Adoption
Bethany for Children & Families is a licensed adoption agency in Iowa and Illinois. Bethany provides domestic, international, and special needs adoption services (recruitment, screening, licensing, placement, and case management) to people within the agency's service area who choose to adopt an infant. The agency also provides counseling and support to birth mothers and fathers who choose to place a child for adoption. Post-adoptive services are available for adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents.
Domestic Infant Adoption
Services include assessment of the prospective adoptive family (home study), placement services, case management, and post-placement support. Prospective adoptive parents who reside in Illinois must be at least 25 years of age and be an Illinois resident for at least six continuous months immediately preceding the commencement of the adoption. The agency requires applicants to be at least 21 years of age (unless applicants reside in Illinois, which requires a 25-years-of-age minimum). If applicants are married, it is preferred that the union occurred at least two years prior to applying for adoption. All applicants must demonstrate sufficient housing, financial stability, and be able to clear a background check and assessment process completed by the agency.

Fees for Domestic Infant Adoption
Home Study Assessment: $2,000
Home Study Update: $500
Placement Fee: $14,000
If Twins: +$8,000
Post-Placement Fee: $650 for up to three visits, $125 per additional visit
Additional fee will apply for background checks.
Fees are non-refundable and do not guarantee placement of a child.
Birth Parent Services
Counseling services are offered at no cost to persons experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and contemplating adoption for their child. Bethany for Children & Families provides parenting support services for those individuals who decide to parent their child. Birth parents who choose adoption for their child may choose the adoptive family and select the type of adoption with which they are most comfortable: open, closed, or semi-open adoption. Counseling is offered to the birth parents following the adoption of their child. There is no cost to the birth parent for these services.

Special Needs Adoption
This refers primarily to children adopted through the Illinois foster care systems. These are typically older children, sibling groups, and/or children with special behavioral or medical needs.
Search & Reunion Services
Bethany for Children & Families offers services to birth parents who placed a child for adoption and adoptees who are seeking medical or non-identifying social history information or desire a reunion with their birth family.
Fees for Search & Reunion Services
Filing Affidavit: $10
Medical Information: $50
Non-Identifying Social History Report: $125
File Search: $25
Search/Reunion Services: $250
Adoption Downloads
Birth Parent Rights & Responsibilities | Adoptive Parent Rights & Responsibilities
Adoptive & Birth Parent Grievance Procedure | Adoption Policy & Procedure Manual
Agency Financial Audit FY2021 | Adoption Preservation Services
Illinois License #310510 Illinois Department of Children & Family Services
Adoption Information Hotline and Complaint Registry: (800) 572-2390