FAMILY STRENGTHENING

An unexpected pregnancy can set off a wide range of emotions. You may feel scared, angry or overwhelmed. Most of all, you may feel alone – even with the support of family and friends. Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is here to help. Our experienced, caring staff will provide you with the guidance you need whether you choose to parent your child or place your child with an adoptive couple.  It is Catholic Charities’ founding program and has changed the lives of countless women, children and families.

FIRST STEPS

We start by first getting to know a little bit more about you and your pregnancy.  We will discuss your medical history and baby’s due date.  If you’ve come without the birth father, we will ask information about him.  We will want to know about your housing as well as financial situation.  Most importantly, we will talk about your hopes and dreams for yourself and your baby.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Education is a big part of what we do.  It’s important that you know what to expect throughout your pregnancy. We’ll discuss the importance of maintaining good health for both you and your baby. In addition, we’ll talk about your options, giving you honest information so that you can make an informed decision about whether you want to parent the baby or place your baby for adoption. At Catholic Charities, we support Open Adoption. The degree of openness varies, however, depending on each situation.

I WANT TO PARENT  

If you choose to parent the child, we’ll connect you with available community resources to help prepare you before and after the birth of your baby.  We’ll continue to offer counseling for up to six months following the baby’s birth.

ADOPTION   

If you would like to place your baby for adoption, we’ll identify couples for your consideration. These couples have been carefully screened and matched by our qualified staff. If you are not comfortable with our initial recommendation, we will network with other agencies to select couples that match the criteria.  Ultimately, you choose who your baby’s adoptive parents will be. We will be there with you throughout your pregnancy and birth of the baby, answering any questions that you might have and lending the support you need.  After the delivery, our staff will be there at the hospital to serve as your advocate as you place the baby with the adoptive parents.

• See the Adoption page for more details of how our services work.

ONGOING SUPPORT

Service doesn’t stop when the adoption is finalized.  Our staff can continue to act as an intermediary between birth parents and adoptive parents scheduling visits, forwarding letters/photos and helping with any other communication between the families.

FEES

Pregnancy counseling is available free of charge to anyone living within our 21-county service area. All adoption legal fees are covered by the adoptive couples.

Foster Families: Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas’ programs focus on adoption and pregnancy counseling for birth parents and adoptive couples, but the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas provides resources for foster families. The Foster Care Taskforce supports children and the families who care for them, ensuring that every child has an environment where he or she can thrive. Learn more.