Adoption as a Real Option

August 11, 2005 - Thursday
1:52 PM to 2:52 PM (EST)
Guest Speakers: Harlan Tenenbaum, Esq., Director of Adoption House, Inc.

Categories
Adoption • International Adoption

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Lina	BRB
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ProudMommy	Hello, has the discussion begun yet?
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Proud, you are a bit early...
ProudMommy	Thanks. I'll try & check back in a half hour.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Great! Looking forward to chatting with you then
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Harlan, Lina and Lynn we will wait a few mi nutes for Lisa and Carolyn!
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome All! Please call the AFA Toll Free Support/Referral Line at 888-917-3777 for information, a referral in your area or just some good ol fashioned support. Looking forward to hearing from all of you! Lori Masi - AFA Patient Advocate
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Lisa_Rosenthal	Good evening everyone! Nice to see you all here...
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Lisa_Rosenthal	Hi Orly, thanks for joining us this evening!
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Orly	Hi ProudMommy and Lori, thanks for joining us this evening....
ProudMommy	Hi!
Lori	Thanks
Lisa_Rosenthal	How did you ladies hear about tonight's session?
ProudMommy	Through an AFA e-mail.
Lisa_Rosenthal	Love it when that works!
Lori	same thru email
Lisa_Rosenthal	For those of you joining us for the first time, here are some pointers.
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	From Harlan Tennenbaum Esq of Adoption House
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Adoption House is a fully-licensed non-profit adoption agency with locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. We specialize in the placement of Domestic Newborn Infants, and infants and toddlers from China, Guatemala, Russia and Kazakhstan. Everyone of our staff has been touched by adoption; either by placing a child for adoption, being adopted, or having adopted domestically and internationally. For more information, please visit our website, www.adoptionhouse.org, or call us toll free at 1.877.236.7897
Lisa_Rosenthal	Please feel free to ask questions of our speakers when the session starts; cut and paste your questions as they do scroll away and you may have to repost questions when it gets busy; please stick to using black type, it makes it easier for the speaker to read the questions; if you would like to speak to someone privately, please hit their name and have a private session.
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Hello Everyone and welcome!
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Good evening everyone!
Lori	Hello
ProudMommy	Hello. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Stephen Dee and Chris We are very fortunate this evening to have with us Harlan Tenenbaum Esq of Adoption House Inc
Lisa_Rosenthal	Welcome Mr. Tenenbaum, thanks for joining us this evening.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	My pleasure
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Thank you for having me
ProudMommy	What is the typical costs involved in adoption?
lynn04	Hello. Is it still possible to adopt through Russia? Since policies have been changing, do you anticipate the program could shut down in the near future?
chris87	How do you move from infertility to adoption?
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Jenna!
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Proud, not to sound too lawyer like but it depends on domestic vs. foreign, which country, etc. On average fees could range between $7,000 to $40,000
chris87	Any thoughts on adopting from Albania?
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	From Harlan Tennenbaum of Adoption House Inc Adoption House is a fully-licensed non-profit adoption agency with locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. We specialize in the placement of Domestic Newborn Infants, and infants and toddlers from China, Guatemala, Russia and Kazakhstan. Everyone of our staff has been touched by adoption; either by placing a child for adoption, being adopted, or having adopted domestically and internationally. For more information, please visit our website, www.adoptionhouse.org, or call us toll free at 1.877.236.7897
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Lynn- Yes, Russia is still open for adoption
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	There have been noises about Russia closing down, but as of right now all seems to be moving relatively smoothly
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Chris-I am not certain as to whether or not Albania has an adoption program. If so, I am not familiar with it.
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	WElcome Everyone We are very fortunate tonight to have with us Harlan Tennenbaum Esq of Adoption House Inc
lynn04	What are the timetables for international adoption for the countries you work with?
Dee	My husband and I are in the agency selection phase. How do we know that a particular agency is reputable? What are the major questions we should ask?
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Lori	what are the odds that a single female 40 yrs. of age could adopt domestic or international?
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Molly and Joan!
