Source: http://www.adoptionservices.org/domestic_adoption_agencies/adoption_agencies_tennessee.htm
Timestamp: 2016-07-24 01:03:21
Document Index: 190876156

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 36']

Adoption Agencies in Tennessee
If you are an adopting family we believe you will find the information below helpful. We begin by giving you information regarding child adoption law in Tennessee (some
of what you can and can't do) and then provide you with information on children available for adoption in Tennessee. We then relate how we can assist you during the adoption process, and finally
we provide a list of licensed Tennessee adoption agencies through which you can browse for additional information.
Tennessee Child Adoption Laws
Before starting to search for a child to adopt or an agency to assist you, it is important that you understand how the adoption
laws in Tennessee may affect your decisions. Making informed decisions is the best way of increasing your chances of adopting a child. By way of example, we have listed below a few of the important
parts of Tennessee child adoption law including such topics as adoption intermediaries, adoption expenses, and the critical issue of ending the biological parental rights (called a Consent, Relinquishment
or Surrender).
Citation: Ann. Code § 36-1-108(a)
No person, corporation, agency, or other entity, except the department or a licensed child-placing agency or licensed clinical social worker, shall engage in the placement of children for adoption.
This section shall not be construed to prohibit any person from advising parents of a child or prospective adoptive parents in making necessary arrangements for adoption so long as no remuneration,
fees, contributions, or things of value are given or received from any person or entity for such service other than usual and customary legal and medical fees. State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Citation: § 36-1-109(a)(B)(1)
Reasonable charges or fees for hospital or medical services for the birth of the child Medical care or other reasonable birth-related expenses for the mother or child Reasonable counseling fees Reasonable legal fees Reasonable and actual expenses for housing, food, maternity clothing, child's clothing, utilities, or transportation for a reasonable period of time Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Payment of living expenses is not permitted beyond a reasonable period, not to exceed 90 days prior to the birth of the child or 30 days after the child's birth or surrender for adoption, without court
approval. Allowable Payments for Arranging Adoption
Citation: §§ 36-1-108(a), (b); 37-5-507
No person or entity, except the department, a licensed child-placing agency, or a licensed clinical social worker, may receive payment for the placement of children for adoption, as in the selection
of prospective adoptive families or arranging the bringing together of children and families. Private individuals are forbidden to engage in placing children for adoption.
Citation: § 36-1-109(a)(2)
It is unlawful for any person to sell or surrender a child to another person for anything of value. Accounting of Expenses Required by Court
Citation: § 36-1-116(b)(16)
The petition for adoption must disclose whether the petitioners have paid or promised to pay any remuneration in connection with the birth, placement, or adoption of the child.
The disclosure must specifically include any attorney's fees, medical expenses, or agency fees that have been paid or been promised. Consent to Adoption
Citation: Ann. Code §§ 36-1-110; 36-1-117
The following persons must be made parties to an adoption proceeding:
The parent, the legal parent, or the guardian
The putative biological father of the child
A parent who has not reached age 18 shall have the legal capacity to surrender a child or otherwise give parental consent to adoption or execute a waiver of interest and to release such parent's rights
to a child and shall be as fully bound thereby as if the parent had attained age 18.
The court shall have the authority to appoint a guardian ad litem for the minor parent of a child who may be surrendered or for whom a parental consent or waiver of interest is given, if deemed necessary
to advise and assist the minor parent with respect to surrender, parental consent, waiver, or termination of the minor parent's parental rights. Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Ann. Code § 36-1-117
When the child who is the subject of the adoption is age 14 or older, the adoption court must receive the sworn, written consent of such child to the adoption. The court shall receive the consent and testimony
from the child in chambers with only the child and a guardian ad litem if required and appointed by the court. If the child is mentally disabled, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to give or withhold consent for the child. When Parental Consent is not Needed
The parent, legal parent, guardian, or putative biological father of the child shall not be made a party to the adoption proceeding if he or she:
Has surrendered parental or guardianship rights to the child
Has executed a parental consent that has been confirmed by the court
Has waived his or her rights or has had his or her rights terminated by the order of a court of competent jurisdiction
Citation: Ann. Code § 36-1-111
No surrender or parental consent shall be valid that is made within 3 calendar days subsequent to the date of the child's birth, such period to begin on the day following the child's birth. The court may,
for good cause shown, waive this waiting period. Revocation of Consent
Citation: Ann. Code § 36-1-112
A person who executed a surrender may revoke the surrender at any time within 10 calendar days of the date of the surrender. The surrender shall be revoked by appearing before the judge who accepted the
surrender. The revocation of the surrender shall be executed under oath by the parent or guardian who executed the surrender of the child, and the judge or other person who accepted the surrender shall
sign and date the revocation form.
No surrender may be revoked by the person surrendering the child or set aside by a court after the expiration of the 10-day period except as the surrender may be invalidated by court order entered pursuant
to a timely filed complaint or as permitted by order of the court entered pursuant to § 36-1-118.
A parental consent may be revoked at any time prior to the entry of an order of confirmation of the parental consent by the court. The parent who executed the parental consent shall appear before the
judge of the court in which the adoption petition is filed and shall execute a revocation of the parental consent.
