America World Adoption News

New on the Website: Social Services Application

America World is licensed to provide home study, post adoption, and other social services in 21 states, while providing adoption placement services in all 50 states. To help make the intake process more efficient for you, we have recently added a Social Services Only application for people desiring to use America World as their home study agency, but not the placing agency. 

Before filling out this application, please read about your state on our State Offices page to determine if America World can provide your social services. If this service is offered in your state, go to our Application page to begin. 

If you already have an account with America World, log in. If you do not have an account, click "Create a New Account" and fill out the brief form. This is necessary so our system can save your information if you cannot complete the application in one sitting. Once the account is created, log in and click "Apply" on the menu. 

On the main Apply page, click the drop down menu under "Application Type"  and select "Social Services Only." Give the application a name that you will remember and then click "Create New Application." 

After reading the information on the next page, click the orange link that says "Submit the Online Application." If you have already started an application, select your nicknamed application and then click this link to continue filling it out or complete it. Or, if you have previously created an account and you are brought to this page first, select "Create a New Application" and follow the steps above to fill out the appropriate application. When you have fully completed and submitted the application, click the second orange link to submit payment. A social worker will contact you after reviewing your application. 

Please contact us at 800-429-3369 if you experience issues with your application process or have any questions. 

NOTE: do not select or fill out a "Domestic" application if you have not already spoken with a Program Director. 

Surviving Your Home Study

There is a great post over on the Love on a Mission blog written by Kim Eagle, an America World mother, called "Surviving Your Home Study." 

You may have be experiencing some of the same emotions Kim did in anticipation of your home study! Please read this and know that the home study process is not designed to be an intimidating or negative experience. You can also visit our State Pages to get an idea of what to expect in your state, and to read about your social worker.

The thought of an adoption Home Study can conjure up all kinds of emotions.  For some it is excitement about another phase of the adoption process, yet to some it brings up hesitancy and concern.  Will the Social Worker like our family?  Is my house clean enough?  Will they find some deep, dark secret about us?  Will we be approved?  Having lived through the Home Study process, our family can honestly say it was one of the more enjoyable and therapeutic phases of our three-year adoption process. 

We were initially in the camp of hesitancy and concern.  How was I going to make my home look like June and Ward Cleaver’s?  I thought it needed to look perfect, peaceful, and immaculate.  That was impossible.  At the time we were pursuing a China adoption and we had biological children ages 7, 9, 10, and 12 years.   We were told that we needed three home visits before the adoption and two after we brought our adopted child home.   How were we going to create perfection in our home five times?  I soon found out that my perception of the home study was wrong.

Before our initial visit with our Social Worker, I sat my four children down and explained that she would want to talk to them and get their perspective on adopting a brother or sister.  She may ask questions or get their opinion about our family.  At that time my three oldest children were somewhat quiet.  So I did what any “good” mother would do and told them I would give them a treat if they conversed with the Social Worker.  My plan worked beautifully for the older three.  However, I had not factored in the personality of my fourth child, who naturally was talkative.

New on the Website - State Offices

We are excited to announce a new State Offices section to our website. All fifty states and the District of Columbia now have their own page containing state-specific information.

Currently, America World is licensed to provide home study and post adoption services in 21 states, although we are able to facilitate adoptions nationwide. In most of our licensed states, we are also able to provide social services for families adopting through an agency other than America World. See your state's page to learn more about what we offer, how to contact us, what the costs are, and how to get started. For the states in which we are not licensed to do social services, we have either listed recommended home study agencies or tips on how to find an agency.

The link to the State Offices is found on any page along the header, to the right of "Testimonies," a new link containing client references and personal family stories. You will find several other minor changes to this header. 

On the menu of each state page are links to other state-specific information, such as local seminars and references. If you have questions about the home study or post adoption process, please use the contact information listed. If you have questions about the general adoption process, click the "adoption programs" link to learn more about the countries we work in, or call our corporate office at 800-429-3369. It is our hope that these pages will help make all aspects of the adoption process more clear to prospective adoptive parents. 

Directors of Social Services Annual Summit

 

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Last week America World had the pleasure of hosting our Affiliate Directors of Social Services (DSS) to the Corporate office for our Annual Summit Meeting.  There were 17 DSS’s here from across the country for three days of training and meetings with our Corporate staff.  It was such a blessing to spend this time face-to-face sharing ideas, building unity and encouraging each other in the work that we do.  We all left refreshed and energized to serve our families. 

It is very exciting to see how our Affiliate team has grown in recent years.  America World is currently licensed to do home studies in 20 states (click here for a list of those states) and in the process of being licensed in three additional states (Indiana, South Carolina and Georgia).   We are continuously looking at how we can expand to better serve our families across the country.

Affiliate Office Update

We are very pleased to announce the following new additions to the America World team.  LeAnne Craig, MSW of Cumming, GA was hired in January as our Director of Social Services for AWAA-GA.  LeAnne comes to us with an extensive background in adoption social services.  Her experience includes conducting home studies, as well as providing adoption support and training to families.  Our Georgia office is in the process of becoming licensed to do home studies and should be operating in the next several months.    

Emily Head, MSW of Leesville, SC was hired in May to be our Director of Social Services for AWAA-SC.  She will spend her first few months helping us get licensed to do home studies in South Carolina.  Emily has over 6 years experience working in the adoption field, which includes conducting home studies, providing adoption counseling and training,  and completing licensing requirements for an adoption agency.  We anticipate the South Carolina office to be licensed by the end of this year. 

We look forward to these two offices opening and being able to serve our GA and SC families by providing their home study services.  Please stay tuned for more information to come.