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Don&Andrea

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  2. Baby Announcements 2008

    in New Arrivals

    Posted

    Congratulations and many blessings to the littlest Hottie!

    (Is he destined to be a Michigander? I think this is the family, yeah?)

    A beautiful announcement from the Stork and a beautiful beginning to lifetime relationships brought together by a special little guy!

  3. Nursery Notes

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Bumping this up.........any word on this case? I have been prayerful for this angel and his Momma........

    Abrazo is seeking a family with lots of faith and high risk tolerance for a case with high health risks-- someone who is truly able to embrace the concept about "hating the sin but loving the sinner."

    It involves a loveable, troubled, Anglo birthmother in her twenties, who is herself an adoptee from one of Fort Worth's most prestigious agencies, and who has placed a newborn for adoption here previously.

    She is a bright, funny young lady with enormous potential, but has a history of drug use and has resorted to prostitution to support herself. The baby's father and his race are, therefore, unknown.

    She is HIV+ and has hepatitis C; whether or not the baby she is carrying will ultimately bear these diagnoses will not be known until long after birth, when the mother's antibodies have been shed from the baby's system.

    Due to this mother's legal problems, parenting is not an option and she is aware of this. However, she is going to need to reside in agency housing for several months prior to the birth, so living expenses on this case will be considerable (Medicaid should cover anticipated medical costs.)

    She is due in July, and her attorney contacted our agency to request our assistance with placement-planning, as she cannot be released from jail without a suitable housing plan in place.

    If you or someone you know feels called to respond to this baby and this birthmother in this hour of need, please contact Angela Martinez, MSW at 210/342-5683, as soon as possible. Thanks!

  8. INQUIRY

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Welcome Erin and James! And congrats on your first post!

    I don't think Abrazo has a prioritized list of families. They don't operate like some agencies based on how long you've been 'waiting', how much you pay, if you are childless or not. Abrazo stirves to nuture a relationship between expectant families and adoptive families that 'belong' together. That's what's great about expectanting familes being able to choose a family that fits with them.

    I think most people will tell you that childless couples statistically place quicker based on the what expectant familes are looking for, but many, many children are placed in loving homes with siblings there to welcome them home!

    Best wishes to you guys! Glad to have you here! ;)

    . Some of the other agencies we investigated as we were making our decision indicated that we would be considered lower priority over childless couples.

  11. The Welcome Wagon!

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    But fortunate for those who do get to go to orientation, because it is an event of a lifetime and you will meet friends for life that will go through the same journey with you! Hooray! :D And the orientation you go to will be the perfect one for you guys; somehow it just works out that way. All the groups are great but I can't imagine being anything other that a 'Ten' and talk about perfect timing.....Clara was born three weeks after orientation!---Another great reason to be homestudy ready when you do go ;) I'm excited for you that you are getting that ball rolling! :D

  13. The Welcome Wagon!

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    New Mexico is beautiful.....

    Welcome Melissa and Danny! So glad you introduced yourselves and thank you so much for sharing your story! You guys have been through alot in your journey to parenthood; I wish you all the best and hope you'll share as your story continues to unfold!

    It's great to have you here!

  18. The Welcome Wagon!

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    YAY JULIE!!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray! :D

    I am so excited!!! :P

    Maybe you and Natalie will be at orientation together...that would be cool! It sure is nice to have orientation friends and Abrazo familes that live close by.

    Julie! Yay!!!

    Hello!! I actually live in Arlington now!! Fun! I would love to get together sometime with you!!

    So is your 13 month old saying a lot of words? Mine just learned "uh oh". It's adorable to listen to!

    Welcome to the world of Abrazo Natalie. You must, must, must get together with Andrea and Dee. I just met them this past weekend and they are marvelous!!!!!!! And so are their little girls! Make a plan ladies! :)

    Oh Karen go on, I mean stop! :P

    We love you too! ;)

  23. Home Study

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Bumping this up for a friend ;)

    Be sure read the entire thread (I know you will :P Hehehe), there is alot of good info here. The most recent posts are probably more up to date.....

    Stork, can you please tell us if there is any new info to be added to this list?

    And here, again, are the current requirements and topical areas that must be included in EVERY homestudy and update for all Texas placements through Abrazo:

    Homestudies which meet the standards of Abrazo and T.D.F.P.S. (Licensing) must be done by a licensed MSW and include five (5) in-person contacts held on at least three (3) separate days.

    Interviews must include at least one documented interview with each individual applicant, two or more additional joint interviews and one with the entire family and with collateral contacts as necessary; a personal home inspection must also be completed. There must also be an individual interview with each child in the home age 3 or above, and with any other persons (domestic staff, boarders, relatives) living with the family in that home or residing on the premises.

    Collateral contacts (with references and each adult and/or noncustodial child of applicants) must also be documented.

    A copy of the homestudy worker's vita/resume as well as applicants' marriage license, any divorce decrees, birth certificates, criminal/child abuse clearances, and birth certificates/adoption decrees for any other child/ren already in the home must accompany completed homestudy.

