Adoption agencies field calls about Haitian orphans

Adoption agencies field calls about Haitian orphans

By Joel Allen

Monday, January 25, 2010 at 5:15 p.m.

Read more: Local, Adoption Agencies, Increased Interest, Adopting Haitian Children

Adoption agencies on the Grand Strand are reporting a huge increase in people interested in adopting Haitian children, but prospective parents are cautioned about the long and difficult process.

Bethany Christian Services in Myrtle Beach used to get 5 or 6 calls per week from people interested in international adoptions. Now they're getting that many per day from couples who want to adopt Haitian orphans.

The agency helps those folks get started on the application process, with the caution that they had better be patient. "It's uncertain right now, that we aren't sure where this road is going to take us, what the government might change as far as policies, what these children are going to look like coming into care," said Elissa Viele, Bethany Christian Services.

Viele says before the quake, a Haitian adoption could take 18 to 24 months to complete. Now, it may take longer. The adoption process will cost at least $20,000 dollars and Viele says the screening procedure is grueling. "They have to go through state background checks and all kinds of financial history and those kinds of things and the paperwork, like I mentioned, is kind of out of this world."

Social worker Teanne Oehler says there's also a risk that prospective parents could end up working with unscrupulous middlemen. "An individual who's interested in adoption needs to work through a reputable adoption agency, so that they can avoid things like that, so there are not issues with human trafficking or bribes or incomplete paperwork."

But Viehle adds, while the risk is great, so is the need. "Someone has to be there to support these children and to be able to give homes to these children, so we definitely aren't saying don't pursue it."

Viele says their hope is that this disaster will open some eyes to the need everywhere, that there are thousands of kids in our own country who need homes, along with millions of others around the world.

For more information about international adoption:

Carolina Adoption Services (http://www.carolinaadoption.org/)

Bethany Christian Services (http://www.bethany.org/)

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