ICPC Sending State Check List

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The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children [ICPC] is a law that establishes procedures to assure that children and youth are being placed with families that are safe, suitable, and able to provide care and that States understand their responsibilities in pre-adoptive and other ICPC regulated placements. Under a compact, the jurisdictional, administrative, and human rights obligations of all parties involved in an interstate placement can be protected.

The following checklist is meant to serve as an overview and generalized description of how ICPC might operate for children and youth being placed across State lines with recruited, general applicant families for the purpose of adoption. Not all steps in the checklist will apply to all situations in every State. Consult with your State ICPC Compact Administrator ) if in doubt.

These are the basic steps for the caseworker in a SENDING STATE (SS) to complete the interstate placement process for a child or youth being sent to another State, known as the RECEIVING STATE (RS):
…

Information on prospective family in the other State:  Talk with the RS caseworker, if assigned and known, or RS supervisor, if known but case not yet assigned, to verbally share child information and discuss any known issues regarding placement of child(ren) with prospective family.

…Contact and determine the interest and commitment of the prospective family.

…Inform family and RS caseworker that a family/home study will be requested using ICPC packet information below (or request copy of a current family/home study, if available).

…Begin discussing with the RS caseworker and prospective family: financial and medical issues including foster care payments, Adoption Assistance payments, medical assistance (coverage), and education
(enrollment, tuition, special needs, etc.)

…Prepare and send ICPC packet to your ICPC Compact Administrator in the Sending State formally requesting a family/home study OR placement of this child or youth in the Receiving State. Please be aware that State requirements may vary. You will need to communicate with the RS caseworker to ensure that the required documents for each State are included as part of the ICPC packet. ICPC Form 100A is required for each child being placed – Prepare ICPC Form 100A to request an interstate placement. Fill out the ICPC Form 100A in its entirety including all required signatures.

…Assemble required documentation:
…Signed Court Order (identifying who has custody in the SS, i.e., local/State agency, private agency, court.)
Proof of IV-E eligibility (if applicable)
…Financial/medical plan or form (i.e., is the child IV-E eligible or not). If your State does not have this type of form, discuss the financial and medical plan in the cover letter.
…Educational needs (Special Education, IEP, if appropriate)
…A copy of the termination of parental rights order (if applicable)
…Copy of family’s current family/home study (if available) or license (if available)
…Current social, psychological and medical summary of each child

Why Choose AFMC?

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  In the traditional domestic adoption process the families sign up with a local agency/adoption attorney where they are required to pay high up-front costs and will remain waiting to be matched with an expectant mother working directly with that agency/attorney, which could take years.

  AFMC domestic adoptions are different in that we provide clients 5 different ways to connect with an expectant mother. Expectant Mothers considering adoption are looking for a family that they can connect with and visualize how their baby would grow up in.  

 

  1. Expectant Moms come directly to AFMC seeking the family they can connect with and love. Some EM are referred to us, as we have become a referral site to help EM connect and find the perfect family without pressure from others.  IF EM don’t find the family that they need or can connect with, we have an option for EM to request very specifically criteria that is important to them. We are able to utilize our network and marketing skills to locate the family that they can connect with and love.  

 

  1. Agencies that work with Expectant Mothers, send profile request for adoptive families that would be interested in an adoption opportunity.

 

  1. Adoption Attorney will request profiles for an EM to review they are working with in hopes of finding the right family to raise their baby.

 

  1. Other adoption entities will also send a brief description of the EM and the request profiles to be reviewed by the expectant mother.   

 

  1. Dedicated Marketing Plan – Request a dedicated marketing plan and market your profile on multiple platforms.

 

  We market and provide connections for families.  Regardless of the number of clients, or Expectant Mothers that come to our site.  An Expectant Mother needs to connect with your family, if you haven’t been chosen, it may only be because the families Expectant Mothers connected with another family.  You don’t want to just match and hope everything works out.  A connection and a foundation built with an Expectant Mother will make the world of difference when it comes to a trusting relationship and the love she has not only for her baby, but for the family she has chosen.  As she places the most amazing gift in the arms of a family she has chosen and developed a trusting relationship with, is what makes all the things you have experienced along your adoption journey worth going through.  Clients have a greater opportunity to view information from a variety of agencies and attorneys without paying high marketing or other up-front fees to those adoption professionals. This model typically results in quicker and more economical adoptions. 

