Planned Parenthood centers improve Ind. adoption rates

In 2010, three Indiana families adopted newborns thanks to Planned Parenthood and its in-agency adoption referral program started four years ago.

Last year was the largest number of direct adoption referrals Planned Parenthood has seen, although data on adoptions stemming from Planned Parenthood can be difficult to gather.

“We believe there may be others we refer, but the patient may not say to the adoption agency, ‘Hey, I found out from Planned Parenthood,’” said Kate Shepherd, director of communications and marketing for Planned Parenthood.

Shepherd said other Planned Parenthood referrals are in the works but they have yet to be finalized.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana has outside adoption counselors on-site in three locations across the state. The Indianapolis and Bloomington locations partner with the Independent Adoption Agency while Merrillville partners with the Adoption Center for Family Building.

“We have staff in Planned Parenthood some days to be there if someone wants to talk about adoption right then and there,” said Kim Stewart, intake counselor for Independent Adoption Agency.

Stewart said they have also done adoption training in Planned Parenthood centers without an in-house counselor, most recently at the Lafayette Planned Parenthood location.

The Bloomington Planned Parenthood location has not yet had any reported finalized adoption referrals. A receptionist said the Bloomington adoption counselor is in the office on Mondays to answer questions.

Independent Adoption Agency sponsors open adoptions. The birth mother chooses the family, meets them and can request ongoing contact.

Stewart said this is one way to erase anxiety for birth mothers.

“There’s no more fear of the unknown,” Stewart said. “They get to see the child and even answer the child’s questions later on.”

The goal of the program is to give women information on all of their options before making a decision.

“We want to make sure women have all the information they need to make the choice that’s right for them and their families,” Shepherd said.

Stewart reiterated the importance of giving women enough information to make the right choice for themselves.

“She really takes a lot of different things into consideration,” Stewart said. “With each individual birth mom, there are a lot of reasons added together.”