Make an informed choice for your unplanned pregnancy. If you are considering adoption as an option, our counselors are here to explain the process and answer your questions, With more than 30 years of helping women in Texas, we can help you explore your options – without judgment or pressure – no matter what your situation is.
Denton adoption counselor Shaelynn Wolfe is a UNT alum and works with clients across North Texas.
Call: (972) 284-0027
Text (Expectant Parents Only): (972) 914-8490
Email: [email protected]
Services Offered for Expectant Parents
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can move forward with an adoption plan. Although things will move faster, you will still have the same rights and ability to make choices that an expectant mother does. An adoption specialist will visit you to answer your questions, help you complete paperwork, share waiting family profiles and discuss a post-placement plan. You will receive counseling and support after relinquishment as well, for as long as you choose.
Here’s a look at what to expect with the adoption process if your baby has already been born:
GET IN TOUCH: Reach out to us by calling (512) 477-1122 or texting (512) 270-8415. If you’re still in the hospital, you can ask the hospital’s social worker to help you get in touch with us. We already work with many hospital social workers throughout Texas.
MEET WITH A SPECIALIST: An experienced adoption specialist will visit you as soon as possible, usually within a few hours. She will explain your options, the different types of adoption and what comes next. After learning more about adoption, you’ll decide if you want to move forward with placing your baby for adoption.
MAKE CHOICES: If you’re ready, you’ll begin making choices for you and your baby’s future. You’ll need to decide if you want an open, semi-open or closed adoption. You can start looking at adoptive family profile books and choose one. If you do not want to choose the family, the agency can select for you. Remember, you are still in control of all of your choices.
SIGN PAPERWORK: If you’re sure about adoption and it’s been at least 48 hours since the baby was born, you’ll sign the relinquishment papers. Your chosen adoptive family will be able to take the baby home as soon as the hospital discharges him or her.
The adoption process moves quickly after a baby is born, and 48 hours may not be enough time for you to make a decision. Signing the relinquishment papers is permanent, so you need to be certain this is the right step for you. If you need more time, we can arrange for short-term interim care (also known as cradle care) after your baby is released from the hospital. You’ll be able to continue exploring your options and spend time with your baby before you make a final decision. Even though your relationship with Adoption Advocates began after your baby was born, we hope it doesn’t end there. Many women experience difficult emotions, including grief and sadness, after placement. We’re here to help you through those emotions with adoption counseling for as long as you need, at no cost to you.
It’s OK not to be sure about adoption right away. This is a really important decision! Take as much time as you need. Your adoption specialist will discuss all of your options with you — without pressure or judgment. Our goal is to provide support and answers, so that you can make an informed decision.
After speaking to an adoption specialist, you may decide that adoption is not right for you. That’s OK too. If you decide to parent, Adoption Advocates can direct you to resources to provide assistance during your pregnancy and your child’s early years.
An open adoption means that you get to choose the adoptive parents, and you can maintain some degree of contact with them. In an open adoption, you will always be honored as the child’s birth parent, because that’s who you are. In almost all adoption plans, the adoptive parents provide pictures and letters and exchange phone calls with birth parents. Depending on the relationship that develops between you and your adoptive parents, sometimes there is visitation. The most important thing to remember is that an open adoption is what the participants jointly decide that it should be. Open adoption is an informal agreement based on trust and respect.
Parents who adopt from Adoption Advocates are educated to respect the special bond between the child and the birth family. By knowing you and receiving information from you, they can raise the child that knows where they came from. Although open adoption agreements are not legally enforceable in Texas, chances are that you will choose a family who you like and trust, and they will be committed to honoring their agreement with you.
Taking care of yourself while pregnant can feel challenging, especially if you have limited finances or don’t have insurance. As a Texas resident, you may qualify for Pregnancy Medicaid that can pay for pregnancy-related costs, like prenatal checkups and your baby’s birth. In Corpus Christi, you’ll have access to other resources as well, from free pregnancy tests to help apply for food benefits.
Denton Pregnancy Testing & Family Planning
Woman to Woman
521 North Locust
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 383-4494
Visit website
Loreto House
1100 North Bonnie Brae Street
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 380-8191
Visit website
Planned Parenthood Denton Health Center
2436 South Interstate 35 #340
Denton, TX 76205
(940) 891-0737
Visit website
Denton Prenatal Care & Hospitals
Health Services of North Texas at Denton South Center
3537 South Interstate 35, Suite 201
Denton, TX 76210
(940) 381-1501
Website
Texas Health Denton
3000 North I-35
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 898-7000
Website
Medical City Frisco
5500 Frisco Square Blvd
Frisco, TX 75034
(214) 618-0500
Website
Additional Pregnancy & Parenting Resources
Texas Health & Human Services Benefits Office
3612 E McKinney St
Denton, TX,76209
(940) 320-5700
Apply online
Offers assistance with SNAP, TANF and family/children’s Medicaid
Denton WIC
Denton County Health Department
535 South Loop 288, Suite 1066
Denton, TX 76205
(940) 349-2930
Apply online
Minnie’s Food Pantry
661 18th Street, Suite 116
Plano, TX 75074
(972) 596-0253
Apply online
Find additional resources for unplanned pregnancies in Dallas and Fort Worth.
WHAT OUR FAMILIES SAY
“They care deeply about open adoption and supporting birth moms throughout the process. They are particular about making sure every step of the process is done legally.”
SUZANNE | ADOPTIVE MOTHER
Take the First Step Now
Ready to get started? Complete the form below and we’ll be in touch to discuss your situation and see how we can help. You can also reach out directly to our Denton adoption specialist Shaelynn by calling (972) 284-0027.
