[infoseeker88]

So we just got matched yesterday with a potential birthmom who lives in Ohio. We were just told by her agency that we need to live in Ohio for 6 weeks at a minimum to finalize???? This is all news to us. Has anyone been in a similar situation??

[denisenw5]

Once you take placement in Ohio, you will need to wait for interstate (ICPC) approval to go home to Michigan. One of you must stay in Ohio or any other state other than Michigan, with the baby, until you receive approval. Due to staff changes in the Ohio office, it can and has taken six weeks for families to receive approval. Good luck!

[denisenw5]

One more thing, the six weeks is for interstate approval, not finalization. If you plan to finalize the adoption in Ohio, then you would need a visit within the first week with all family members present and then one visit every 30 days, in your home, with both parents present at every visit. If you have other children, they would have to be present at every other visit. The adoption would then be finalized around six months.

[infoseeker88]

Thanks for the information. This is incredibly disheartening, as I have no idea how we will be able to afford to move to Ohio for 2 months. We were so excited to be chosen and now finding this out has been like a punch in the stomach. I wonder how this type of bureaucracy is in the best interest of the child? The first months of their life should not be spent in a hotel room.

[denisenw5]

It did not always take this long, but with budget cuts at the state level, there have been many changes. A typical wait use to be three or four days and in rare cases up to 3 weeks. Do you have family in any other states? As long as you don't go back into Michigan you are fine.

[DebCsMom]

We live in Wisconsin and adopted from Ohio. Ohio is VERY slow with ICPC!!! But you have to stay in Ohio, not another state, until ICPC has been approved. The sending and receiving states have to finish the paperwork before the child can leave the state he/she is born in. Once TPR is signed, the baby is in custody of that state, if you leave that state without permission, the adoption can be disrupted. ICPC in a nutshell gives you legal perrmission to leave the state the child was born in and taking him/her to the state you live in.

You MUST stay in the state the child is born in until given either written or verbal permission to leave!

There are extented stay hotels that have appliances and such. Some hotels will give you a discount if you tell them you are adopting and will be staying there for a longer period of time.

We too were told to plan on 4-6 weeks...but not until AFTER we got there and were leaving the hospital with our son!! I called the Ohio agency EVERYDAY to ask how the paperwork was coming along! We got a verbal release in 2 weeks! Squeaky wheel gets the grease! I think they were sick of me and sent me home!! LOL

Good Luck!

Deb

[infoseeker88]

Thanks for the reply Deb. Who did you end up getting a verbal release from? The agency or did a judge have to grant it? We are trying to decide whether to proceed with the agency route or the attorney route. In the past week, we have been told 10 different things by 10 different people and our heads are spinning!

[DebCsMom]

We got verbal from the Ohio agency. Wisconsin had thier paperwork done in a few days! The judge won't have anything to do with the adoption until you finalize. In some cases a judge will do the TPR. Whether you use an agency or an attorney, if you adopt from out of state, you will have to deal with ICPC.

Ohio is just TERRIBLE with getting ICPC done!! The adoption process is a long hard roller coaster!

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Good Luck!

[joskids]

We currently live in Ohio but are from Michigan and have done adoptions in both states. Actually, Ohio is an easier state to adopt in. As I understand it, Michigan continues to ask the biological mother to go before a judge regarding birthfather issues and that can also take some time. I also did the ICPC paperwork for an Ohio adoption agency that I worked for. ICPC can take some time, but I've never heard of it taking 6 weeks, it would more likely happen within one week to 10 days. If you want to PM me, I can contact the agency I worked for (I'm currently a SAHM with our 4 adopted children) and ask them how long ICPC is currently taking in Ohio. What city will you be staying in, once in Ohio?

We've never chosen to do an attorney adoption and, if you are matched again with an out-of-state adoption, even with an attorney, you still have ICPC to deal with.

Let me know what I can do to help you. I certainly well undestand the ups and downs of adoption.

Josie