    Topical categories which must be specifically cited in each original study/update are:

    1) Dates of each interview/visit

    2) Applicants' feelings about their parents and childhood, including any abuse/neglect and resolution of same

    3) Quality of the marital and family relationships, including a review and documentation of the marriage license, and information on any previous marriages, divorces or deaths of former spouses; also assess stability of the couple's relationship and strengths and problems and how these issues will relate to an adopted child; also assess quality of relationships between applicants and their biological children living in or out of the home and how any issues will relate to an adopted child.

    4) Expectations for adopted children, including plans for ongoing adoption education and age-appropriate exposure to birth information, feelings about birthparents and plans for ongoing contact, future goals for child's development and progress, child discipline and adoptors' willingness to adhere to Texas prohibitions against corporal punishment. Include assessment of appliants' knowledge of child development and child-care experiences.

    5) Applicants' motivation for adopting and social worker's assessment of the applicants' motivation and its effect on their ability to accept and parent an adopted child.

    6) Documentation that applicants' ages are appropriate to age/developmental needs of child being sought; applicants must be at least 21 and homestudy must include legal documentation verifying this.

    7) Verification of applicants' income and financial management history including employment histories, debt loads/assets, insurance coverage and post-placement employment plans

    8) History of applicants' residence and documentation of citizenship status including length of time at each residence (citing street address, city and state) over past 10 years, available community resources for childrens' needs, immigration record/s, discussion of home health/safety standards, and verification that the physical home environment is appropriate for good childcare

    9) Documentation of applicants' infertility status if applicable, and parental ability to resolve fertility issues to accept and parent a child not born to them

    10) Attitudes of extended family concerning adoption including discussion and assessment of their intended level of involvement in childcare, attitudes towards adopted children and acceptance of the adoption plan.

    11) Results of criminal clearances and child abuse registry checks for all household members over age 13: FBI clearance is now required as well.

    12) Confirmation of 3 collateral (reference) checks personally conducted by homestudy worker

    13) Homestudy worker's professional evaluation of the physical, mental and emotional health status of all persons living in the adoptive home including substance abuse history; social worker must observe these persons for any indication of problems and follow-up with professional evaluation when indicated, documenting information obtained through observations or through a physician's statement.

    14) Sensitivity to and feelings about children subjected to abuse, neglect, separation from and/or loss of their biological families for applicants open to toddlers/older children. Assessment of applicants' sensitivity to and acceptance of child's relationships with birthsiblings, and applicants' reactions to child's feelings about birthparents and possibility of future contact between child and birthfamily.

    15) Review of attitudes about religion including applicants' church involvement and willingness to provide child opportunity for spiritual development and guarantee health protection if parental religious beliefs prohibit certain medical treatment

    16) Affirmation of family's intent to honor diversity and maintain child's cultural and/or ethnic identity with citation of specified plans for family exposure to child's ethnic community and integration of cultural tradition into family lifestyle

    17) Review of support systems available to adoptive family and and assessment of what support they may receive from these resources.

    18) Language(s) spoken by each adoptive applicant.

    19) Proof of vaccinations and any needed treatments for pets in the home.

    20) Applicants' ability to work with/accept specific kinds of behaviors and backgrounds. Limitations of prospective family with specification of those characteristics, backgrounds, or needs the applicants cannot accept.

    21) Homestudy worker's certification of applicants' readiness to adopt, as well as documentation of the number, age, race and gender (if applicable) of child/ren for whom the home is approved

    22) Citation of any disabilities of applicants and evaluation of impact upon parenting abilities

    23) Telephone numbers for official entities where complaints regarding study may be filed.

    24) Background information from prior child-placing agencies/social workers that previously completed any studies on applicants (for adoption or foster care), including information related to parents' experience and performance as foster/adoptive parents for the previous agency, and copies of such screenings, any deficiency record/s and resolution, and current fire/health inspections

    25) Homestudy worker's credentials which must include a master's degree in social work or human services and 3 years child-placing experience with a licensed facility.

    NOTE: Any omissions will require additional written addendums, necessitating additional effort and time on your part and ours, so please: be thorough! In Texas, original studies are valid for six (6) months from the last interview date. Should placement not occur within six months of original study, updates must be done by meeting all household members in the home within 30 days prior to placement to review and update each of the 25 categories, documenting same in official update forwarded to Abrazo. All updates and addendums must be submitted prior to matching and placement.

  24. Nursery Notes

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Things were HOPPING around Suite 540, yesterday... the new lobby furniture was finally delivered... two of our team were out of town making parents of one lucky couple... phones were ringing off the hook... an attorney's office upstairs called to ask us to come help a woman asking them how to make adoption plans for her coming baby... calls were set up for prospective matches... medical crises were (hopefully) averted... a half dozen new birthparent packets were sent out to interested callers... a Compact approval was received... as another family hunkered down with a newborn for whom tribal laws require special handling of paperwork... final preparations were made for this weekend's "Mommy Mayhem Elite Retreat" in the Smokey Mountains... a birthmama who placed many years ago called about reconnecting with her child and his family... and a loving home was sought for a due-anyday baby-on-the-way! It's shaping up to be a busy, busy spring season here in AbrazoLand... just the way we like 'it! :)

    Could it be that this is about the latest Nursery Angel? Ooo, I so hope a family is ready to welcome this baby and his/her Momma into their hearts...soon!

    Lifting up this Mom and her baby, the family God has intended, whomever they may be, and the Abrazo Ladies and their mission......

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