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Heart to Heart Adoptions — Albany and the Capital Region, New York
Heart to Heart’s New York office is right here in the Capital Region. Free support, 24/7.
Unexpectedly pregnant in the Albany area and wondering what is right for you and your baby? Heart to Heart’s New York office — 518-557-1722 — is a Capital Region number, and our team here has served birth mothers in Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs, and across the region for over 20 years. Being local means we understand the area’s specific mix: state government workers, a big college population, and everything from city neighborhoods to quiet rural counties nearby.
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
What support is available for birth mothers in Albany?
Heart to Heart gives the full range of free support to women in Albany and the Capital Region. Counseling starts with your first call. We’re available at midnight or three in the morning or during your lunch at work. Living-cost help starts at month 8 of pregnancy, under New York law.
- There is no waiting period for counseling. We have women answering the phone which have worked with women in unexpected pregnancies. Some decide to place for adoption, others find other options. We’re here to help all of them.
- Housing assistance typically starts at month 8 of your pregnancy, but if you are in a dangerous position, we can make arrangements and find you some options. Please, let us know.
- Medical care: prenatal visits and delivery costs covered, plus rides to every appointment
- You have a lot of daily needs, including food, utilities, maternity clothes. We can help with those at a rate that fits the economy of where you live.
- Legal: your own free adoption lawyer
Albany’s state government workforce, several college campuses — University at Albany, Siena College, Albany Law School, and others — and varied city neighborhoods mean the women who call us here come from very different walks of life. Because the Capital Region office is right here, we can move quickly when something is urgent.
Hospitals in this area
If you’re making a hospital plan, here are two maternity hospitals in the Capital Region. Your caseworker can coordinate with either of these, or with a different hospital you’re already working with.
315 South Manning Blvd, Albany, NY 12208 | 518-525-1388
43 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208 | 518-262-5162
You may be working with a medical facility that is not listed, or you may have a preference for a different one. We can help coordinate a birth plan to whatever medical facility you want.
How does the adoption process work here?
When you make your first call or text, you are not committing yourself to anything. You are gathering information about what you can do for you and your baby. You need all the information and education you can receive before making a decision.
You will want an outline of how the adoption process works. Go the link below here to get a step-by-step list of what the process will be. Remember, however, that your process will be different from anyone else’s. You are unique and your situation is unique and we will treat you that way.
Can I stay connected with my child after adoption in Albany?
Yes. Not very many states have a Post-Adoption Contract Agreement that can legally be enforced. New York is one of the few states where a judge can approve a Post-Adoption Contact Agreement. This agreement can be enforced. You can decide how much contact you want and what kind of contact you want to have. once approved by a judge, is enforceable by law. You choose how much contact — yearly photos, regular calls, in-person visits — and Heart to Heart helps you write it down and protect it.
Click on the link below to learn more about how open adoption works in the state of New York.
Can I Choose the Family?
Yes. You have the right to decide who will raise your child. We hae a bhuge pool of families. We will talk to you about what is important to you about a family and then will send you family profiles that meet your desires. You can look at as many and talk to as many as you want to insure that you feel comfortable.
Click on the link below to understand more about how you have the right and the freedom to make your own choices.
An Albany, New York Adoption Story
Halfway through her degree at Albany Law, Kristina* found out she was pregnant. The relationship was not healthy and the birth father quickly said she could have an abortion, and he would pay for it. He even looked up the abortion laws in New York and knew that she needed to make a decision by the 24th week of pregnancy. She even checked and her insurance plan would cover abortion care.
This was not what she wanted. But she could barely afford the apartment in a low rent house in Pine Hills that she shared with three other law students.
All of her roommates were supportive, but she knew she didn’t want to drop out of school and she didn’t want the baby passed from hand to hand. Going to law school was a stretch for her and the environment she had come from. Her mother had been with half a dozen men and she had learned not to get close to them, because they would probably leave. She wanted her baby to have consistency.
After calling Heart to Heart Adoptions and talking with Wendy, Kristina felt good about the options that were presented. She could place with a family that lived close. She could choose a family that had a couple of other kids and who seemed very stable and committed to one another. She was also interested in choosing a family who believed in education and were willing to expose her child to opportunities for higher education.
After calling Heart to Heart Adoptions and talking with Wendy, Kristina felt good about the options that were presented. She could place with a family that lived close. She could choose a family that had a couple of other kids and who seemed very stable and committed to one another. She was also interested in choosing a family who believed in education and were willing to expose her child to opportunities for higher education.
Another important thing for Kristina was for her baby to be proud of her birth mother. She wanted an open adoption so that her child could come to her graduation. Kristina knew the little girl would be too young to know what was happening, but there would be pictures and she could always know that her mother was trying.
An open adoption where they could get to know one another was also important.
New York allows for post adoption contracts that can be enforced by a judge and in the contract, Kristina signed with the adoptive family, it said they would make every effort to be to law school graduation.
“It was good to meet my caseworker in person. We met at Alias Coffee not too far from me. We filled out forms on her laptop and she talked to me for a long time. Things started to feel like my life was more under control..”
— Birth Mother, Albany, New York
Real Questions Women Ask About Albany / Capital Region
Explore each topic in more detail.
Can I place my baby for adoption while attending college?
Yes. Many women in the Capital Region’s college community have built adoption plans while in school. Your caseworker can work around your class schedule.
What if I live outside Albany?
You’re still fully served. Women from Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls, and other nearby communities regularly work with the Albany office.
Can I complete an adoption plan during a high-risk pregnancy?
Yes. Your caseworker coordinates closely with your medical team regardless of the complexity of your pregnancy.
Can someone meet me at the hospital?
Yes, if that’s what you’d like. Because the Capital Region office is local, in-person hospital support is often possible here.
Is adoption really free for birth mothers in Albany?
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 — including counseling — 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.
How quickly can I reach someone in Albany?
Call or text 518-557-1722 right now. Someone answers 24/7. If it’s urgent — housing, safety — we can move fast
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 if my due date is soon?
We can help you if you are already in labor. Don’t worry about the late date.Call 518-557-1722 right now if your situation is urgent.
⬇ DOWNLOAD: Your Hospital Plan — Decisions You Can Make (PDF)
(free PDF, no signup required)
Who will be there after I give birth?
We will be there for as long as you need someone. We will stay at the hospital and we will provide counseling .
⬇ DOWNLOAD: What to Bring to the Hospital (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
Last Reviewed:
