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Contact Information |
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Donna S. Thomas, Department Director Caring Choices 30 White Bridge Road Nashville, TN 37205 Phone: (615) 352-3089 Phone: (800) CARE-002 E-mail: DThomas@cctenn.org
Jan Clifton |
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Deasree Williams
Kathy Gupton |
Hallie Bishop Email: HBishop@cctenn.org
Laura Tudor Ross, MMFT Pregnancy Counseling & Adoption Healthy Marriage Healthy Family Trainer 30 White Bridge Road Nashville, TN 37205 Phone: (615) 352-3087 E-mail: LRoss@cctenn.org
Scott Gubala Administrative Assistant 30 White Bridge Road Nashville, TN 37205 Phone: (615) 352-3087, ext. 256 Email: SGubala@cctenn.org
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| Programs and Services | |
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Domestic Adoption | International Adoption | Pregnancy Counseling Services Adoptive Homes Recruitment| Understanding Infant Adoption | | Adoption Support & Preservation | Volunteer Opportunities |
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| DOMESTIC ADOPTION | |
 Caring Choices is a state-licensed adoption agency serving all races and religions. We place Caucasian and minority race children as well as infants with special medical needs. We also assist with many independent placements. A sliding scale helps to make adoption affordable for virtually all qualified adoptive parents. Our services are offered regardless of religious affiliation.Adoption is a three-step process. The first step is to submit an application. The next step is the home study, a state-mandated legal requirement in all adoption placements. Home studies are an educational process for prospective adoptive parents as well as a way to ensure adequate emotional, financial, and physical resources are in place. The last step is placement and support. For Caucasian infants without special needs, the wait may be lengthy. For minority and bi-racial infants, the wait is often short. In the domestic infant adoption program Catholic Charities has a few minimal requirements. We prefer that couples be married a minimum of three years and to have experienced infertility for a period of one year or more. The maximum age to adopt an infant is age 45, a median age between a couple, and a couple cannot have more than one child already in the home. In the case of special needs or minority adoptions the requirements of infertility and the limit of children need not be met. Birthparents choose couples from profiles that they have put together. Our adoptions have varying levels of openness from communication through the agency with letters and pictures to regular, direct contact between the birthparents and the adoptive parents. Our agency is always in need of minority race families. Information meetings are held bimonthly for inquiring families. We also offer several support groups for waiting families, as well as for those who already have received a placement. In addition, we network with other agencies to provide an annual educational conference. |
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For Answers To Frequently Asked Questions: Domestic Adoption CLICK HERE
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Meet some of our families
waiting to adopt Below are pictures and brief introductions to some of the families waiting to adopt through Catholic Charities. Please click on the families name for more information about that family. First of all we would like to tell you how thankful we are that, no matter if you place your child with a waiting family like ours or decide to raise the baby yourself; you are giving him/her life. That is an amazing gift that not everyone would choose so thank you from the bottom of our hearts.....
At this time in your life you have so many questions. We would like to share some details of our lives and hope it helps you find answers. Our names are Jana & John. We started our family in 2000. Our dreams were....
Hello! My name is Brandie. I have a wonderful and loving husband whose name is Doug. I would first like to express my gratitude for you taking the time to read our letter and hopefully by the end you will have a better understanding of who we are....
First, we want to thank you for considering adoption. While we cannot fully know what you are going through, we recognize your strength and courage. Let us being by telling you a little bit about ourselves. Greg and I have been married for.......
