Georgia Adoption Services
PROVIDING ADOPTION SERVICES TO FAMILIES IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA
America World Adoption-Georgia is licensed and Hague accredited in the State of Georgia. America World provides Georgia adoption services. Although our primary role is to provide home study services for families adopting through America World's international adoption programs, we are also able to prepare Georgia adoption home study and post-adoption reports for families using other placement agencies and who meet America World's agency requirements. Our office is located in Lawrenceville, GA, but we are able to provide services for families living throughout the state.
Georgia Adoption Home Study Services
The adoption home study is a major part of the international adoption process designed to help you, America World, the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), and the foreign government assess your ability to provide a loving home for an orphan. A home study is an assessment process that provides a written report that is a comprehensive picture of your background, current family life and how this new child will be integrated into your family. It is designed to be a non-judgmental, educational and fruitful process. Some of the topics discussed during the home study process are motivation for adoption, expectations regarding adoption: short-term and long-term, attitude towards biological parents, type of child desired: age, sex, medical or emotional concerns, and attitudes of extended family and non-resident siblings. Your home study coordinator will also explore your values related to parenting, marriage, finances, spiritual beliefs, and child-care plans. These discussions will all take place during four face-to-face visits, one of which must be in your home. For residents in the state of Georgia, both State and Federal criminal record checks, 911 verification checks, sexual abuse clearance checks, child abuse registry checks and 4 references (one from both sides of the family, and if you have worked with children in the past five years, the former employer(s) of that work experience) will be obtained. You will need to provide a copy of your birth certificate, marriage license, any divorce decrees, a financial statement, copy of most recent tax forms showing combined annual income and medical statements for all members of the family. Verifications of rabies inoculations will need to be submitted for any animals residing with the family. In Georgia, it is also required that if a prospective adoptive family does not have public water and sewage systems, then a test be done on the quality of water and septic by an appropriate authority. All of these items will be collected and reported in the home study.
Georgia Post-Adoption Services
America World Adoption Georgia also provides post-adoption services for your adoption. Post-adoption visits are vital to helping an adoptive family adjust and transition as a new family unit. We will visit your family in your home to assess your transition and write a post-adoption report. Each country and even some states have their own post-adoption requirements. Your social worker will ensure that all state, agency, and country requirements are met in your post-adoptive reports. At a minimum, you will be required to have at least two post-adoption visits. In addition to post-adoption visits and reports, we will be available to offer support and referrals for special services, education and/or training.
A Note from the Georgia Director of Social Services, Diane Hood
Hello from the Peach State! My name is Diane Hood and I have a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Eckerd College and a Master’s degree from Florida State University. My husband and I became parents in 1993 when a beautiful woman named Mary chose us as the parents of her unborn son. We went on to have three children by birth: two more sons and a (spoiled by her big brothers) daughter. Since 1995, I have been performing domestic and international home studies, working with women in crisis pregnancies, and advocating for orphans around the world. Adoption is a calling and a passion, and I seek to honor God in this ministry. He has adopted us as His children and I feel blessed that He gives me the opportunity to help children and parents come together in forever families
How to Begin
If you are adopting through America World, you will begin by completing an application online. Once your application has been approved and we have received your program agreements, the social worker will contact you to initiate the home study. If you are not using America World as your placing agency but would like to use our local social services in Georgia, you may fill out the application online and choose "Social Services Only" under Application Type. The application fee for a social service only case is reduced to $295. Once the application is processed, the social worker will contact you and will work directly with you and your placement agency to ensure all requirements are met in your home study and post-adoption reports.
Local Resources
Georgia Center for Resources and Support
Diane Hood, Georgia Director of Social Services
Contact Info
America World – GEORGIA
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
9 AM - 5 PM ET
Phone: (800) 429-3369
Fax: 888-466-8922
Diane.Hood@awaa.org