[jenf]

Has anyone in PA had any luck adopting through the state of Oregon? We are going to committee there this week for a child.

[aMarylandfamily]

We were in Maryland at the time we took a foster-to-adopt placement from Oregon and they are one of the finer states to work with ... they stay on top of everything and work with the prospective family to make the transition/placement for them just as successful as they do for the children. The hardest part of taking a placement from any other state than your own if for the ICPC paperwork to clear. Unfortunately these children could not stay with us and we disrupted after 11-1/2 months and while disappointed with us they were wonderful in the processing of that action also!

Two things:

1) Remember three families go to committee and all are wonderful if they make it there - if you don't get chosen this time - and only one family can be the one picked - it is only a short time before your family is presented again and again if necessary until you get a placement - once through a committee you are prime candidates for any worker as all the leg work done to get you there has been done and your capability is established for Oregon's requirements.

2) The only "hardship" we found with a placement from there was the medicaid coverage ... once chosen and paperwork begins question the insurance coverage (some companies allow you to put them on yours as soon as they are placed ... even though foster children for 6 months - a year) ... if your company does not, will the medicaid be Oregon medicaid (which is great except when out of state and you have to get a doctor where you are to accept it and that means a call to Oregon for every medical procedure including just a cold check and we couldn't find a Maryland doctor who would agree) ... you can request as part of ICPC to have it converted to your state ... just makes the process a touch longer.

Again - they are wonderful and up front and forthright which is so important as placement occurs and all the red tape of that part of the journey begins.

Congrats - you have made a big step - keep us posted!