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Lynn- China about 1 year, Guatemala 6-8 months, Russia 8-10 months, Kazakhstan 7-9 months, Ukraine- prtogram is on hold indefinitely
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	From Harlan Tennebaum Esq Adoption House is a fully-licensed non-profit adoption agency with locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. We specialize in the placement of Domestic Newborn Infants, and infants and toddlers from China, Guatemala, Russia and Kazakhstan. Everyone of our staff has been touched by adoption; either by placing a child for adoption, being adopted, or having adopted domestically and internationally. For more information, please visit our website, www.adoptionhouse.org, or call us toll free at 1.877.236.7897
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Dee- Checl wioth licensing and national adoption organizations such as the National Council for Adoption and Joint Council on International and Childrens Services
ProudMommy	Are those time frames from first contact with you or does the timetable begin after you are approved for adoption?
medinfo121	is there a sound assoiciated with this session
Lisa_Rosenthal	Medinfo, no sound, just visual.
Orly	What are the aproximate costs?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Lori - the odds are better for international, but it depends as to what kind of aodption you are hoping to pursue. There are many children in foster care in the US who are deserving of lives of opprotunity, love and stability.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Proud- from start to finish
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Orly-costs are contingent upon the program; domestic v. international, which country, etc. They vary a great deal
Lori	I've worked with some cases through our children services but became too frustrated with placing children back into abusive homes
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ProudMommy	Wow, that's not nearly as long as I would have imagined. I would definitely be interested in adopting from Russia. Could you narrow the costs down? Also, is it possible to adopt a newborn?
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Barb!
quint	how often do international adoptions fall through at the 11th hour... or can one be pretty sure that it'll go through as planned?
chris87	how about the $$ for Russia -- for a boy as young as possible?
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Maria
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Lori- It is true that many children in the foster care system have had a difficult time of it; they are typically placed in state care due to some form of abuse or neglect
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome carolyn!
chris87	Is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome an issue in Russia?
Lisa_Rosenthal	Welcome Carolyn Berger, LMSW, Adoption Coordinator for The American Fertility Association~ she's joining us in her official capacity!!
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Kapdank!
mariafo	Type here: what would be the benefits of using an agency in domestic adoption VS private adoption
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	The total costs for aodption from Russia, including the home study, dossier authentication, two trips, translations, hotels, airfare, etc, will run about $33,000 - $34,000. Infants are not eligible for adoption; the youngest we are placing from Russia now are about 10-12 months
Lori	If pursuing an adoption from Quatemala, what would be the first step? Identifying a local agency or one such as yours, out of state?
ProudMommy	Is there financial aid available?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	FAS is a MAJOR issue in Russia; At Adoption House we insist that everyone of our couples obtain an independent medical evaluation of the referral information about the child before we will proceed with the adoption
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Weare very fortunate to have with us Harlan Tennenbaum Esq of Adoption house Inc and Carolyn Berger LMSW of The AMerican Fertiltiy Association with us this evening!
chris87	What other health issues should I expect? (10-12 month old from Russia)
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Quint- It is pretty rare that an int'l. adoption will fall through at the 11th hour, but it can happen; in Kazakhstan recently the biological grandmother came back at the eleventh hour and the child was not placed for adoption. It happens, but is relatively rare.
Dee	My husband had two explained seizures earlier this year. He is now on anti-seizure midication and otherwise healthy. We were told by one agency that this would be an issue for Korea. Do you know if this factor would exclude us from any of the countries your agency works with or for domestic adoption?
kapdank	is it more common that domestic adoptions fall through?
penn	would a non profit organization likeadoption house be less expensive than a for profit organization?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Mariafo-In short, an agency can provide birthparent counseling whcih does not occur in private; also an agency is non-profit, and can aggressively and progressively assist you in locating a birthparent through outreach
ProudMommy	Is financial aid available?
