[AlvinC]

Hello adoption community,
I was wondering if anyone has any info on adoption classes. I am adopting a newborn from an agency in Illinois. I have already been through the whole process of paperwork, background checks and homestudy and have been approved for Intrernational and domestic adoption by the INS and my adopting agency in Illinois. A birthmother has chosen me to be the father of her child and my child will be born sometime in May. There are different laws for different states concerning adoptions. Here is my delima. What are the laws in Texas concerning adoption classes when you are adopting from an agency that is not in the state of Texas? Are the adoption classes mandatory when you are adopting in another state or are they only required when adopting from an agency in Texas? I have tried to get into adoption classes at the Child Protective & Regulatory Services of Texas but when I told them I would be adopting from another agency and possibly international they booted me out of the first class and they were not very nice or helpful after that about what I needed to do for classes. I know that the classes are not mandatory/required when adopting International but I am not sure if they are mandatory/required when adopting a newborn from another state agency in the U.S. where the adoption will be finalized in that states court. I have had some newborn/infant classes and CPR offered through my job but they are not the same classes of (required 40-60 hours)offered through adoption agencies. I don't want to get all the way up to Illinois and pick up my baby just for Texas to tell me I can't bring her home because I have not taking foster/adoption classes. If these classes are mandatory, could someone please tell me where I can take the classes and meet the required hours. sincerely, Alvin

P.S. I live in the DFW (dallas/ft.worth metroplex) area. Any info you could provide me would be greatly appreciated.