No.  Some moms contact us when they first learn that they are pregnant. Other moms don’t contact us until after the baby is born.  Either way, we have social workers around the state who are able to meet with you and help no matter when you decide to reach out. 

No. You should utilize whatever Medicaid or other health insurance that you have for your prenatal and birth expenses. All other expenses related to the adoption will be covered by the adoptive family.

Yes. Ohio Law allows us to help you with things like rent, food, utilities, and transportation, up to $3,000. We will work with you to make sure that you have what you need to be safe.

Each and every case is different. However, in most cases, if your baby is under 6 months old when you make this decision, you will not have to appear in court in order to place your baby for adoption.

No. In the State of Ohio, you are considered to be an adult when it concerns making a plan for your child. However, we do strongly encourage you to talk with your parents about your plan and with your concerns. If you want, we can help you with these conversations; we know those can be tricky sometimes. Open Arms Adoptions also requires that you speak with an attorney about your decision and this will be provided at no cost to you. We also encourage you to seek counseling throughout this process.

If the birth father has not been involved with you or your pregnancy, has not expressed a desire to raise or support the baby and you are not legally married to him, an adoption can occur without his consent. However, it is generally in everyone’s best interest if the birth father is involved as early in the process as possible. Your baby deserves complete and accurate medical information and a legally sound adoption. Open Arms Adoptions’ staff can assist in speaking to the birth father and collecting the necessary information from him

Yes! There are many families waiting to adopt a baby. Even if your baby is born with medical problems or if you or your family has a history of medical or other problems, there will be a family willing to love and raise your baby.

Open Arms Adoptions’ families have all been through a homestudy with social worker interviews, home visits and thorough background checks.

All approved parents will complete a family book with information about their family,  hobbies, interests, etc. It also explains what type of relationship they hope to have with you as the child’s birth parent. Most moms choose to meet the family as well and this can help to answer a lot of questions.

If this process becomes overwhelming to you and you truly do not want to make this decision yourself, this is a choice that we can make for you. Your social worker will talk with you about the things that are most important to you in a family for your child and Open Arms Adoptions would respect and honor those wishes to the best of our ability.

You can choose the the name on the child’s original birth certificate or you can work with the adoptive family to choose a name together.

An open adoption is one where you and the adoptive family share some information and have some contact—either before the baby is born, after the baby is placed—or both! 

No two adoptions are ever the same and neither is the openness plan that a mom and adoptive family create.  Some things to think about are if you are comfortable sharing your phone number so that you can ask questions and get photos.  You can meet the adoptive family and talk about what you’d both like to happen with photos, texts or even some visits. 

Your social worker will work with you to figure out how you’d like all of this to look.

That’s ok.  We can still help you with an adoption plan. Many of our moms call us days or even weeks after their baby is born.  We have social workers that can meet with you the same day you call if you are considering an adoption plan for a baby that is already born. 

Once you sign a Permanent Surrender, this is a final decision. In the State of Ohio, you cannot sign this document until at least 72 hours after the baby’s birth and only after talking with an Adoption Assessor. It is extremely important to be completely sure about your decision before you sign this document. If you are unsure at all, it is best to sign a Temporary Agreement or to make other arrangements for someone safe and trusted to care for your baby in order to give yourself more time to make a good decision for your baby and for yourself.

Absolutely! You can see, hold, hug and love your baby and take as many pictures as you want. This is an important time for you and your baby, and you are free to spend as much or as little time with your baby as you want while you’re in the hospital. You are in charge of the decisions for your baby and we will respect your wishes.

Once you sign a Permanent Surrender, this is a final decision. In the State of Ohio, you cannot sign this document until at least 72 hours after the baby’s birth and only after talking with an Adoption Assessor. It is extremely important to be completely sure about your decision before you sign this document. If you are unsure at all, it is best to sign a Temporary Agreement or to make other arrangements for someone safe and trusted to care for your baby in order to give yourself more time to make a good decision for your baby and for yourself.

If you should decide to parent your child and/or need further assistance, your social worker will provide you with a list of local community resources as requested.