Orly	Why does adoption cost so much?
penn	what are the pros and cons of using a priovate attorney - I heard that is the fastest way to go (but can be expensive)...
quint	do you think that a mixed religion couple would have a more difficult time securing a domestic adoption?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Lori - For Guatemala, as in all adoptions, one must first obtain a homestudy from a local agency or social worker. Please contact us and we can asssit you in finding an agency in your state if you do not reside in New York, NJ PA or DE
mariafo	what do you mean through outreach? Who pays for that - you or the adoptive parents?
Lori	Thanks I will do that
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Chris- developmental delays and attachment disorders
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	FRon Harlan Tennenbaum: Adoption House is a fully-licensed non-profit adoption agency with locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. We specialize in the placement of Domestic Newborn Infants, and infants and toddlers from China, Guatemala, Russia and Kazakhstan. Everyone of our staff has been touched by adoption; either by placing a child for adoption, being adopted, or having adopted domestically and internationally. For more information, please visit our website, www.adoptionhouse.org, or call us toll free at 1.877.236.7897
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Dee- ont for domestic, could be a problem for China and possibly Russia and Kazakhstan, not for Guatemala
ProudMommy	Thank you for your time, I have to go now, but I will be contacting your agency for a referral in Nevada.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Kap- Yes. Absolutely
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Good Night proud Mommy
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Penn- typically yes. Our domestic programs are highly unique, we have taken the best of private and agency adoption and combined them . We aggressively and progressively search for birthparents throughout the country. Depending upon the amount of outreach you would like, that would dictate the fees involved, as the outreach expenses are passed on to you.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Proud-Financial aid is available; As Chairman of the American Bar Association Adoption Committee, I lonnied hard and successfully for the passage of the Adotion Tax Credit, which is now over $10,000
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	quint-not at all!
mariafo	how many domestic placements does Adoption House do a year?
kapdank	My husband and I are just starting to look into adoption. Where do you suggest we begin?
mariafo	International Placements?
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quint	really? i would think that it's conceivable that a birth mother might want to ensure that her child was raised one way or another... thus limiting the pool somewhat?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Mariafo-last year we did 42; outreach is done by Adoptio House throught the yellow pages, internet, and classified ads. What we have done is performed a demographic analysis of every county in the states that allow advertising, in an effort to get the most bang for our outreach buck. The fees for the outreach are passed on to you the client
Lori	What follow-up is giving to people who adopt a child who has special needs, or suffers with detachment etc?
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Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	kapdank: There are some great books on adoption, but one of the best intro books is Adoption for Dummies by Chris Adamec! Read it and talk with others who have adopted and you are on your way.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Quint-Birthmothers do not typically fall into any one category per se. In domestic adoption, the oft-time common factor is economic status.
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Yola! We have with us this evening Harlan Tennenbaum Esq of Aoption House Inc and Carolyn Berger LMSW of The American Fertility Association!
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Kap-you may also want to check out adoption.com, though I agree, Chris's book is great.
Stephen	What about single men and adoption?
kapdank	How much can we expect an adoption to cost? domestic and international.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Stephen-This may be more difficult depending upon what kind of situation you are looking for. To give you an idea, there are currently approximately 63 couples oin the US for every one available caucasin infant; three for every two biracial, and one for every African American infant. Internationally many countries restrict the adoption of children by single men
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	stephen: It has been done through domestic independent adoption. Re: international, you would have to check with the policies of each country.
mariafo	How long have you been liscensed in New Jersey? How long has your agency been in effect?
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Carolyn is our wonderful adoption Coordinator and Chair Emeritus of The AFA - if anyone has any questions for her!
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Kap-the costs vary depending upon domestic v. ionternational, what country, etc. on average fees can range from as low as $7,000 to as high as $40,000
Lisa_Rosenthal	Hi Sunshiner, thanks for joing us this evening..
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Welcome Sunshiner!
Sunshiner	Thanks!
quint	thanks - new topic: how late in the process can the adoptive parents pull out (if, for example, a pregnancy occurs or a gestational carrier is found)?
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Feel free to just jump right in with questions for Harlan or Carolyn!
