[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.

[sdwjones]

I don't think Texas requires you to take the course if you adopt through an out of state agency. Depelchin (the agency in Houston) requires the course because the majority of placements are children who are in the custody of the state already.

[AlvinC]

Thanks for the information. My agency in Illinois does not require the 40-60 hours of adoption classes, only racial sensitivity classes for transracial adoptions. I know the adoption classes are required for Texas adoptions but I was not sure if they are required if I was not actually adopting in Texas eventhough Texas is where I live and where my child will live. :~) alvin

[jenna202]

The classes are only required for adoption in the state of Tx if you are adopting a child through TDPRS (Tx Dept. of Protective and Regulatory Services). Someone should have explained to you that the classes have long waiting lists, and that only those adopting from the foster care system, or who plan to become foster parents, are eligible for the classes. They were probably upset because they would not be able to find someone to fill your spot (which as you know requires a 10-week committment) at the last minute. Still, they should not have been discourteous.

I would talk more with your agency about the classes they require. To my knowledge, the state of TX does not offer any type of racial sensitivity classes - except for some of that info included in the PRIDE classes.

Good luck!

[AlvinC]

Hi Jenna,
Thanks for responding. The lady at CPRS knew well in advance that I would not be adopting/fostering from Child Protective Services. They were also the ones to run my family/criminal/child abuse background checks which took a little over 1 month to get the results back. Once everything came back favorable she assigned me to an adoption class in Ft.Worth and she told me I was able to take the classes eventhough I was trying to adopt Internationally. My first day at the class, the two moderators one a man (social worker and the other a women (social worker/nurse) had us stand up and tell what motivated us to want to adopt/foster a child(s). After I told my story, the man social worker told me to see him during the break. At the 15 minute break he told me I could not attend the classes unless I was intending to adopt from CPRS and he told me there was no need for me to stay for the rest of the class that evening. I asked if I could just attend the other classes for the knowledge and valuable resources without going for the certification and he said no. He told me that they were not going to be wasting their time and resources on a person(s) that had no intention of adopting from them. when my social worker talked to him he was not very nice to her either. But, other than that, my adoption road has been relatively smooth, The INS sent me my Favorable Determination letter in less than 2 months after I filed. Although the International adoption did not work out because a grandmother finally came and got the brother and sister but my agency also had a birthmother here in the states that was interested in me which is the road I am now traveling. Unless the birthmother changes her mind, I should be a proud papa sometime in May. :~) Have a good day Alvin

[jenna202]

Alvin,
I'm sorry you were misled by the original social worker at TDPRS. God knows, I've heard more than one conflicting answer in all my time working with them!

Good luck in your journey!