Adoptive Family Adoption Process

Adoption Process

Step 1

Application

Step 2

Approval

Step 3

Matching

Step 4

Relinquishment and Placement

Step 5

Post Placement

Step 6

Finalization of the Adoption

PLEASE CHECK ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
When you are ready to become an active family, you will need to follow each step.

Check Your Eligibility
Orientation

Application

1. Complete the Online Application
Online Application
2. Complete the Adoptive Family Packet
Adoptive Family Packet
3. Pay $2000 Application Fee (Non-Refundable)
Pay Application Fee $2000 (Non-Refundable)
What is this for?
4. Submit your Home Study

Use the form to the left to upload your Home Study.

 

Make sure that your Home Study has been signed by the provider.

 

For additional Information check our Guidelines page.

Home Study Guidelines
5. Send us your Supporting Documents

Email your Supporting Documents to Lisa ([email protected])

1) Background Clearances

2) Reference Letters (1 from a family member, and 2 from non-family)

3) Medical References on both parents and all children in the household

4) Birth Certificates

5) Marriage Certificate (and divorce papers, if applicable)

6) Copies of Driver’s License for both parents

7) Copy of Insurance Card

8) Post Placement Supervision Letter       

6. Submit your Introductory Video
7. Submit your Profile Book
Profile Guidelines

After You Upload Your Profile PDF – Please Mail A Hard Copy of Your Profile Book To:

Heart to Heart Adoptions

Attn: Lisa Blackham

9669 South 700 East
Sandy UT 84070

Approval

We start the approval process once we receive all your documents. It takes 2-4 weeks to complete.

  1. Phone Call – Once we have reviewed your home study and application, we may call to interview you and discuss any of the concerns or questions you have for us or we have for you. 
  2. Education– There is so much to learn and we encourage you to call upon every resource you have to prepare to adopt. In addition to the required books and classes, we have many education resources. Check them out. And always feel free to call and talk to us.
Orientation
Creating A Family
Creating A Family

We encourage the families we work with to actively seek ongoing education about adoption. Once your application has been accepted, you will receive a coupon code to access all courses through the Creating a Family website for free. These audio courses provide excellent, up-to-date information about many facets of adoption. Please start with our Home Study Bundle and expand from there. This is a free service we provide to you because we feel education is so valuable. Please take advantage of this resource as you learn more about supporting and parenting your child. 

Creating A Family Education
Education

3.  Approval Letter – We will send you a letter to let you know if you are approved with our agency.

Matching

Once you are approved with us, we give you the username and password for the Current Situations page. This page gives you information about the situations that come through our agency. We recognize it may be difficult as you wait. Please be patient. 

A few things we consider when we match: 

  • Birth mother preferences. First and foremost, we consider what a birth mother is looking for in an adoptive family.  Her preferences may be specific to age of adoptive parents, marital status, number of children, religious beliefs, and ethnicity.
  • Your preferences and characteristics. We consider what is it about you that matches with the birth mother’s preferences.
  • Your budget. Some situations require additional medical fees, outside our agency fees.
  • Your openness. Just as we consider a birth mother’s preferences, we consider what is approved on your home study to what you specifically desire.
  • What state you and the birth mother live in. There are different state regulations.
  • We consider how long you have been an active family with Heart to Heart.
  • Families who have a failed adoption with us have higher priority
  • When you are matched and receive the financial contract half of the agency fees are due.
Current Situations

Relinquishment and Placement

Depending on the laws where the baby is born, placement occurs anywhere from 24 to 72 hours following delivery. If a birth mother requests, the adoptive family may be invited for the delivery of the baby. Final payment of all fees is due at the time of placement.

Post Placement

  • Supervisory Visits: There is a supervisory period of, generally, six months before you can finalize the adoption. During that time, you can expect a counselor visit on two or three occasions to support and confirm the success of the placement. Additional visits may be scheduled, as needed.
  • Birth Father: Unless the known birth father gives consent for the adoption, the adoption is considered a “Legal Risk Adoption.” It will become necessary to determine and then terminate his rights in accordance with the laws of all states involved with the adoption.
  • Insurance: Notify your health insurance company of your new addition. Some insurances cover at the time of birth, others at the time of placement.
  • We offer a platform called HeartsConnect that allows adoptive families, birth parents, and adoptees a safe, secure place to share pictures, videos, and text communication.
HeartsConnect
  • There is an Adoption Registry in each state that allows birth parents and adoptees to reconnect when the child is 18. The child and the birth parents would both need to register.

Finalization of the Adoption

Finalization is exciting. It typically takes place after a successful, supervisory period (generally six months, though that can vary depending on the state). Adoptive families are responsible for all legal fees associated with finalization. You are free to select independent counsel for all necessary adoption proceedings. In some areas we can make recommendations.