Lisa_Rosenthal	Please feel free to post questions for Mr. Tenenbaum. Cut and paste your questions as they will scroll away.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Lori-follow-up is provided by most agencies, and there are many wonderful support groups as well. For Chinese adoptions, there is fwcc, and for Russian and Ukrainin there is an organization named FRUA
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	quint: You can jump out as late as you want. Sometimes a baby is born and is just not the right fit for adoptive parents. They can decline then and start searching for anothr situation.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Mariafo-As of August 4th. It took us over 16 months to get licensed in NJ!!! WE have been licensed as ana gency since 1999, and it wa not until my wife and I moved to Princeton that we applied for our NJ License
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Lori also most states provide what they call early intervention programs for children
Stephen	How about single men and adoption?
mariafo	You mentioned that through agency adoption that a birth mother gets counseling. Is it true that a Birth Mother wants counseling in private adoption that she can have that also? So then what really si the difference between the 2?
penn	as a continuation to quints question: how much needs to be paid upfront to get process started (which we may not complete if pregnancy occurs thru a DE)
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Quint-Carolyn is absolutely right.
Barb44	Is age often a factor with adoption situations?
kapdank	What is the expected time frame to complete a domestic and international adoption from start to finish?
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chris87	do you expect or insist on closure from an infertility perspective before the adoption process is started?
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	mariafo: In agency adoption you have the agency filtering everything that comes in thru the birthmother; in independent adoption you work directly with the birthmother with some legal work done by your attorney (your attorney will request medical, financial info)
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Mariafo-As an attorney, and an agency director, I can tell you that yes, in private adoptions a birthmother may also have counseling performed by a third party, and the adoptive parents would be responsible for paying for it
penn	is being a home owner versus renting an apt. a factor in adoption in NYC area?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Penn-it depends upon the program and agency, typical up-front costs can be as little as $500 and as high as $12,000
kapdank	do the cost estimates you gave earlier include attorney costs?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Barb-Yes, for both domestic and international.
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	chris: most agencies no longer demand that you are finished with infertility tx and it is up to you if you want to keep trying to get pregnant.
chris87	thanks
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Chris-every agenvcy has a different policy on that, we at Adoption House ant to help our clients build their family, so we do not have any need for closure.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Kap-yes, the include attorney costs
quint	do people with more money somehow manage to find their way to the front of the line... you know, kinda like the way david crosby got a liver?
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Quint-Typically not.
mariafo	Is it true that agencies push open adoption where you have ongoing contact with the Birth Mother?
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	quint: they have to find a situation just like everyone else, but they may have a much wider circle of people to draw from.
quint	by the way, i didn't mean that comment with respect to your agency... i meant it more about dealings with international offices.
kapdank	what is the expected time frame to complete a domestic and international adoption from start to finish?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Maria-some agencies do and some do not. We are not fans of pure open adoption. The legal definition of open adoption is where there is ongoing PHYSICAL contact between the birth parent and child after the adoption; this is not always the best result for everyone involved
Lisa_Rosenthal	Thank you Mr. Tenenbaum, for joining us this evening and giving of your time and help.
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	mariafo: some agencies do push open adoptions, but in most cases it is up to the birhtparents and adoptive parents to decide how open an adoption will be. But in a state like CA much identifying information must be shared so there is a greater degree of openness.
Stephen	Single men and adoption??????
mariafo	How do we know if our porfolio is being shown to a Birth Mother in domestic adoption?
chris87	if you wanted a caucasin boy as young and healthy as possible and money wasn't an issue, where would you go and what would you do?
Stephen	Special issues??? for single men???
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Stephen-Definitely possible. Difficult internaitonally, less so domestically, depends upon the lind of adoption situation you want...
Stephen	what about counseling for single men?
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	stephen, I will give you someone's name who I think can answer that question better than I if you e-mail me at cbAFA@optonline.net
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Mariafo-Your agency or attorney should be able to provide that information to you.
kapdank	how much contact does the adopting couple have with the birth mother in an adoption? how much contact does the birth mother have with the child?
