Home > New York Adoption > Financial Assistance for Birth Mothers in New York
What financial assistance can birth mothers in New York receive?
Adoption costs birth mothers nothing. Counseling and support start right away. Living-cost help starts at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
Adoption is completely free for birth mothers in New York. This means that you pay nothing for legal help, counseling, or case management. From the first minute you call or text, whether you have made a decision for the future of you and your baby, there is counseling. We will be there to talk with you about your life and what you want in the future.
According to New York law, the pregnancy help that you can receive doesn’t start until month 8 in your pregnancy. At this 8-month mark you can receive help with rent, utilities, groceries, medical care, and rides to appointments. We can continue to help you for 30 days after you give birth. If you are in need of help before the 8-month mark, we can get you in contact with New York State programs.
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, Birth Parent Support Specialist
Last reviewed: June 2026
Will it cost me to put a baby up for adoption in New York?
No!!
Placing your baby for adoption through Heart to Heart Adoptions is completely free. We understand that you’re facing a difficult decision, and we want to make sure you have all the support you need
Can I get paid to place my baby for adoption?
No!!
It’s important to know that in New York, as in all states, it’s illegal to receive payment specifically for placing a baby for adoption. Any adoptive family or agency offering direct payment would be breaking the law. However, receiving support for pregnancy-related expenses is both legal and common. We listed above in the bullet point list some of the help you can receive.
“Money is often a concern for women who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant. We don’t want you to feel that kind of stress. There are legal controls on how much and when we can give you assistance, there are always ways we can connect you with legal help immediately.”
— Birth Parent Support Specialist
What if I need money help earlier in my pregnancy?
Your caseworker can connect you to New York State resources that help at any stage:
- WIC (Women, Infants, and Children): food help for pregnant women at any stage. Find your local office at health.ny.gov/wic
- Medicaid for Pregnant Women: medical coverage for women who qualify. Apply at health.ny.gov
- 211 New York: a statewide helpline for housing, food, and utility help. Just dial 2-1-1.
- New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance: emergency help with housing and food
Your caseworker can connect you to New York State resources that help at any stage:
“I was getting evicted and I was only six months pregnant and that meant Heart to Heart couldn’t pay my rent yet, but they found me a housing subsidy and i got through and they really helped a lot on my eighth month.”
— Birth Mother, New York
What if I change my mind about adoption after getting financial help?
You don’t have to pay back pregnancy-related help if you change your mind about adoption. That’s your right. You can’t be pressured by finances. Money from Heart to Heart is not a loan and not a contract. You have the legal right to change your mind as a birth mother in New York.
A New York adoption story
Chelsie* wasn’t worried about finances. As a 32-year-old woman with two teenagers, she knew she couldn’t take care of another child. She’d given birth to them as a teenager and struggled to raise them. Soon after finding out, she was pregnant she had told them and as a threesome they decided that adoption was the best course. All three of them wanted an open adoption so they could keep track of the baby and have a relationship
The family felt confident that they would be okay. Massena in the North Country region of northern New York had high poverty rates, but at the time Chelsie’s job was the best she had ever had, and the family had moved from public housing to a two-bedroom duplex.
In Chelsie’s seven month she developed gestational diabetes. Her blood sugar levels could not be controlled by diet or medication and she lost her job.
When Wendy discovered Chelsie’s unemployment the case manager immediately hurried to find assistance for the family. State subsidies that would sustain them through the month until Chelsie could legally receive rent payments and other financial assistance from the adoption agency.
“The call we made to Heart to Heart Adoptions was the best thing we ever did for this baby,” the 15-year-old daughter said. “I love Sue and Nathan that are the parents to my little sister.”
- Name schanged
Real Questions Women Ask About Adoption Assistance
I'm behind on rent. Can adoption help?
Yes, starting at month 8 of pregnancy under New York law. If you’re earlier than that and behind now, your caseworker can connect you to New York State emergency housing programs right away.
Can I get help with groceries?
Yes, as part of the living-cost help available starting at month 8 of pregnancy. Earlier in your pregnancy, WIC and New York’s 211 system can help with food costs.
Can I receive assistance if I'm unemployed?
Yes. Being unemployed doesn’t disqualify you from any of Heart to Heart’s services, including living-cost help starting at month 8 of pregnancy or counseling, which starts right away.
Can adoption help with transportation?
Yes. Rides to medical appointments are part of the living-cost help available starting at month 8 of pregnancy under New York law.
Can I get help after the baby is born?
Yes. Living-cost help continues through 30 days after birth under New York law, and counseling and post-placement support continue for as long as you need them.
What expenses are allowed under New York law?
Rent, utilities, groceries, medical costs not covered by insurance, transportation to appointments, maternity clothing, and legal fees — all starting at month 8 of pregnancy through 30 days after birth.
What if I need to move somewhere safe?
Talk to your caseworker right away. If you’re in an unsafe situation, Heart to Heart can help connect you with emergency resources, regardless of where you are in your pregnancy.
Can I get counseling at no cost?
Yes. Counseling is completely free and starts with your very first call, with no waiting period and no connection to the month-8 rule for living-cost help.
Does adoption cost money for birth mothers in New York?
No. All of Heart to Heart’s services, legal, counseling, case management, medical coordination, are free to birth mothers. Living-cost help is also available starting at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
What's the difference between illegal payment and legal assistance in New York?
New York law, like federal law, bans paying someone specifically for placing a baby for adoption. What’s legal is help with real pregnancy costs: rent, groceries, utilities, medical care. The line is: paying you for the adoption is illegal; supporting you through a pregnancy is legal.
How quickly can support begin?
Counseling and case management begin with your first call. Money help under NY law begins once you reach month 8 of pregnancy. We can connect you to state programs right away if it’s urgent.
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.
⬇ DOWNLOAD: Your Hospital Plan — Decisions You Can Make (PDF)
(free PDF, no signup required)
⬇ DOWNLOAD: Questions to Ask an Adoptive Family (PDF)
(free PDF, no signup required)
⬇ DOWNLOAD: What to Bring to the Hospital (PDF)
(free PDF, no signup required)
⬇Download: Your Rights as a Birth Mother in New York (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
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We're here to walk beside you—every step of the way.
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