How is a Licensed Texas Adoption Agency Regulated?
By Sarah Henderson
If you are a potential birth mother, you have undoubtedly done a good amount of research about all aspects of adoption. While researching adoptions and their complexity, one important, but often overlooked question may have entered your mind: How are licensed adoption agencies regulated? Adoption agencies are complex systems that involve working with social workers, lawyers, medical professionals, and government professionals. Agencies do this because it benefits you, your child’s adoptive parents, and your child. All of that involvement would be too complicated and confusing if it was not regulated and maintained by the government. While you knowing all of the exact regulations of your adoption agency is not required, knowing the basics of how licensed adoption agencies are regulated will give you a better idea of how the complex process of adoption works!
If you need help with adoption now, you can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here.
Types of Adoption Organizations
There are multiple different types of adoption organizations that exist in the adoption world. All organizations run differently, thus regulated or licensed differently from each other. However, not all of the organizations are licensed or regulated by state or federal governments. According to the guidelines set in place, those licensed and regulated are annually examined by state or federal governments each year.
There are five main types of adoption organizations that birth mothers and adoptive parents can choose from. They include:
- Law Firms
- Law firms are licensed but are regulated by a state bar, not by adoption standards.
- Law Centers
- Law centers may or may not be certified depending on each center.
- Facilitators
- Facilitators are not licensed or regulated at all.
- Local Adoption Agencies
- Local adoption agencies are licensed and regulated.
- National Adoption Agencies
- National adoption agencies are licensed and regulated.
Regional vs. National Adoption Licensing
To understand adoption licensing and regulations, it is important to remember the distinction between regional and national adoption agencies. Both regional and national adoption agencies serve the same purpose for their communities. However, the regulations are different for each.
The state only regulates regional or state-specific adoption agencies that the agencies reside in. In addition, each state will have different regulations for the adoption professionals to follow. Adoption Choices of Texas, for example, has to follow the adoption regulations, laws, and policies laid out for us. Regional licensed adoption agencies are limited in how many birth mothers, adoptive parents, and children they can serve. It also means that their local government only annually checks them to see if they are meeting up to the standards.
National licensed adoption agencies have a much stricter code to follow. National agencies are licensed and regulated in multiple different states across the country. They each have to follow specific guidelines set up by individual states. This means that national licensed adoption agencies are checked more often by state and federal governments each year. National agencies also can serve birth mothers, adoptive parents, and children on a much wider scale.
State Bar vs. Adoption Regulations
During your research of licensed adoption agencies, a phrase “state bar” may have appeared to you multiple times. You need to remember that being state bar-certified and being a licensed adoption agency are two different things. State bar and adoption regulations are different and should not be mixed or confused.
State bar certification associates with law and law professionals. As a result, lawyers, law firms, and law centers can all be state-bar certified and licensed. This is according to the rules and regulations set by each state according to their standards as to how lawyers, law firms, and law centers can behave.
State bar licensing is not the same as adoption licensing. They do not have the same standards that adoption agencies have and do not have a consistent overview of adoption. State bar licensing does not know what a successful adoption plan needs. Whatever questions you have about the legal Texas adoption process, please reach out to your legal advisor with Adoption Choices of Texas. Regarding adoption, the legal aspect is undoubtedly confusing. Because of this, it can be easy to misunderstand it without proper guidance.
How is a Licensed Adoption Agency Regulated?
We at Adoption Choices of Texas understand that this is a lot of information to absorb, and this is just an overview of licensed adoption agency regulations! Our licensed adoption agencies have high regulation standards, and we work hard to keep our regulations met. You can trust that Adoption Choices of Texas will keep our regulations and guidelines met.
Understanding the regulations of licensed adoption agencies is not something that you have to know to moving forward when creating an adoption plan. However, knowing and comprehending the basics of your adoption agency’s regulations may better help you decide on adoption and what agency to move forward with!
As an expectant woman or birth parent, to learn more about adoption, contact Adoption Choices of Texas. You can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here. Additionally, if you are hoping to adopt, please visit us here. We look forward to helping you through your adoption journey!
