Adoption Services


Domestic Infant Adoption
Infants (generally from birth to 6 months old) from Tennessee and other states are available in this traditional adoption program. There is a waiting list for adoptive couples who want to adopt newborns. The waiting period can be from three months to six months before you are placed in the pool of families being presented to expectant parents. Once your family profile has been shown to expectant parents, the wait time can vary from two months to two years.

Before your family profile can be shown to expectant parents, you must first attend one of Bethany’s Group Orientation Trainings and have an approved Home Study completed by the Bethany office. Most expectant parents choose the family for their child. Bethany facilitates any desired openness of these adoptions between the adoptive couple and birthparents. Placement fees are based on family income and are detailed below in the section pertaining to fees.

Private/Independent Domestic Contract Home Studies and Designated Placements
Families who are adopting domestically or internationally and prefer to network and locate an expectant mother themselves or by hiring a private attorney or another agency may hire Bethany to conduct the Home Study. Please see the fee schedule located below for the fee for these services.

Private Adoption (Contracted Services) Fees for Pregnancy Counseling Services
If you are pursuing a private adoption and you want the expectant mother to receive counseling and/or other support services through Bethany, this is certainly an option. You may contact one of our pregnancy counselors for more details about this, and the fee for these services follows in the section pertaining to adoption fees.

Intercountry Adoption
A full range of services is available to families seeking to adopt a child from another country. Bethany has programs in more than a dozen countries. Because of the waiting time, newborns are generally not available in this program. The children who are available range in age from about 8 months to 17 years. Waiting times depend on the criteria and requirements of the country in which the child was born. Expenses associated with an intercountry adoption include fees to Bethany, fees to the country of origin, and the cost of travel to your child’s country of origin.

Special Needs Adoption and Older Child Adoption
Children considered to have special needs include those who have physical or emotional challenges, are older children, or are members of a sibling group or an ethnic minority (including biracial children). Families who want to adopt an older child are scheduled for a Home Study shortly after applying. The waiting time until placement is generally shorter in this program.

“Discover Adoption” Information Meetings
The East TN Bethany staff host a general information meeting about adoption on the third Tuesday of each month at our office in Knoxville, and two to three times a year at our Tri-Cities office (call for more details). The information meetings in Knoxville begin at 4 p.m., and the Tri-Cities information meetings are usually held in the evening. There is no charge to attend. Information is provided about all of the adoption programs offered by Bethany of East TN. These meetings are interactive, and questions are encouraged. Please contact us at 865.588.5283 or 423.252.7022 for more details.

Pregnancy Counseling Support Groups
If you are considering a plan for your baby’s future or if you faced an unplanned pregnancy at some point, you are invited to participate in a free support group. You will meet others in a situation much like your own and will be able to discuss your experience and share your thoughts and feelings with your peers. Please call the office at 865.588.5283 or 423.252.7022 for information about the support group meeting, or fill out our contact form.

Domestic Infant Adoption Families Groups
Bethany families who are pursuing a domestic infant adoption usually gather at the Bethany office in Knoxville on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. to receive special training about adoption procedures, legal issues, adoption preparedness, and other timely and vital topics. These Domestic Infant Adoption Families Groups help to ensure our families are well-trained and prepared for what to expect when their adoptive placement occurs. The East TN office also hosts these groups in the Tri-Cities office once each quarter. For more information about these meetings, contact our office at 865.588.5283 or 423.252.7022.

Intercountry Adoption Family Support Groups
Families who are adopting internationally through the East TN office also meet regularly at the Knoxville office for training and support. For more information, please contact our Intercountry Adoption specialist at 865.588.5283.

Embryo Adoption
Bethany offers a full service program in which a qualifying family may choose to adopt frozen embryos as a means to grow their family through adoption. Please call our office at 865.588.5283 for more information about this cutting-edge program.

Post-Adoption Counseling Services
The Bethany counseling staff provide counseling and support services to families and children long after the finalization of the adoption, if necessary. Please call our offices at 856.588.5283 or 423.252.7022 for more details.

About Fees
As you consider welcoming an adopted child into your home, the fees associated with adoption will likely be one of your main questions. With so many agencies to choose from, why choose Bethany?

Bethany is committed to providing you with a comprehensive list of fees, whether you adopt domestically or internationally. There are no hidden fees or last-minute add-on costs which some families tell us they have experienced with other agencies.

The most recent fees are listed below. For further information or to have your questions answered, please contact your local office. By choosing Bethany, you will know the total costs of your adoption.

Bethany’s fee schedule is based on the costs of professional services for all phases of the adoption process. These include, but are not limited to, pregnancy counseling and support (which can include assistance with the pregnancy and living expenses), the application, adoption education, support groups, the Home Study, national networking, post-placement support, legal documentation, and finalization.

Domestic Infant Adoption Fees
Based on the upcoming 2010 fee schedule for the East TN office, a family’s domestic infant placement fee is the lower of 22% of the last three years’ average adjusted gross income, or $22,000. The minimum fee is currently $13,500. Adoption fee schedules are subject to change—please contact our office for the most current rate structure. Adoptive applicants are required to submit their three most recent U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns (Form 1040) to Bethany Christian Services to assist in determining adoption fees, and a credit check is also required. The fee agreement with a family is based on the fee schedule current at the time the agreement is signed and will be honored for one year. Fee agreements may be renegotiated based on changes in the fee schedule itself. Financial assistance may be available.

Intercountry Adoption Fees/Costs
Fees associated with an intercountry adoption can vary widely based on the child’s country of origin. Total fees/costs can range from $10,000 to $30,000 or more.

  • Fees to Bethany for services average $6,000 to $8,000 and include, but are not limited to, the application fee, dossier fee/authentication (in most countries), phone calls, mailing costs, adoption workshops, the Home Study and assessment, immigration assistance, child placement, post-placement services, update of previous Home Study (if necessary), and background checks.
  • There are also individual country fees, which vary widely.
  • Additional U.S. fees include immigration I-600A or 800A packet fee, I-600 or I-800 (additional in most countries), court, notarization, great seal and authentication, travel Visa(s) for adoptive parent(s), and certificate of citizenship.
  • Other miscellaneous costs can include travel fees, U.S. Passport fees, state seals, or apostilles and authentication.

Private Adoption (Contracted Services) Fees for Pregnancy Counseling Services
The cost for pregnancy counseling services (counseling and support) in private/contract adoptions is $100 per hour, and a $2,000 retainer fee is required up front. Any unused funds from the retainer will be refunded to the adoptive family.

Private/Independent Domestic Contract Home Studies and Designated Placement Fees
The fee for a Home Study conducted for the purpose of a domestic private adoption is $1,200, based on the 2009 current rate.

Private/Independent Intercountry Contract Home Studies and Designated Placement Fees
The fee for a Home Study conducted for the purpose of an intercountry private adoption is $2,000, based on the 2009 current rate.