The Catholic Charities Social Worker immediately came to the hospital and listened to Karen's concerns and fears. The counselor explained that Catholic Charities could assume temporary custody of the baby until Karen was able to make a plan.
After several weeks of working with the social worker, Karen decided on adoption. She would have loved to parent her baby but it was not the right time. The counselor at Catholic Charities helped Karen take an active role in selecting the prospective adoptive family. Karen has completed her college degree and knows that the decisions that Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen helped her to make were not only the right ones for her, but the best ones for her baby.
Maternity & Adoption offers cost free options counseling to expecting parents who require guidance and support. A Master's level clinician works with birth parents and their families to explore options available including parenting, foster care and adoption. They also provide assistance obtaining medical care for mother and child and a diligent paternal search when needed.
Adoptive services offer three choices: Domestic Infant Adoption, International Adoption, and Pre & Post Adoption Counseling.
Due to the limited number of infants available for adoption in the United States, many people have turned to the International Adoption Program as a way to build their family. Catholic Charities networks with other agencies, providing home studies to parents wishing to adopt a child from another country.
The Pre and Post Adoption Counseling program accepts insurance and Medicaid benefits and is available on a sliding fee for service basis. Individual and Group Counseling is available for children who are to be adopted or who have been adopted and are experiencing emotional issues.
The Maternity and Adoption Program also places three to five children a year through the Domestic Infant Program. Frequently, these are children with drug or alcohol exposure that may have special needs as they grow older.
Temporary Infant Care provides temporary foster care for infants whose parents have not yet made a parenting plan. Upon discharge from the hospital, these infants are taken to licensed foster homes to provide time for birth parents to decide on the best course of action for their child, be it parenting themselves or an adoptive placement.
