Jan Clifton
Adoption Support and Preservation
30 White Bridge Road
Nashville, TN 37205
Phone: 615.352.3089
E-mail: JClifton@cctenn.org

Deasree Williams
Clarksville Caring Choices
1905 Madison Street
Clarksville, TN 37043
Phone: 931.645.9969
DWilliams@cctenn.org

Kathy Gupton
Infant Adoption Awareness
30 White Bridge Road
Nashville, TN  37205
Phone: 615.352.3087
KGupton@cctenn.org

Kim Tant
Pregnancy Counseling & Adoption
30 White Bridge Road
Nashville, TN 37205
Phone: 615.352.3089
E-mail: KTant@cctenn.org

| Domestic Adoption | International Adoption | Pregnancy Counseling Services |
| Understanding Infant Adoption | Volunteer Opportunities |
| Adoption Support & Preservation | Adoptive Homes Recruitment

1) How long is the wait for a placement?

Since birthparents select a family, the wait varies. A couple may wait just a few months or possibly a few years. An average wait might be eighteen months to two years.

2) What's required for a home study?

Medical and financial information. Criminal background checks. Questionnaires regarding infertility, marriage, parenting and adoption. Reference Letters.

3) How many placements do we make each year?

Between fourteen and sixteen.

4) How much does it cost?

Sliding scale fee.

5) What does openness mean?

Openness refers to any level of contact between adoptive parents and birthparents. It does not mean shared parenting.

6) Do we place older children?

No. Infants are placed through our pregnancy-counseling program and may be placed directly from the hospital or shortly after birth.

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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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1) Adoption vs. Parenting: is adoption good for my baby and me?

As you are going through the process of deciding whether to parent or place your child for adoption, it is important to keep in mind that you need to make the decision that you feel is best for your baby. If you are not ready to parent, adoption is an option that allows you to still give your baby the gift of life. You are able to plan your baby's future by selecting a family that is loving and stable to care for your baby. You can also choose to get updates on your child's progress either through pictures and letters or continued contact with the family. At the same time that you are able to continue your education and career goals, you are able to know that your child is being well loved and well cared for.

2) What is an open adoption?

An open adoption can mean many different things. You can choose a family to raise your child. You can meet that family and get to know them before placement. You also have the option to continue to get pictures and letters through the agency throughout your child's lifetime. Some birthparents decide to have a completely open adoption that allows for ongoing visits with their child and the adoptive family. Whatever you decide, you are making this decision based on what you feel is best for you and for your baby. 

3) How much will my child know about me?

The more information that you can pass onto your child the better it is for them to understand their adoption story and where they came from. As they grow and have questions, all the information you provide will be very important to their sense of identity. We encourage you to pass your medical and social history on to your child. In a completely open adoption, your child will have ongoing access to you and what's going on in your life.

4) When do I have to decide about adoption?

You can decide at any point in your pregnancy or after the baby is born. Some birth mothers decide long before the birth while others may place the baby in foster care while they make the decision after the baby is born. 

5) What if I change my mind about adoption?

While making your adoption plan for your child, it is important for you to know that you have the right to change your mind if at anytime you decide that adoption is not in the best interest of your child. Nothing is final until 10 days after you sign a surrender of parental rights before a judge. This surrender cannot be signed until after your baby is born.

6) What if my parents and friends pressure me to keep my baby?

It may be hard for your parents and others to know that you are considering adoption. Your parents may be thinking of a grandchild and your friends may be thinking of a lovable and cuddly baby. Ultimately though the decision to release your child for adoption or raise your baby yourself is a decision that you have to make based on what you feel is best for your baby. It is a decision that you need to feel comfortable with now and one that you can continue to feel good about for the rest of your life.

7) What kind of rights does the father have?

The birth father has rights equal to yours. If he agrees with the adoption plan, then he can be a part of the decision making and counseling. If you disagree on adoption or no longer have contact with him, we can work with the court and our attorney to determine the best course of action. It is important to try to work with the birth father to have his social and medical history passed onto your child. If he does not choose to participate, only the information that you have will be passed onto your child.

8) How do I know that my child is going to go to a good home?

In order to for an adoptive family to go on our waiting list, they must meet certain standards and complete a home study that involves many things including police background checks, physicals, and a home visit. Supervision is done by the adoption agency from the time the child is placed with the adoptive family until the adoption is finalized. If you have an open adoption, you will be able to see for yourself how much your child is loved and how well your child is cared for.

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A Birthmother's Testimonial

At 19, Erica's life was turned upside down when she found out she was pregnant. Her boyfriend took two weeks before they were to be married. Her parents did not want to take her in because they felt it would bring shame to the family. She was without a place to live, without a job, without a car.

According to Erica, when she met her counselor with Catholic Charities for the first time, she was immediately given a new sense of direction. Her counselor helped her find a place to stay until the baby was born, introduced her to other young women with similar experiences, and they discussed loving options for her baby.

Erica chose adoption for her unborn child and was given the full power of selecting the family she felt would be best. After meeting the family she chose a couple of times, Erica knew they were perfect. "In addition to their wonderful personalities, they had already adopted and enjoy a great relationship with their adopted child's birthmother," she said. This reinforced to Erica that a healthy, "open" adoption is possible.

"Giving my little angel for adoption was the hardest thing I've ever done," says Erica. "But knowing that the family will let me be a part of their lives has made it easier to move on."

Now, almost two years later, Erica has completed her GED, has a job, a place of her own, and a car. Her daughter, Meredith, is thriving in a loving family. Erica knows without a doubt that she made the best, most loving choice she could for her daughter. She also states that she couldn't have done so without the support of Caring Choices.

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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.

Can you be the promise of family for one of these children?  Call Russell Massey at 615-352-3087, x. 295.

For more information contact Kathy Gupton at 615-352-3087 or KGupton@cctenn.org .

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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, 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 or in Nashville at 615-352-3087.

• Monday - Friday 8 AM - 4:30 PM

• 2 hour shifts - all day

• whatever works with your schedule

• some weekend or evening events

Volunteer Duties

• organizing donations

• giving material assistance

• giving pregnancy tests

• bulk mailings

• filing/moving folders

• copying

• answering phones - take information calls

Special Volunteer Opportunities

• manning booth at community service events

• assisting with special events

• helping with annual fundraiser

• picking up large donations

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