Pregnancy Counseling

Unplanned pregnancy can create pressure, confusion, anxiety and a sense of urgency. Questions about what to say, who to tell, what to do about medical care, school, the birth father and other concerns can seem overwhelming. Catholic Charities’ professional staff are experts when it comes to offering help. Their objective is to offer you a listening ear, unbiased information and knowledge to help you make an informed decision and help you through each aspect of your situation. All counseling is offered free of charge.

If you choose adoption, Catholic Charities seeks to maintain open adoptions, which means you can select adoptive parents and have the possibility of an on-going relationship. Catholic Charities offers licensed adoption services approved by the State of Tennessee. Placement services are offered without regard to religious, ethnic, cultural and racial background.

All of our provided adoption services are to be child centered. Our goal is to identify a family for the child, not a child for the family. To ensure a positive outcome of an adoptive placement the counselor, the birthparents and the adoptive parents should work together to build a relationship that honors ALL members of the triad.

What We Can Offer You

Our professional and caring staff is committed to providing you with all of the information, support and services you need to build your family through adoption. You can depend upon us through every stage of the often confusing and overwhelming adoption process.

We offer individualized, one-on-one support for waiting families as well as those who already received a placement.

Adoption services agreement and statistics available upon request.

Domestic Adoption

Catholic Charities is a state-licensed adoption agency. We place Caucasian, minority race and special medical needs infants. 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 four-step process. First, we encourage you to attend one of our group information meeting which will provide a more detailed explanation of our services. Please check the events page for upcoming meetings.

Second, submit an application (contact Amanda Bennett for application materials at (615) 760-1023 or abennett@cctenn.org).

The third 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. And the fourth step is placement and support. For Caucasian infants without special needs, the wait may be lengthy.

Frequently asked questions about domestic adoption

International Adoption

Many thousands of children around the world long for a home and a family. Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. has been involved in international adoptions for over twenty-five years, assisting with the placement of children from the countries of China, Russia, Bolivia, Thailand, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Ukraine and Ethiopia just to name a few.

Our experienced staff can help guide you through the home study process required in the United States. Catholic Charities is a homestudy agency and will assist with adoption options, counseling, the homestudy, immigration paperwork, adoptive parent education, dossier assistance and post placement reports. In order to complete your international adoption you will also need to work with a placing agency. In addition to our services, Catholic Charities offers ten hours of Hague approved adoptive parent education.

Our staff is available to talk with and counsel you about adoption and determine if it is the right choice for your family. If you know you are ready to get started on an international adoption, contact Amanda Bennett at (615) 760-1023 or abennett@cctenn.org.

The following are available upon request:

• Policies and practices, including general eligibility criteria and fees.
• The supervised providers with whom the prospective client(s) can expect to work in the United States and in the child’s country of origin and the usual costs associated with their services.
• A sample written adoption services contract substantially like the one that the prospective client(s) will be expected to sign should they proceed.
• The number of adoption placements per year for the prior three calendar years, and the number and percentage of those placements that remain intact, are disrupted, or have been dissolved as of the time the information is provided.
• The number of parents who apply to adopt on a yearly basis, based on data for the prior three calendar years.
• The number of children eligible for adoption and awaiting an adoptive placement referral via the agency or person.

Frequently asked questions about international adoption