"finding adoptive homes for children"

Greetings!

Thank you for your interest in adoption and the many children in Georgia who are still waiting for a permanent place to call home. .

FOR FAMILIES HAVING A COMPLETED AND APPROVED ADOPTION HOME STUDY:
Your first step is to notify your Case Manager of your interest in the child(ren) you have identified. Your Case Manager should fax a copy of your home study to It’s My Turn Now Georgia (IMTNGA) at Fax # (770) 333-6320. Please make sure the worker identifies the child(ren) you are interested in on the cover page of the fax. It should also specify that you identified the child(ren) through the Wednesday’s Child program. IMTNGA will ensure your home study is forwarded to the child’s Case Manager for consideration. Should your caseworker need to contact IMTNGA, they may call 1-800-603-1322.

FOR FAMILIES WHO DO NOT HAVE A COMPLETED AND APPROVED ADOPTION HOME STUDY:
Georgia Families:
All inquiries from families living in Georgia and without a home study are automatically forwarded to the inquiring family’s resident county Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) agency. Once received, the agency should contact you and invite you to the next scheduled Information Session. During the Information Session, you will learn basic information about the pre-service training classes for adoption (Interest, Mutual Selection, Pre-Service Training, Assessment, Continuing Development and Teamwork -IMPACT) and the evaluation process. Be prepared, on average, it usually takes 4-6 months for the training and evaluation process to be completed. After your home study is approved, you will be able to begin your search for a specific child. For more information about the adoption process, you may visit the “Adoptions Fact Sheet” page from the following link http://dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov/fact-sheets.
For Georgia families, the Home Study process can be completed either through your local Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) agency. Your local DFCS agency should automatically contact you and follow-up on your inquiry; however, if you would like to contact your local DFCS agency directly, go to www.dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov and click on county offices to obtain the county address and phone number. Ask to speak to the Resource Development Unit.
-Or-
If you wish to work with a private agency for the placement of a child with special needs, you may contact any of the agencies listed below for further information. For a full listing of all private adoption agencies that specialize in other types of adoptions (infant, international) please copy the following link in your web browser http://dch.georgia.gov/find-facilityfile-complaint.

Out of State Families – ICPC (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children)

You must have a completed and approved Adoption home study before you can be considered as a possible permanent resource for a Georgia child. You will need to complete the training and home study process through your state. You should consider starting with your local child welfare agency to learn more about beginning this process in your area.

PRIVATE FOSTER/ADOPTION AGENCIES APPROVED FOR GEORGIA DFCS STATE PERMANENCY UNIT - CONTRACT ADOPTION AGENCIES (07-01-12 thru 06-30-13)

DFCS STATE ADOPTION UNIT: CONTRACT ADOPTION AGENCIES (7-1-05 thru 6-30-08)

The following is a list of private adoption agencies that the DFCS State Adoption Unit has entered into contracts with for the purpose of providing adoption services for children who meet the State’s definition of special needs.

1. ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
EMI LY BAILEY, DIRECTOR
1671 Meriweather Drive, Suite 101
Bogart, GA 30622
PH: 706-316-2421
FAX: 706-316-2423
EMAIL: ebailey@agcadoption.org (Emily Bailey)
EMAIL: info@agcadoption.org(Agency)
Website: www.agcadoption.org
This agency provides training through Parents As Tender Healers (PATH). They do have the capacity to train families in IMPACT.

2.(a) BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES
Cheryl Williams, Director of State Child Placement Services
6645 Peachtree Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30328
PH: 770-274-3414
FAX: 770-455-7118
EMAIL: cwilliams@bethany.org (Cheryl Williams)
Website: www.bethany.org
This agency does IMPACT training.

2.(b) BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES
Cheryl Williams, Director of State Child Placement Services
Kathryn Ricks, Adoption Caseworker
5050 Warm Springs Road, Suite 200B
Columbus, GA 31909
PH: 706-576-5766 OR 706-576-5750
FAX: 706-576-5159
EMAIL: kricks@bethany.org (Kathryn Ricks)
This agency does IMPACT training

3. FAMILIES FIRST
Peggy Baird, Director of Youth Services
Jane Hudson, Adoption Program Manager
1105 W. Peachtree Street, P. O. Box 7948
Atlanta, GA 30309
PH: 404-853-2867 (Main Office)
PH: 404-853-2867 (Peggy)
PH: 404-853-2868 (Jane)
EMAIL: jhudson@familiesfirst.org (Jane Hudson)
EMAIL: peggy@familiesfirst.org (Peggy Baird)
Website: www.familiesfirst.org
This agency does IMPACT training.

4. GEORGIA MENTOR
Lori Campbell, Executive Director
LaTonya Patterson, Program Manager
Kimberly Royster, Adoption Supervisor
2302 Parklake Dr NE
Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30345
PH: 470-362-7202
FAX: 470.362.7276
EMAIL: latonya.patterson@thementornetwork.com (Latonya Patterson)
EMAIL: kimberly.royster@thementornetwork.com (Kimberly Royster)

5a. LUTHERAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA
Noreen Horrigan, Director of State Adoptions
Andrews Willis, Adoption Supervisor
100 Edgewood Ave. Suite 1800
Atlanta, GA 30303
PH: 404-591-7066 (Main Office)
TOLL FREE: 1-800-395-0129
FAX: : 404-591-7435
Email: awillis@lsga.org (Andrew Willis)
Email: nhorrigan@lsga.org (Noreen Horrigan)
Website: www.lsga.org
This agency does IMPACT training.

5b. LUTHERAN-HERITAGE ADOPTION SERVICES
Glenda Francis, Adoption Supervisor
6555 Abercorn Street, Suite 200
Savannah, GA 31405
PH: 912-355-9179
FAX: : 912-355-1499
Email: gfancis@lsga.org
This agency does IMPACT training.

5c. LUTHERAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA
Helen Hein, Northwest GA Regional Adoption Coordinator
101 Elliott Drive, N.W., Suite C
Rome, GA 30165-1154
PH: 706-232-1696
CELL: 706-506-0649
This agency does IMPACT training.

5d. LUTHERAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA
Valerie Blount, Adoption Coordinator
6555 Abercorn Street, Suite 200
Savannah, GA 31405-5714
PH: 912-353-8875 ext. 126
TOLL FREE: 800-395-0129
This agency does IMPACT training.

5e. LUTHERAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA
Amanda Kurz, Adoption Coordinator
P. O. Box 71438
Albany, GA 31708
TOLL FREE: 800-395-0129
This agency does IMPACT training.

5f. LUTHERAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA
Amanda Kurz, Adoption Coordinator
402 Aumond Road
Augusta, GA 30909-3502
TOLL FREE: 800-395-0129
This agency does IMPACT training

Also, you may want to visit the Georgia Wednesday's Child website at www.wednesdayschildga.com. This website will offer you a great deal of information about adoption in Georgia, provide you with links to adoption resources, allow you to view on-line videos of the Wednesday's Child segments for children we are still recruiting families for.

Wishing you success in your journey toward expanding your family through adoption!

Chanda Floyd-Bryant
Wednesday’s Child Program Coordinator
Office: (404) 657-9386
CELL: (404) 579-4500
E-mail: cabryant2@dhr.state.ga.us
Website: www.wednesdayschildga.com