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INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION |
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International adoption is a wonderful way to build or add to your family. There are many possibilities regarding countries and ages of children. The most popular countries are Russia, China and South Korea, but other countries include Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Guatemala, Bulgaria and many more. If international adoption is of interest to you, give us a call to find out more information. Our experienced staff can help guide you through the home study process required in the United States, various legalities as well as helping you complete a dossier.Each country and placing agency determines its own eligibility requirements. Catholic Charities can assist you with information to help you find a country and agency to meet your needs. We can then complete a home study that will meet the requirements for an international adoption. We can also provide information on working with INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service). Other services include educational seminars, support groups for waiting families and families that have received placements. There are also many cultural educational opportunities for children and parents on a monthly basis. |
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PREGNANCY COUNSELING SERVICES |
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Unplanned pregnancy can create pressure, confusion, anxiety, and a sense of urgency. Caring Choices offers free, confidential pregnancy counseling for you and your family to help make informed, unpressured decisions. We also have an adoption program, and offer free pregnancy tests and bilingual (Español) services. Questions about what to say, whom to tell, what to do about school, medical care, living arrangements, the father of your baby, and other concerns can seem to be overwhelming. Our professional staff is here to help you by answering questions, giving you tips and advice on how to handle each aspect of your situation and to be a support for you throughout your pregnancy and after your child is born. Individual and group counseling for you and your parents, and post-natal services are all available free of charge. If you need help with medical care or living arrangements, Caring Choices is ready to provide direct assistance and referrals. Limited material assistance such as diapers, clothes and formula are available. If the choice for adoption is made, the staff can help you through the decision making process, giving you emotional support and helping to ensure that all of your wishes and desires for your child are met. Caring Choices offers open adoptions, which means you may select the adoptive parents and have contact with them either with pictures and letters through the agency or directly between you and the family, whichever you choose. Care is taken to meet all legal requirements in the process and adoptive parents are carefully screened to provide a secure and loving home for your child. |
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For Answers To Frequently Asked Questions: Birthparents CLICK HERE |
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A Birthmother's Testimonial |
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ADOPTIVE HOMES RECRUITMENT recruitment of adoptive homes for special needs children |
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Every day a child is in custody is a day of childhood lost. In the state of Tennessee, there are hundreds of unclaimed children with no prospect of a forever family. Our calling is to find families willing to open their hearts and homes to one of these children. Only then can they say, “I am home for good.” These children, often teenagers or a part of sibling groups, face a life without the securities that many of us take for granted, without a family, without a place to call home. In response to these insecurities, many of these youth respond with anger and frustration. What they need more than anything is family and home to call their own. We will walk you through the challenges and joys of the adoption process. Our Adoption Support and Preservation program- ASAP- will give you the tools to overcome the obstacles that you will face in taking these children into your home. Meet some of the children waiting for their forever family by viewing their In My Own Words video Can you be the promise of family for one of these children? Call Russell Massey at (615) 352-3087 x 295.
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For Answers To Frequently Asked Questions: Recruitment CLICK HERE |
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UNDERSTANDING INFANT ADOPTION
 The curriculum developed by the Infant Adoption Training Initiative is designed to train health care professionals how to provide adoption information and referral to pregnant women. The training provides participants with opportunities for self-reflection and open discussion of issues facing women with unplanned pregnancies, as well as the different service providers available in their areas. Understanding the different resources available for pregnancy counseling and adoption services is a key characteristic necessary to make informed referrals consistent with client/patient needs and preferences. For more information contact Kathy Gupton at (615) 352-3087 or KGupton@cctenn.org . |
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| ADOPTION SUPPORT AND PRESERVATION | |
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Adoption Support and Preservation (ASAP)? ASAP is designed to create and maintain a seamless statewide system of pre- and post-adoption services in Tennessee. ASAP is an innovative program that supports children and families as they create and maintain connections and access services that support permanency. ASAP is working to develop the capacity of communities across Tennessee to better nurture their adoptive families. ASAP seeks to increase the availability and accessibility of adoption support services in Tennessee, and to decrease the incidence of disrupted or dissolved adoptions. Motivated by the needs of families and children in all stages of the adoptive process, ASAP offers a comprehensive and coordinated continuum of services. ASAP is a collaborative project of Harmony Adoptions of East Tennessee, Catholic Charities of Middle Tennessee, and AGAPE Child and Family Services of West Tennessee. ASAP is partnered with the Department of Children's Services for the cooperative implementation and further development of our program. How Can Families Become Part of ASAP? Families may contact the ASAP hotline to get started at (888) 848-ASAP (2727), or they may fill out a Request for Service form online at the ASAP website, www.TNASAP.org . Referring professionals are encouraged to contact ASAP with any questions and may refer families for ASAP services by submitting a Request For Service Form online, or by contacting ASAP at (888) 848-ASAP (2727) or in Nashville at (615) 352-3087. |
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES |
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Flexible hours
Volunteer Duties
Special Volunteer Opportunities
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