[jmommy]

Hello, I am new to this board. Please forgive me if this has been asked before. What is the benefit of going through a private agency to adopt through the state vs. adopting straight from the state? We go to orientation next Tuesday but I thought I'd get the heads up from you all. Thanks!

[lucyjoy]

You can use a private agencies that contracts with the state to adopt foster children. The subsidy goes with the child, not the agency. We used a private agency because they advocated for us as the children were not directly on their case load. I would recommend going that route. All bills were paid by subsidy.

Anyway, since I have taking the classes required, I can have my homestudy updated by any agency and submit it for state kids. But, if the agency does not cotract with DFS, I have to pay if I want that agency to supervise the placement.

Rules may vary state to state. Also, if your looking for kids in other states, many states will only talk to other workers. This is tougher to do with an outside agency. Some want you to do the leg work and they just do the paper work.

[jmommy]

Thank you for your responses. When a child becomes available does CPS turn to their own people first and then the agencies or is that child referred to all workers/agencies to place? I hope my question is clear if not I will try again.

[allie777]

I also had a hard time understanding the difference. I continued to reseach this over many times. I have a hard time paying for all of the costs for a private adoption. The advertisement fees, the looking for parents fees, the hosptial fees with in many cases we have paid this through our taxes I looked into CPS. There are so many children that need mommies and daddy's that are in the fostercare system. You may have times when the child you have in your home has some delays or you may possibly have to spend more time with them to help them deal with different situations although isn't that what parents do? Is it not a mommy and daddys love for this child that they work with then no matter what. How can you be sure that a child that comes from a private party does not have the same or even more issues that need to be addressed. It is up to you to make this decision although when you see how many children really need you genuinly you will make the choice for you.
Just food for thought.

[Sylvester]

We no longer live in TX. We moved two years ago. When we lived there private agencies did not contract with the state to do foster/adopt. To my knowledge there are now a few private agencies who are doing a trial to see if this is an option for the state. Again, I could be wrong!!
We have always been told that the state goes to its own people first then looks to private agencies to find a family. We prefer the private sector b/c you as the family are getting more representation. Good luck to you on your journey!!!

[sdwjones]

We used DePelchin, a private agency, to foster-adopt. I did feel like my DePelchin case worker had our family's best interest at heart in selecting children for us to consider.

[jhtcct]

I am with a private agency that contracts with CPS (Lutheran Social Services). We are in the process of adopting our fd and LSS is the acting adoption agency and all of the fees will be paid for by CPS. There is another agency here in Texas (also in NM) that does fostering called Methodist Children's Home. They have a contract with the prison system and we foster the babies that are born in prison. They have no connection with CPS and we are transferring our license to them as soon as we can get our fd into adoption placement. Do I think a private agency is better than working directly through the state? I don't think there is much difference unless you get a really good case manager. I seem to have as many conversations with our CPS caseworker as my agency case manager so I guess it's a flip of the coin.

[Lisaadopt]

We are licensed by the state of Texas. We went directly through CPS and had great success. I found out early to know which case worker to get involved with and which one not to. It is all about picking the child's caseworker.

[jessica_e]

I am a foster parent as well as an attorney. Before becoming a foster parent, I did a lot of work in "the system."

It has been my experience that if CPS picks up a child, they look to their own people first. CPS contracts with other agencies and utilizes the foster parents that have signed up with the private agencies when they have no beds available with thier own people.

If you are wanting to strictly adopt, there are many children (almost exclusivley newborns) that are adopted out through private agencies. Children that are adopted out through CPS are almost always older, because they have gone through the whole legal process for their parent's rights to be terminated. These children almost always are foster children first. If a foster child becomes open for adoption, the foster family gets first choice of adopting them.

When my husband and I decided to foster, we chose to go through CPS. We felt that with my experience, we would be able to navigate through the system without the aid of someone from a private agency to advocate for us. If you are feeling a little lost, or overwhelmed in the system (which can easily happen) you will probably get more one on one guidance with a private agency. Although I must say our placement worker with CPS is great! She has been wonderful to us.

Also, we really wanted newborns. I wanted to be in the first line of calls when an infant needed to be placed. I don't know this for a fact, but it seems that sometimes people who go with private agencies sometimes get children that are harder to place because CPS was not able to place them with thier own people.

We have had a great experience going through CPS. I also know people who have had great experiences with private agencies. You just have to look at your unique situation to decide which is right for you.

Jessica