Adoption Programs

American Adoptions is a full-service adoption agency. The following is a list of services included in the total fee range of all our Adoptive Family Programs.

• 24 hour birth parent counseling
• Legal fees and/or termination fees for adoptive family & birth parents
• Marketing and advertising
• Birth parent living/medical expenses
• Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC)
• Hospital correspondence
• Post-adoption correspondence

The following is a breakdown of our 3 different programs.

With all of our programs, adoptive families can place a cap on their adoption cost and their information will only be shown to adoptions that fall within their budget. In the event a birth mother changes her mind and decides to parent, Agency Fees will be refunded and we will resume showing your Family Profile to potential birth parents. Call 1-800-ADOPTION or email info@americanadoptions.com for details.

What is the difference between the Traditional I and Traditional II adoption programs?

The two main differences between the programs are cost and wait time. Agency fees are identical for both traditional programs. The difference in cost is related directly to the needs of the birth mothers with medical and financial assistance. Some matches have higher living expenses and medical costs which cause them to fit within the Traditional II program. Another factor that sometimes increases the cost of the adoption is the fluctuation of legal fees in the state where the adoption takes place in and where the adoption is finalized in. American Adoptions wants to be able to assist birth mothers with their adoption plan regardless of what her needs are. The Traditional II Program also carries a lower average waiting time because there are typically less families with higher budgets, so there are less families being shown to these birth mothers. In addition, based on budget alone, families in the Traditional II Program have the opportunity to be shown to all potential birth mothers who fit their other APQ criteria, however, some families in the Traditional I Program cannot be shown to birth mothers whose needs greatly exceed their match budget.

What is the difference between the traditional programs and the Agency-Assisted Program?

The Agency-Assisted Program provides for the adoption of African-American or biracial children that are part African-American. The traditional programs provide for the adoption of all non-African-American children (i.e. Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, or any combination of races that do not include African-American heritage).

This special program was designed by American Adoptions to bring attention to the need for families to adopt African-American or part African-American children in the U.S. Across the nation, there is a vast shortage of families seeking to adopt children of an African-American descent. Due to this shortage, American Adoptions created the Agency-Assisted Program to bring light to this need and to aid families seeking to adopt African-American children.

As part of the Agency-Assisted Program, American Adoptions subsidizes the advertising costs to make the adoption process more affordable for families. In addition, American Adoptions allows each family in the Agency-Assisted Program the option of specifying what gender they prefer to adopt. This option is not available in our other adoption programs. Families may join both the Agency-Assisted and the traditional programs if they desire.

Another benefit to the Agency-Assisted Program is the lower wait time experienced by families in this program. Because less families are open to adopting a child with an African-American heritage, families in the Agency-Assisted Program receive a higher exposure to expectant mothers.

What if we locate a birth mother on our own, or a birth mother locates us through another source other than American Adoptions? Can American Adoptions still assist us with the adoption process?

Yes, American Adoptions offers a full range of adoption services to families and birth mothers who have come together through their own networking avenues. Referred to as an Identified Adoption, our agency has three Identified Adoption programs available, depending on the level of services needed. For more information regarding our Identified Adoption programs, please contact our agency at 1-800-ADOPTION.

What if I don't meet one of your agency requirements? Can I still adopt?

We do make exceptions to our agency requirements on a case by case basis. To have your family reviewed you must submit a letter explaining your situation and what requirement you are asking permission to have waived. Our Board of Directors will then review your case. If you would like to ask for permission from our Board of Directors please submit a letter to:

If this option is not appealing to your family you might try to contact an adoption attorney in the yellow pages or internet because they may be able to assist you.

For more information concerning our adoption programs, please e-mail info@americanadoptions.com or call us at 1-800-ADOPTION.