(formerly known as Methodist Mission Home)
6487 Whitby Rd., San Antonio, TX 78240 Telephone (210) 696-2410, Fax (210) 699-1866 Providing Post-Adoption Services for Providence Place Post-adoption services are provided by a staff member who responds to requests for services from any member of the adoption triad if the adoption was handled initially by Providence Place. Every attempt is made to deliver services which are relevant and sensitive to the needs and feelings of all members of the adoption triad, not just to the person who initially requests the services. The person originating the request for services is assumed to be responsible for the payment of related fees unless some exception is specified. The person originating the request for services will be expected to complete a Request for Services form and to agree to the payment of related fees as specified on the Fee Agreement form. Requests for services are usually originated by:
BIRTHPARENTS seeking information about the child they placed for adoption;
ADOPTED ADULTS seeking information about their families of origin;
ADOPTED PARENTS seeking information on behalf of their adopted child(ren), especially if they are a minor.
Post-adoption services usually fall into one of four categories: I. II. III.
De-identified information excerpted verbatim from the file. Inclusion in the agency’s match database or referral to the state’s formal registry. Conducting searches to locate adoption triad members and preparing both the “seeker” and the “sought” for direct contact with each other.
IV.
Updating medical information, responding to medical emergency situations, giving death notifications.
ALL OUR POST-ADOPTION SERVICES ARE FEE BASED (See fee schedule attached)
Post-Adoption Services for Providence Place FEE SCHEDULE The Post-Adoption Department is dependent for its financial support on donations and fees for services rendered. We receive hundreds of calls each year for post-adoption services. Designated staff members work exclusively on providing these services. Adoption fees paid years ago do not cover the cost of current post-adoption services. A discounted fee can be discussed whenever necessary.
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Attached is the fee schedule for post-adoption services. These fees have been set in accord with the nature and duration of staff efforts usually required to fulfill such a request. Fees also cover the cost of the materials required to deliver them. For example, staff time to locate and examine an adoption record, researching certain specific details from a record, de-identifying information or documents, copying documents, preparation and mailing of de-identified summaries and the time involved in search and reunion efforts. Emergency medical information and death notifications are provided without charge. Therapy or counseling is available to individuals and families. All of the above described services will require the completion of certain forms prior to initiating the services. In most cases these forms will need to be signed, notarized and accompanied by photo identification. Please feel free to discuss the fees and these other requirements with the staff person providing your postadoption services in order that we may have a mutual understanding of these matters before the services are rendered.
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND RELATED FEES The Providence Place’s Match Database……………………………$35.00 The Providence Place has an informal Match Database which keeps records on contacts from qualifying parties to an adoption. It is a mutual consent, passive database. Registrants for the Match Database will be placed under the rules of Providence Place. If two qualifying parties register with the Match Database, then Providence Place will notify both parties and after educational sessions and signing of appropriate release papers, identifying information will be exchanged. If one registrant wishes to later request search and reunion services, it will be possible to do so even though the second party has not entered the Match Database.
Request for documents………………………………………………………………….………………$65.00 Adoptees and/or adoptive parents may request legal and medical documents from their file. These will be deidentified to protect the confidentiality of the other party. Generally this includes any labor and delivery records, new born records, lab slips, and other medical information in the file. The final order of adoption can be included if requested. The court of jurisdiction will be given to you in these documents. Birth parents may request legal and medical documents in their file that pertain directly to them. Generally, this includes any labor and delivery records, new born records, lab slips, pre-delivery forms and social history forms completed by the birth parent. Legal papers will include any forms signed by the birth parents in relation to the placement of the child.
Information Exchange…………………………………………………………………………………...$95.00 This option applies when both parties have entered the Providence Place Match Database or have otherwise kept the Providence Place informed of their current names and addresses. The fee for this service is a one-time charge that will cover any and all correspondence between the two parties that is forwarded by the Providence Place. This applies when the two parties want to have contact but want to keep it on a non-identifying basis, using only their first names in the correspondence. This may or may not later progress to the exchange of full identities, depending on the wishes of the two parties involved. In the event that it does progress to exchange of full identities, proper
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papers will need to be signed for the Providence Place and the educational preparation for the reunion will need to be verified.
Non-Identifying Information…………………….…………………………………………………………$150.00 Adoptees and/or adoptive parents may be sent copies of de-identified documents from the file that pertains to the birth parents. These include the Health, Social, Genetic and Educational History forms given by the birth parents as well as copies of any psychological, medical and legal forms. Letters from the birth parents that pertain to the adoptee will be de-identified and included in this information.
Search……………………………………………………………………………………..$500.00 Adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents of minor children may request this service. Every attempt will be made to have direct contact with the adult party being sought. In the case of a minor adoptee, the adoptive parents will be contacted. Search includes use of appropriate means to locate the other party (including computer databased searches), careful initial contact, presentation of the request of the seeking party and a response to the seeking party based on the contact with the party being sought. Actual contact cannot be guaranteed. Neither can consent to subsequent contact be guaranteed. The fee must be paid in full prior to initiating a search. There is no refund of the $500.00 regardless of the outcome of the search. When both parties to the adoption feel ready to reveal full identities to one another, the agency has the requirement of a minimum of one preparatory educational session for the adoptee and the birth parent. If this is done by MMH staff, there is no additional fee. Waivers of confidentiality will need to be signed. When necessary, this agency will assist in referrals to other post-adoption specialists throughout the United States; in these cases there will be fees paid to those specialists.
Therapy/Counseling (hourly rate)…………………………………………………..$75.00 The staff worker for post-adoption services for Providence Place has her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She will provide adoption-related sessions for adoptees, adoptive parents and birth parents as time permits.
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