about New York adoption law. You should never feel pressured or that you don’t have other options.
You get your own free lawyer. This lawyer is just for you. To represent you.
New York also lets you set up a contact plan with the adoptive family that a judge can approve and enforce. This provides real protection for your open adoption.
FROM OUR TEAM
“We have seen such a mix of situations and women from Rochester who have concerns about and unplanned pregnancy. No two women who call us are every facing the same situation. We meet each one where she actually is.”
— Birth Parent Support Specialist, Rochester
To understand this whole process in more detail, go to the link below.
→ How the adoption process works in New York — full step-by-step
/how-do-i-place-a-baby-for-adoption-in-new-york/
Can I stay connected with my child after adoption in Rochester?
Yes.
New York state law makers decided that a birth mother should have the right to have a legally enforceable contact contract. That means that you can write a contact contract. This Post-Adoption Contact Agreement, can be approved by a judge and this is enforceable by law. We can help you design the contract and present it to a judge. You choose how much contact. This might be yearly photos, regular calls, or in-person visits.
To read more about how open adoption works in New York go to this link. → Open adoption in New York — how it works and what’s protected
What do women in Rochester ask before calling?
Women here often ask:
- What if I’m a student at U of R or RIT and need this kept private?
- What does living-cost help look like for Rochester housing?
- Can I do counseling by phone or video instead of traveling?
- What about women in the Finger Lakes region or smaller Monroe County towns?
Heart to Heart’s counselors have answered all of these.
A Rochester adoption story
Typically people believe that the average birth mother is young, unmarried, and scared to raise a child. Nadine did not fit any of those stereotypes. The mother of two successful high school students found herself pregnant in her early forties.
She felt she couldn’t manage another child with her high maintenance children and a stressful job. But she figured adoption agencies only worked with younger, first-time birth mothers and wouldn’t be willing to take her situation seriously.
The first call she made to Michelle was after dropping her son off to a soccer practice while driving to get groceries for the weekend. As the concerned mother sat in the parking lot and watched families come and go with their bags of produce and gallon milk jugs, she talked with Michelle.
Michelle helped Nadine find a family, built a plan about placement, and how open the adoption would be. In the eight month of the pregnancy Michelle helped financially for Nadine to take some time off and then gave support for another 30 days after the baby was born.
After Michelle heard about the personalities of the two older children, she felt that their input would be very valuable. They were involved in choosing the adoptive family and how the open adoption contract would look like.
- Names changed
“Michelle made this such a great experience for my other kids. I thought that made me the wrong kind of person to even ask about this. Nobody made me feel that way.”
— Nadine, Birth Mother, Rochester
Real Questions Women Ask About Rochester
Explore each topic in more detail.
What if I already have children at home?
That doesn’t change your options. Your caseworker will talk with you about your full situation, including your existing family.
Can I make an adoption plan while working full time?
Yes. Many calls and check-ins can happen by phone during breaks or after hours, around your work schedule.
Can I receive counseling locally?
Yes, or by phone and video if that’s easier for your schedule and privacy.
Can adoption happen after delivery?
Yes. New York law requires consent to be signed after birth, so deciding at or after delivery is completely normal.
Is adoption really free for birth mothers in Rochester?
Yes. Heart to Heart pays for everything: legal help, counseling, case management, medical coordination. Living-cost help also starts at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
What if I'm not sure about adoption yet?
Support starts with your first call, before you’ve decided anything. The month-8 rule under NY law only affects money for living costs. Counseling and emotional support start right away.
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We're Here for You
Whether you're just starting to explore or ready to talk, our compassionate team is here to listen and support you—without pressure or judgment.
What financial help is available?
→ Financial assistance for birth mothers in New York
/assistance-for-birth-mothers-in-new-york/
⬇ Your Rights as a Birth Mother in New York (PDF)
(free PDF, no signup required)
Can I see real families that have place babies?
→ New York adoption placements — real families, real stories
/new-york-adoption-placements/
⬇ DOWNLOAD: Questions to Ask Your Adoption Attorney (PDF
(free PDF, no signup required)
New York Downloadable PDFs to Help Plan an Adoption
→ Adoption Help in New York City
→ Adoption Help on Long Island, New York
→ Adoption Help in Albany and the Capital Region
→ Adoption Help in Buffalo and Western New York
→ Adoption Help in Rochester, New York
→ Adoption Help in Syracuse and Central New York
→ Adoption Help in the Hudson Valley, New York
→ Adoption Help for Upstate and Rural New York
You don't have to do this alone.
We're here to walk beside you—every step of the way.
Call or Text Anytime
801-563-1000
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