General Eligibility Guidelines

• For international adoption programs, one applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

• For domestic adoption programs and services, one applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

• For international and domestic infant adoption programs, income/assets must be at 125% poverty level.

• Applicants for international adoption services must be at least 25 years of age at time of application. Age requirements vary between foreign countries. Some foreign countries allow “waivers” if other aspects of your background are suitable. We cannot guarantee waivers but can inform you about whether they appear customary or difficult to get in a particular country.

• There must be a minimum of 15 years between the age of the younger parent and child.

• We recommend at least 12 months difference in age between an adopted child or adopted twins and any children already in the home. Maintaining birth order is important.

Adoption Tax Credit

The adoption tax credit provides financial benefits for eligible families. Discuss this with your accountant, as it changes year to year. Many kinds of adoption fees and expenses may be eligible.

Adoption Education

Adoptive Families must complete a minimum of 10 hours of pre-adoption education pertinent to the adoption they are planning, domestic or international. International families must complete the mandatory Hague Convention curriculum. Adoption education should be completed during the home study process.

Families may be required to complete additional education if adopting “hard to place” children, which includes special medical or psychological needs or siblings. 

Adopted children need and deserve parents prepared to address developmental or adjustment delays, grief and identity issues and other problems that would benefit from the support of a trained adoption therapist.

Post Adoption Requirements

Post placement or post adoption reports are routinely required for all adoptions.  Adoptive parents have a legal and ethical obligation to fulfill these requirements, as set by their state and the country of adoption. 

Please be prepared and keep an eye on your calendar to be sure to complete these reports in a timely manner.  Adoptive parents may be subject to legal penalties for failure to submit reports.

Mexico Adoption Resources

Nightlight Christian Adoptions accepted our Mexico adoptive families and is now coordinating adoptions for new families, too. This is a wonderful transition for our in-process families and a great opportunity for anyone interested in Mexico adoption!

In Mexico, adoption is conducted through the Mexican Central Authority, in compliance with regulations of the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption. We will gladly provide information on all adoption program outcomes, waiting families and children. 

Families adopting from orphanages or those adopting related children are all obliged to follow the laws and regulations governing international adoption under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. The process is the same, as all children are protected by safeguards the Hague Convention provides.

Other Adoption Resources

China and Asian Adoption

• China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA)

• Families with Children from China

• Our Chinese Daughters Foundation

• The China Cares Foundation

• Families with Children from Vietnam

Eastern European Adoption

• Families for Russian and Ukranian Adoption

• Russian Orphan Opportunity Fund — Support for children remaining in orphanages

FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) Information

• US Dept of Health and Human Services; Excellent information, links and current research

• California Fetal Alcohol Organization — an excellent site and check their “links” page for more useful websites.

• Site sponsored by British Columbia, Canada

Cerebral Palsy Information Website

• Cerebral Palsy Information

Alabama Adoption Clinic

• The University of Alabama at Birmingham
  Birmingham, Alabama

California Adoption Clinics

• Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland
  Oakland, California
  

• Miller Children's Hospital
  Long Beach, California

Connecticut Adoption Clinic

• Yale University International Adoption Clinic
  New Haven, Connecticut

Illinois Adoption Clinic

• University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital International Adoption Clinic
  Chicago, Illinois

Indiana Adoption Clinic

• Riley Hospital
  Indianapolis, Indiana

Maryland Adoption Clinic

• International Adoption Clinic of Kennedy Krieger Institute & Johns Hopkins Children's Center
  Baltimore, Maryland

Minnesota Adoption Clinic

• International Adoption Medicine Program & Clinic
  Minneapolis, Minnesota

Missouri Adoption Clinic

• Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital F.A.C.E.S. (Foreign Adoption Clinic and Educational Services)
  St. Louis, Missouri

New York Adoption Clinic

• Dr. Jane Aronson
  NYC, New York

Ohio Adoption Clinics

• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  Cincinnati, Ohio
  

• Columbus Children's Hospital at Ohio State University
  Columbus, Ohio
  

• Rainbow Center for International Child Health at University Hospitals of Cleveland
  Cleveland, Ohio
  

• Adoption Center of Akron Children's Hospital
  Akron, Ohio
  

• Adoption Program at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital
  Cleveland, Ohio

Oregon Adoption Clinic

• OHSU Adoption Health Services
  Portland, Oregon
  

Pennsylvania Adoption Clinic

• International Adoption Health Program at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

South Carolina Adoption Clinic

• International Adoption Clinic at MUSC Children's Hospital
  Charleston, South Carolina

Texas Adoption Clinic

• Texas Children's Hospital
  Houston, Texas

Virginia Adoption Clinic

• University of Virginia Children's Hospital International Adoption Clinic
  Charlottesville, Virginia