Adoption STAR, Inc.
Erie County New York
Contact: Michele Fried, founder/CEO
Mobile: 716-998-4663
E-Mail: Michele@adoptionstar.com
Office: 716-639-3900
Sylvia just sat in the car. Sylvia, an adoption counselor for expectant parents, was waiting for news that her client was okay. That she delivered her baby and that even though Sylvia was not permitted in the hospital due to the new hospital COVID-19 rules, Sylvia wanted her to know that she was close. Sylvia could have been 4 hours away working from her home, but she wanted to be available to her client. Sylvia traveled with a mask in place to support this client throughout the end of her pregnancy. While many visits like this have gone virtual, this client really wanted to see Sylvia in person. Her client’s worst fear was being alone, and Sylvia assured her that she would be right there, even though “right there” meant the hospital parking lot.
Our expectant parent and birth parent social workers historically work odd hours and often work from their cars, traveling to their clients and supporting them pre and post birth. This virus has caused them to add masks and robes and gloves to their wardrobe and to be incredibly creative as they provide support to those in need.
Adoption STAR, Inc., a non-profit adoption agency licensed in three states (NY, OH and FL) says it is business as usual during an unusual time. “Covid-19 not only has our staff working from home, but our policies and procedures have needed to change,” reports Michele Fried, the agency’s founder and CEO. Adoption STAR, a 20 year old organization, works to identify families for children in need of permanency planning. The agency provides infant adoption and older child adoption both domestically and internationally.
International adoption has been greatly impacted with travel restrictions. Several weeks ago, Megan Montgomery, International Adoption Coordinator for Adoption STAR wrote an article on the topic: https://www.adoptionstar.com/new-coronavirus-is-a-double-punch-for-adoptive-families/
Adoption STAR’s A-OK (Adopt an Older Kid) Program identifies families for children living throughout the United States in foster care. Fried states that the A-OK program has 15 matches currently, with another 8 families being considered for children nationwide. Some children were in the process of having visits with their prospective new parents, when the visits suddenly halted and moved to virtual visits. These children have experienced significant trauma already, now coupled with the health risk and fear of Covid-19, they are still waiting to continue getting to know their new families and continue on the adoption journey.
The agency’s infant program is surprisingly very busy. Adoption STAR has received several referrals of pregnant individuals wishing to consider adoption as well as referrals of babies already born since this ordeal began. The agency’s infant adoption program has four full time birth parent social workers who are dedicated professionals year round but truly brave souls right now as they are the team who while wearing masks and gowns accompany their clients to the hospital if their client wishes them to be their birth partner, they are involved with the infant discharge and are involved with the legal paperwork involved with the surrender of parental rights. They have been very busy assisting birth parents with their pre and post birth and adoption needs.
The prospective adoptive family (no matter what program they select) must be state approved to adoption through an adoption home study this involves the collection of state and agency required paperwork such as criminal history background checks, references, medicals, and certified documents. The paperwork collection process has slowed down for many families who are unable to get medical physicals from their doctors right now, or obtaining background clearances if they need to be fingerprinted — some offices are closed, others provide online telehealth services. The home study itself requires a home visit and other visits with an adoption assessor. All of this has needed to be tweaked to meet the requirements of the stay at home order, but also to still satisfy state requirements.
Post placement visits are the required visits following up on the child and their adoptive family after placement but before adoption finalization. These visits are now virtual where we see the family members and child together utilizing Zoom or FaceTime. Not all courts are holding finalizations virtually, so adoption finalizations are being held up.
It has not been an easy process but along with the executive team and board of directors, Adoption STAR has established policies and procedures during this global pandemic to meet the needs of their clients. Fried says she sends out a weekly personal email to the agency’s clients as well as hosts weekly meetings with the full staff via Zoom. “The most important thing is to stay in touch, to keep up morale, and to do what we do best, supporting children and families.”
—
Michele Fried
founder and ceo
(she, her, hers)
Website: Adoption STAR, Inc.
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