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Stephen if you wish you can call the AFA Support Referral Line for some councilers for men my number is at 888-917-3777
Stephen	thank you
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Stephen-There are many wonderful counselors available for single men who are seeking to adopt; locally, in Ny adn Nj I can recommend Joni Mantell. If you would like, please contact me and I will provide you with her info
Stephen	Thank you, thank you, thank you....
penn	is it true recent adjustments to the adoption rules for Africa have decreased the "wait time" to 3 months...is this true for all parts of Africa?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	I apoligze to everyone for not taking typing in high school and than you for your patience with my spelling
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	kapdank: It differs in every case. The most gratifying cases are those where the birthparents and adoptive parents work toward an agreement, which remain flexible over time.
Barb44	how much is age an issue?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Penn-That i not accurate. Each country has their own laws pertaining to adoption. For example, in many muslim countries they follow Sharia, which does not really allow adoption as we understand it in the US; rather it is something akin to permanent foster care...
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	barb for domestic or Intl?
Barb44	international
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	I will defer to Mr Tennenbaum but I know it varies from country to country
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	kap-Carolyn is correct, and it also has to do with comfort level; yours and the birthparents. Some want a great deal of contact, others want none.
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	Barb: In independent adoption there is no cutoff age--you just have to find a birth mother who feels you will do a good job parentlng the child. In international cutoff dates differ by country.
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mariafo	I am on the fence about agency domestic or private domestic - can you give me more pros and cons to think about?
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Barb-In most domestic adoptions, the birth parents may choose you from a profile or dear birth parent letter. Age is oftentimes a factor in their decision making process.
Lisa_Rosenthal	Hi Joan, thanks for joiing us this evening, please feel free to ask questions...
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Maria-Please check out our website and you will be able to see a discussion about this
mariafo	Thanks
kapdank	average time frame for adoption?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	I would also be happy to speak with you about it if you would like to call. As an attorney, I am familiar with both
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Lisa and I want to thank Carolyn Berger and Harlan Tennenbaum for joining us this evening and giving to us their time and experise!
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	kap-domestic depends upon agency and program, could be as short as a couple of months to over two years. Int'l. from as short as 6-8 months to 12-15 months
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	mariafo: So much depends on who you are. Are you an entrepreneur, a take-charge person? then independent is for you. Are you interested in other cultures and in incorporating other cultures with your own? the go international. If you feel comfortable giving the reins/timetables to adoption specialists, go agency. To learn more come the The AFA Winter Adoption Series. We go thru the entire menu and then some!
penn	so what are the pros/cons to attorney vs agency?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Penn-Attorneys a re anecessary part of every adoption, because adoption itself is a legal process. In most cases, attorneys are not able to perform two important functions: 1. locate a birth mother, and 2. provide the birth mother with counseling
kapdank	when is the afa winter adoption series being held?
kapdank	and where?
penn	is using an attorney called private adoption?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Adoption is a head/heart decision. If the head and heart are not communicating, the odds of a birth parent placing are very low.
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	penn: Using an attorney, or doing independent adoption, means you will be doing much of the work yourself. An agency affords you the use of adoption professionals.
Lisa_Rosenthal	We are so glad that all of you have joined us this evening. Special thanks for Mr. Tenenbaum and Ms. Berger
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	penn-typically using an attorney is called private or sometimes independent aodption
Dee	My husband and I have a biological son. Will this and the fact that we are both 39 yrs old, work against us for a domestic adoption?
mariafo	I just think that in private adoption you have more control over your destination than agency adoption. You have to rely on the people that an agency hires that you know nothing about and can change staff often . It's the old saying that you control your own destiny!
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Dee-no. 50% of the birthparents with whom I have come into contact want their child to have an older sibling
penn	Thank you -
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Maria-That is an excellent point. However, I think another question may be do you want to place ads to locate birth parents? Are you in the position to recieve telephone calls from birth parents at all times of the day and night? Are you a trained counselor able to talk with a birth parent who is in a time of crisis? Alot of this depends upon comfort level, time commitment, etc.
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	The Winter AFA Adoption Series will be held over 5 weeks, Jan-Feb."06. It will be announced, with speakers, on our website. Basically it's a survey course on adoption with specialists in each type of adoption. It helps many people choose which adoption route they want to take.