After the revocation period has expired or after the court has entered an order confirming a parental consent, no surrender or waiver of interest or parental consent shall be set aside by a court except
upon clear and convincing evidence of duress, fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or invalidity, and no surrender, waiver of interest, or parental consent may be set aside for any reason unless the action
based on these grounds is initiated within 30 days of the execution of the surrender or within 30 days of the date of entry of the order of confirmation of the parental consent.
Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: §§ 36-2-318(e)(3); 36-2-318(j)
The putative father may file a notice of intent to claim paternity prior to the child's birth or within 30 days after the child's birth. The putative father must file a complaint for parentage within 30 days from the receipt of notice of adoption proceedings.
Please visit adoption law in Tennessee for more details.
Are Children Available for Adoption in Tennessee
Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies. For example, in 2004, Tennessee had 1,785 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted
of whom 13 were under the age of 1 year, and 400 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Tennessee public child welfare agencies was only 891, which represents only
a small portion of the total number of all Tennessee adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time).
Remember that while you may be a resident of Tennessee, you are not limited to adopting a child from Tennessee. You can adopt a child born in Tennessee, a child born in any other
U.S. state, or even a foreign born child. What is important for you to understand is that infants and children are available for adoption in Tennessee, in each of the other the 49 states, and in
Can We Assist You with a Child Adoption in Tennessee Yes, we can help you and so can any licensed child adoption agency (we have listed several below). By way of introduction to Adoption Services, Inc, I will relate to you a little about myself and our child adoption agency. Almost 40 years ago I (Dr. Vince Berger) began working as a psychologist with pregnant teens in the Pittsburgh city school system. It was very challenging because in those days there
were very few services for these young women, society was not yet accepting of unmarried and/or pregnant teens, and the word "adoption" was hardly ever used.
I loved the work I was doing and knowing that I was personally able to help so many of the pregnant women I was working with. But something was missing - I did not feel I was helping
people enough. So, I set out to provide the personal and professional care that a birth mother and adopting family need and deserve in the adoption process.
I started a full service, non-profit adoption agency. Not just any agency, but one that was, and still is, dedicated to helping birth parents and adopting families receive the best and
most comprehensive of adoption related services. Over the past 20 years, my staff and I have helped over 9,000 adopting families, birth parents, their babies and children. I love helping people. I work 6 days a week and answer calls at all hours. The hours I put in are long but never hard, since I find so much joy and strength in helping others.
I hope that you will call me or my staff so we can help you in the adoption process. However, if you don't want to call us, then please review the agencies listed here and give one of
them a call. Do not give up until you get the help and attention you need and deserve.
Thank you for letting us help, and good luck. Dr. Berger
1346 Quai Valley Trail
Apison, TN 37302-9533
Phone: (423) 236-4545
Fax: (423) 236-4546
Adoption Counseling Services (ACS)
Phone: (731) 986-2001
Fax: (731) 986-2971
Toll-Free: (877) 647-9697
Nashville, TN 37204-4513
Fax: (615) 781-8262
Association for Guidance, Aid, Placement and Empathy (AGAPE) Child and Family Services
Phone: (901) 323-3600
Fax: (901) 323-3640
Toll-Free: (800) 727-5112
400 South Germantown Road
Fax: (423) 622-9085
Toll-Free: (800) 765-7335
Phone: (615) 242-0909
Fax: (615) 242-9440
2001 Stonebrook Place
Phone: (423) 224-1067
Fax: (423) 224-1095
Harmony Adoptions of Tennessee, Inc.
131 Cherokee Heights Drive
Phone: (865) 982-5225
Fax: (865) 982-5950
Toll-Free: (888) 440-9800
307 North Walnut Street
Toll-Free: (800) 638-8952
6314 East Brainerd Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421-3999
Fax: (432) 517-0021
215 East Springbrook Drive
Johnson City, TN 37602-3768
Fax: (423) 952-2293
Phone: (615) 354-1664
Fax: (615) 353-2652
Phone: (901) 388-1172
Fax: (901) 388-1225
Mid-South Christian Services
1044 Brookfield Road
Phone: (615) 460-7051
Fax: (615) 460-7057
Toll-Free: (888) 742-3905
Fax: (423) 755-2897
Porter-Leath Children's Center (PLCC)
Fax: (901) 577-2506
Small World, Inc.
401 Bonnaspring Drive
Phone: (615) 883-4372
Fax: (615) 885-7582
Toll-Free: (800) 544-5083
449 McCarn Circle
Sevierville, TN 37864-4391
Phone: (865) 453-4644
Fax: (865) 453-8812
Toll-Free: (800) 654-1622
Fax: (615) 371-1866
Toll-Free: (800) 624-8591
1115 Ranch Road
Phone: (615) 307-3205
Tennessee Children's Home - East
3834 Copper Ridge Road
PO Box 52703
Knoxville, TN 37950-2703
Phone: (865) 584-0841
Fax: (865) 588-6560
Phone: (931) 684-4676
Fax: (931) 684-5140
Toll-Free: (888) 462-2999
If you are looking for a child adoption agency simply click the link below for the state to see a list of the adoption agencies in that state. Alabama
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