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A CITY BUILT BY MANY CULTURES
Heart to Heart Adoptions — Syracuse and Central New York
Central New York and Syracuse are unique in and of themselves. There are city and rural experiences side by side between Syracuse, Utica, Rome, Oswego, and the North Country.
Refugees, immigrants, and travelers have made Utica their home for over 200 years. Today there is a growing number of Bosnian, Burmese, Somali, and other communities working alongside longtime Italian, Irish, and Polish families. For us at Heart to Heart Adoptions it does not matter where you’re from or what language you feel the most comfortable using, we are here for you. We can help you find the support that you need and that fits your lifestyle.
Counseling starts right away. Living-cost help, covering rent, utilities, groceries, and medical care, starts at month 8 of pregnancy under New York law.
518-557-1722
Ithaca, New York Office
200 E Buffalo St # 301, Ithaca, NY 14850
Reviewed by: Jodi Grizzle, LCSW (Clinical Director) | Wendy Knowles, Birth Parent Support Specialist
Last reviewed: July 2026
What support is available for me as a birth mother in Syracuse?
Heart to Heart Adoption has helped women find free support for over 20 years.
When you call, we start that help. Counseling starts with your first call. Living-cost help starts at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
- Counseling: available 24/7, you do not have to wait to get counseling and someone to explain all of your options.
- Rent or other housing assistance: starting at month 8 of pregnancy under NY law. That does not mean that we can’t help you find support and assistance if you are in an unsafe or toxic environment. You should not live like that at any time, but especially not during a pregnancy.
- Medical care: prenatal visits and delivery costs are supported, plus rides to every appointment and daycare for a child or children you are presently parenting.
- Groceries and other daily needs such as utilities and phone. This help fits the prices of where you live.
- Legal: a free adoption lawyer that is there to meet your needs and explain to you what is occurring with the adoption and what your rights are.
Syracuse has at least three large colleges including, Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, and Onondaga Community College. This means there is a large college population nestled in its own diverse city neighborhoods. Branching out to the wider Central New York region, as a resident, you recognize Utica’s well-known refugee and immigrant communities. There are many rural towns where privacy from those who don’t understand can be concerning. Access to support can be harder to come by. Heart to Heart Adoption’s remote counseling reaches all of it.
Hospitals in this area
If you’re making a hospital plan, here are two maternity hospitals in Syracuse. Your caseworker can coordinate with either of these, or with a different hospital you’re already working with.
- Crouse Hospital — Kienzle Family Maternity Center
736 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210 | 315-470-7361
- Joseph’s Health Hospital — The Birth Place
301 Prospect Avenue, 5th Floor, Syracuse, NY 13203 | 315-448-5399
It’s likely that your hospital is not listed above. That’s really okay. We are willing to coordinate with any facility that is comfortable to you.
“Birth mothers in New York have more legal protection than is available to birth mothers in other states. They have a window to reconsider, a free attorney who answers only to you, and a contact agreement a court can enforce. Knowing your rights makes you understand how much we care about birth mothers. ”
— New York Adoption Attorney
What questions should you ask a potential adoptive family?
A printable list of questions to bring to a call, video chat, or in-person meeting with a family you’re considering
How does the adoption process work here?
For you, the adoption process doesn’t start until you decide it does. But once you make that first phone call, you will have a better idea if this is the right option for you. Michelle or Wendy or Sharyn are usually the ones who answer the phone. Someone is on call 24/7. They have answered thousands of calls from thousands of women. One of them will listen and help you decide what support you need, what options are available and what you need to start.
Everything that is done is done at your pace.
New York state has a couple unique laws. First they don’t allow much financial support until your eighth month. That does not mean that we can’t help you find options or give you counseling.
Another law is that if you sign consent outside of court, then you have a window of time that you can change your mind about placing your child. This makes sure you don’t feel pressured or rushed into making a decision.
Also, if you want a plan about what kind of contact you have after the placement, you can write a contract. We will help you, and usually this is written in conjunction with the adoptive family. You decide how you want to keep in contact with your child and the adoptive family. This contract can be presented to a judge, get the judge’s approval, and then the contract can legally be enforced. This is lovely, because you get to have the contact you need or want.
You can read more about open adoption and how to choose a family by going to these links:
→ How the adoption process works in New York — full step-by-step
→ Open adoption in New York — how it works and what’s protected
What do women in Syracuse ask before calling?
Women here often ask:
- What if I’m a student at SU and need total privacy?
- Can I get help with Central New York housing specifically?
- What about women in Utica, Rome, or the North Country? Can you still help?
- What if I’m in a rural area and getting around is hard?
Heart to Heart Adoption’s counselors have answered all of these.
A Central New York adoption story
Yitica* worked full-time and took night classes. Her English proficiency was improving and she was excited about the prospect of raising a family in the United States. But not right now and not with the father of the child she was pregnant with.
Yitica had no healthcare and did not understand the legal system. She was scared that she would not understand what rights she had as a birth mother. Calling the Heart to Heart Adoptions number was one of the most stressful things she had done.
Wendy explained to the young student that an attorney could explain her rights to her in her native language. Wendy felt like this was a step that should be taken immediately and arranged for an attorney to call Yitica and tell her about New York law and adoption law in general.
After a long talk with Yitica about what she wanted in an adoptive family for her baby, Wendy had Hayley, Heart to Heart Adoption’s adoptive family coordinator send Yitica family files that represented what Yitica wanted. After reviewing several of them online Yitica choose three to talk to and meet in a three-way call. Wendy was on the calls and Yitica got to ask any question she wanted.
Yitica is now in an open adoption with a family that lives three states away, but this is what works for her.
- Name changed
“So helpful. That’s what I can positively say. For someone like me, pregnant, and in a place I don’t understand. Wendy was the best. I will never stop loving her.”
— Yitica, Birth Mother, Central New York
Real Questions Women Ask About Syracuse / Central New York
Explore each topic in more detail.
Can I choose adoption while attending school?
Yes. Many women in Syracuse’s college community have built adoption plans while in school, with support that works around class schedules.
What if I need help finding resources?
Your caseworker can connect you to local and state resources, including housing, food, and medical support, alongside Heart to Heart’s own services.
Can I make an adoption plan at the hospital?
Yes. Some women decide during labor or shortly after birth, and Heart to Heart can coordinate with hospitals across the region.
What if I need support in another language?
Heart to Heart can arrange interpretation support so language is never a barrier to understanding your options or your rights
Is adoption really free for birth mothers in Syracuse?
Yes. Heart to Heart pays for everything. Living-cost help also starts at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
What if I'm not sure about adoption yet?
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.
New York Downloadable PDFs to Help Plan an Adoption
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801-563-1000
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