CFC’s Adoption program provides home studies and post-placement services for international and older/special needs adoptions. Catholic Family Center is also a placement agency for domestic infant adoptions.
What can prospective parents expect of Catholic Family Center?
We provide:
- Comprehensive information about all aspects of adoption.
- Information and guidance in the initial decision making phase to help you decide what type of adoption is best for you.
- A mandatory home study and adoption readiness training.
- Assistance with obtaining and assessing all available, relevant medical, developmental, social and historical information related to placement decisions.
- Post-placement service.
- Complete documentation for legalization as required by the court.
Additionally, we:
- Act as a liaison for adoptive parents with international placing agencies, and assist them in meeting the requirements for U.S. immigration.
- Advocate for adoptive parents with agencies that have custody of an older/special needs child.
- Consult with attorneys for adoptive parents in private adoption cases.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
- Adoptive parents must be at least 18 years old (NYS requirement)
- Singles, couples and families with children are all eligible to apply for adoption. Married couples must adopt jointly
- Adoptive parents must be in such physical condition that it is reasonable to expect that they will live to the child’s majority and to have the energy and other abilities needed to fulfill their parental responsibilities
- Applicants are required to complete both a State and FBI Criminal Background (fingerprint) clearances as are all members of the household who are 18 years old or older.
- Applicants are required to complete Child Protective Clearances for all states in which they have resided in since their 18th birthdays, as are all members of the household who are 18 years old or older.
- Medical exams are required for all family members including a TB screening. Family members must be clear of all communicable diseases.
- Applicants looking to adopt internationally may need to meet additional/different eligibility requirements as such factors as age of applicant, marital status, etc are country specific and vary country by country. Specific criteria for a particular country can be obtained through your international adoption agency.
FEES:
- Fees for home study and CFC placements are based on a sliding fee scale.
- CFC provides only the home study and post-placement phases of an international adoption process. Additional fees will be charged by the international adoption agency for the placement and other services provided by them. Information on these fees is available from the chosen international agency.
- CFC does not charge any fees related to an Older Special Needs adoption.
- All CFC Adoption fees are applied to the direct provision of adoption related services. They are not used to provide additional programming (cultural events, scholarships, etc.) of any type
- An up to date fee schedule for all CFC provided Adoption Services is available upon request
PROGRAM LOCATIONS: 87 N. Clinton Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604
INTAKE PROCESS: Families are invited to attend a monthly information meeting. In this meeting families learn the various processes depending on the type of adoption they are pursuing. Following the information meeting, if a family continues to be interested in adoption through Catholic Family Center, they are asked to complete an application, which is the first step of the process.
For more information, call Children, Youth and Family Services at (585) 262-7126.
OTHER INFORMATION/LINKS: Catholic Family Center has developed positive relationships with international adoption agencies and is well versed in the required paperwork necessary to adopt internationally.
Non-identifying birth search information is provided to those individuals adopted through Catholic Family Center. Information is given as to the process of obtaining identifying information in New York State.