Facilitators Are Illegal In My State, Are You A Facilitator?

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  No, we are an adoption profile marketing/network site.  We DO NOT have direct contact with expectant parent(s) considering adoption.  Expectant parent(s) can contact families though marketing on our site, but matching will need to be done through the professional services they agree upon.  Adoption entities request family profiles and the requesting entity will work with expectant parent(s) will provide professional matching of a family.

How Long Does It Take To Adopt?

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  Following an approved home study, and depending on a family’s location and laws, a family’s budget, their level of openness, things they will/will not accept in a situation, and how well a family presents themselves these are all factors that come into play while determining your wait time.

Why Are The Fees So Different From Every Situation That Comes Through?

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  • Agency/attorney/adoption entity fees
  • Counseling 
  • Legal fees associated with the transfer of parental rights from the birth mother to the new adoptive parents
  • Fees that pay for the medical care, shelter, food, maternity clothing, counseling, and other vital resources that ensure the well-being and safety of the expectant/birth mother and her child. Women who receive these resources while pregnant are NEVER required to give their child up for adoption. 
  • Administrative fees to cover the time and hours spent processing paperwork, answering emails and phone calls, and cost incurred from hosting and updating a website. 

 

Adoption can be expensive, depending on what all is involved.  While reviewing fees, please note the many different factors and professionals involved that help to determine that fee.  No business runs for free.  The cost/fees (between $20-60k) that you see posted with available situations, ARE NOT paid to AFMC. 

Who Is Eligible To Submit A Profile on AFMC’s Website?

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  First and foremost, in order to be listed on our page as a hopeful adoptive parent, you must have an approved adoption home study completed. If you have not done this, no worries as we can get you started with an approved home study provider in your area. Additionally, your adoption attorney or agency will need to notify us of your eligibility to adopt. We accept profiles from all family types including gay, lesbian, single parent, two parent families, etc. from all 50 states. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, etc.  

Why Is Adoption For My Child The Most Effective Way To Showcase My Desire To Adopt?

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  First, your listing on our website will include a variety of features to help you connect with birth parents more easily. On your profile, you can:

  • Upload videos.
  • Add photos to a photo gallery.
  • Communicate with prospective birth parents via instant messaging and video chat.
  • “Spread the Word” using tools that allow you to tell the world about your desire to adopt.
  • Link to your personal blog(s) and other social media pages.
  • You will gain access to a private support group that will connect you with other hopeful adoptive parents. This group is particularly helpful in identifying possible scams early on.

  You will increase your reach and exposure by listing on Adoption for My Child. We will personally look over your profiles for any insight for getting your profile noticed.  Adoption For My Child currently averages over 3 million page views per week.

Expectant Mom is not working with a professional, what are the adoption fees?

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Adoption related costs would depend on what all is involved with the specific situation and the resources the expectant mother needs.  Once you are connected with an expectant or birth mother, you will need to contact your attorney or agency (attorney is much more affordable) and have them work with the expectant mother to obtain medical records and handle all expenses. The costs always depends on the attorney you hire (family law, most times is more affordable than a AAAA attorney and they do the same thing) and birth mother expenses need to be covered.  Every state has different laws and limits on birth mother expenses. It is an adoptive family’s choice on which professionals they choose to work with, however, we take out the need for a middle man so families don’t have to put all their eggs in one basket. By using Adoption For My Child to showcase your profile your family is made visible to thousands of expectant mothers considering adoption. When an expectant mother chooses adoption for her option, you are able to instantly submit for situations where the criteria fit, allowing your family to be considered immediately. Once an expectant mother chooses your family the legal paperwork can then be completed in all 50 states for less than $1,500. This is what other professionals won’t tell you. You don’t HAVE to use them at all. We make the connection with the expectant mother possible and save your family in the long run. 

 

Do You Have References?

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Yes. Please check our testimonial page.

When Do You Release The Contact Information For The Adoption Entity That Sends Out The Situation?

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  Adoption For My Child does not release the contact information for the adoption entity that sends out the situation until a family is matched, after they are chosen by the expectant mother. AFMC will initiate contact in the beginning while the expectant mother is interviewing families, however, contact information will not be exchanged until she has made her decision.