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	The AFA Adoption Series is held in NYC - I have taken it personally and it is wonderful - very helpful and supportive!
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Maria-IPersonally, I happen to agree with you that many traditional agencies dropped the ball when it comes to domestic adoption, for they had the mentality that if you just ket the world know you are an agency, the birth parents will come flocking. This is not how adoption works today. That is why it is som important for whome ver you choose to assist you in the outreach necessary to locate a birth parent
mariafo	So many people have gone through private adoption and have been succesful doing all the things you mentioned and so many more continue to go private. I think we can do it!
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	Lori: Thank you! We have developed the Series over the years and are proud of what we can offer!
mariafo	Thank you for your time.
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Ladies and Gentlemen we have about 10 minutes left so please post all of your questions
Lisa_Rosenthal	and any questions that you have left over can be posted on our adoption message board!1
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	According to national organizations, there are approcimately 2 million people looking to adopt. LAst year, there were 110,000 domestic adoptions. Of those 55, 000 were step-parent / relative adoptions, approximately 30, 000 were adoptions from foster care, and 25,000 were adoptions of the kind most of us are looking for. When you look at those numbers, 2 million to 25,000 you see how important it is to perform outreach.
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	mariafo: Thanks so much for coming! As Attorney Aaron Britvan, who is on our Board, says, "If you persevere, you will succeed!"
kapdank	Those are not great odds. What can you do to improve your chances?
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Maria-Good luck!
penn	Harlan Tenenbaum - how do private adoption attorney's attract birth mothers...same type of advertisiting as agencies use? I feel as if I would get more personalized attention by working w/an attorney (i.e. the staff turnover issues you mentioned earlier)
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Kap-Be practical and scientific about outreach.
Lori	Any last second words of advice to offer to a single female at age 40 and adopting?
kapdank	what is exactly is outreach?
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Lori single and 40 is still very do able especially internationally!
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Penn-most attorneys advise you the client as to how and where to advertise. They typically do not advertise themselves--in some states it is illegal for them to do so.
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	Lori: Choose your country, agency, attorney wisely. Spread the word that you would like to adopt.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Kap-advertising, word-of-mouth networking.
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Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Lori-Definitely a good possibility! Consider your options, get informed, and I'm positive you will succeed!!!
Lisa_Rosenthal	Mr. Tenenbaum and Ms. Berger, you were both wonderful, helpful and educational, thanks for your time and experience here this evening.
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Lori	Thanks for all your great advice and help! It's much appreciated!
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	Lisa: Thanks so much for having us!
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Thank you Mr Tenenbaum and Ms Berger for all the wonderful information tonight! We appreciate your time and generosity of spirit in participating this evening.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Thank you and best of luck to everyone !
Carolyn_Berger__LMSW	lori: My pleasure! Good luck to all of you!
penn	thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge...very helpful.
Dee	Thank you both for your time and best of luck to all!
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kapdank	Thanks for the info. It was definitely a good start.
Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Any final questions before we go?
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Thank you Mr Tenenbaum and Ms Berger for all the wonderful information tonight! We appreciate your time and generosity of spirit in participating this evening. And thank you to everyone for joining us this evening! Good Night!
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penn	Lori Masi- thanks for coordinating this chat. (Lori- I have spoken to you over the phone - I am a former patient of Dr. Miller's from RMA - on the donor list).
Lisa_Rosenthal	Good night to everyone. Hope to see you next week.
Harlan_Tenenbaum Adoption_House	Good night!
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Orly	good night
Orly	thanks
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Lori_Masi AFA_Patient_Advocate	Adoption House is a fully-licensed non-profit adoption agency with locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. We specialize in the placement of Domestic Newborn Infants, and infants and toddlers from China, Guatemala, Russia and Kazakhstan. Everyone of our staff has been touched by adoption; either by placing a child for adoption, being adopted, or having adopted domestically and internationally. For more information, please visit our website, www.adoptionhouse.org, or call us toll free at 1.877.236.7897
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	Log stopped at Thu Aug 11 18:26:34 PDT 2005

Adoption as a Real Option

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