Individuals looking to adopt: (312) 655-7086 (English) (312) 655-7070 (Spanish) (312) 655-7084 (Polish)

Individuals looking to place a child for adoption: (312) 454-1717 or (800) CARE-002 E-mail: adoptions@catholiccharities.net Illinois State License Number 003971

Catholic Charities would like to inform our clients and the general public that Governor Quinn signed a new law on May 21, 2010. This law makes it possible for any individual who is adopted, over 21 years of age, and who was born in Illinois, to request and obtain a copy of his/her original birth certificate from the Illinois Adoption Registry, a program of the Illinois Department of Public Health. This law also explains in detail how birth parents can indicate their preference for sharing or not sharing confidential identifying information.

For more information about how this law applies to individuals who were adopted, birth parents and adoptive parents please visit: www.idph.state.il.us/vitalrecords/adoptioninfo.htm, or you may contact the Illinois Adoption Registry at the toll-free number, 1-877-323-5299.

Catholic Charities' Post-Adoption Services will be happy to respond to any of your questions at 312-655-7088.

Cook County Adoption Services

Lake County Adoption Services

Domestic Adoption Program

Provides placement of infants whose birth parent(s) have chosen to make a plan of adoption. Pre-adoption counseling, adoption preparation, adoption study, licensing, placement and post-placement services are provided to families. Waiting Families Support Groups are available. The Adoption Guild offers mutual support, annual social and religious events for adoptive families. Adoptive families receive a quarterly newsletter.

Inter-Country Adoption Program

Provides adoptive families for children for whom a permanent home is not available in the country of birth. The ages of the children vary from infant to 16 years. Services to families include: pre-adoption counseling, adoption preparation, adoption study, licensing, support in creating the dossier and fulfilling immigration requirements for various countries.

Travel and in-country supports are provided to families through partnerships with child-placing agencies in the country of origin of child. Catholic Charities has child-placing services in Poland and Mexico and has collaborations with international placement programs in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Post placement services include assistance in achieving adoption in the U.S. Linkages with adoptive family support groups for country of origin of the child are available, as well as support and membership in the Adoption Guild.

Child, Youth and Family Services

Post-Adoption & Registry Services

Post-Adoption & Registry Services

Mutual consent Adoption Registry Services are available to all members of the adoption circle: birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive families. Services include membership in the Adoption Guild, facilitating connections between birth parents and adoptive families, non-identifying background information, searches, and reunions. Ongoing counseling, support groups and educational opportunities are provided along with linkages to community resources. Through the membership in the Adoption Guild, adoptive families receive a quarterly newsletter, and are apprised of opportunities to celebrate and support family life through educational, social and religious events.

Adoption/Guardianship Respite Services

The Respite Program supports adoptive and guardianship families throughout Cook County who need relief and support in facing the day-to-day challenges of parenting a child with special needs. The targeted population is children and youth, primarily 7-13 years old, and who have been permanently placed with adoptive and guardianship families and were former wards of the Department of Children and Family Services. The respite services may include: child-centered activities, in home and out of the home, overnight respite care, mentoring and camp experiences. All services are provided to give some relief to the adoption or guardianship family. Services are also available in Spanish.

Child, Youth and Family Services

Adoption/Subsidized Guardianship Preservation Services

Under the Family First Initiative, this program supports adoptive and guardianship families throughout Cook County through challenges related to adoption and guardianship issues. The goal of the preservation program is to assist families to maintain stability and to promote understanding of how the adoption/ guardianship story impacts their own life. Some of the services provided are: crisis intervention, individual and family counseling, family and child support groups, and advocacy with schools and other agencies for specialized services. Services are also available in Spanish.