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For more than 60 years, Bethany Christian Services has helped build families through adoption. Domestic infant adoption provides multiple services, including home studies and support -- prior to, during, and following the adoption process. By reaching out to a child who needs a home, adoptive families find their lives immeasurably enriched.
Evaluation
Families applying for the adoption of children through Bethany Christian Services must complete a satisfactory pre-placement assessment or an adoption evaluation as required by the Michigan Adoption Code and the Licensing Rules for Child Placing Agencies.
Selection of Adoptive Families
Bethany invites and encourages birthfamilies to select the adoptive families for their children. Bethany provides counseling to empower birthfamilies to identify desired characteristics in the adoptive family, select a family through profiles prepared by the adoptive families, and have a face to face meeting whenever possible. In the rare circumstance that the birthfamily does not want to choose the adoptive family, Bethany staff will identify the adoptive family based on any expressed wishes of the birthfamily, taking into consideration the length of time the adoptive family has been approved for adoptive placement.
Bethany encourages the exchange of fully identifying information as the parties elect and are comfortable with such exchange.
Fee Schedule
Bethany has a written fee schedule and has adoptive families review and sign a fee and service contract. Fees are based on a sliding fee scale. Included in the adoption fees are the following:
- Birthparent counseling, hospital planning and support
- Services related to birthparent release or consent to an adoption plan
- Services related to release or consent of the birthparent
- Pre-placement investigation and report
- Support and education throughout the assessment and adoption process
- Services relating to filing the legal documents with the Court
- Post consultation and referral
- Post placement supervision and services
The service and fee contract lays out the complete and final cost to the adoptive family unless they agree to pay certain birthparent expenses connected with the pregnancy and/or birth
Benefits of Adoption through Bethany Christian Services
- Our staff members are experienced, highly trained professionals who work with open, semi-open, and confidential adoption plans. In the case of a private or independent adoption, we work with attorneys to legally complete the adoption plan.
- Because Bethany has offices nationwide, birthparents have access to profiles of families outside their immediate area.
- Services are provided in adherence with our mission statement, and the sliding fee scale makes adoption a possibility for many families.
International Adoption
 All children need the love and guidance that a caring family can provide. For over 50 years, Bethany Christian Services has helped build families through adoption. International adoption has been an option for our waiting families since 1982, and today our ministry has a presence in over a dozen international countries.
| | Kazakhstan |
| Albania | Kosovo |
| China | Lithuania |
| Colombia | Philippines |
| Guatemala | South Korea |
| Haiti | Ukraine |
| Hong Kong | Uzbekistan |
In addition to adoptions, International Services offers opportunities to serve by sponsoring a child in another country and volunteering for overseas assignments.
Older/Special Needs Adoption
 Older Special Needs Adoption provides services to children who become available for adoption via the child welfare system. When children cannot be returned safely home from foster care, courts terminate parental rights. Relatives or foster parents may apply to adopt these children, but when no family is available, Bethany looks to recruited families for these children prior to their photolisting with the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE).
Description of Waiting Children
Children are usually older, often between 10 and 15 years old, siblings needing placement together, and racial minorities. Characteristics often include emotional and behavior impairments, physical and mental challenges, and removal from biological families due to severe neglect and abuse.
Qualities Sought in Adoptive Families
- Experience with special needs children
- Ability to delay gratification and work openly with agency and community resources because parenting these children can be very challenging
- Mature adults, single or married, with or without other children
- Stable family life with a capacity to offer acceptance, love, affection, and guidance
Adoption Costs
In Michigan, the cost to adopt an older special needs child is payment of a minimal county court filing fee. Almost all children are eligible for support and medical subsidies, which are designed to actively assist families adopt special needs children.
 Adoption Process
Call 231.924.3390 or fill out our contact form to initiate the process and attend an orientation, which is followed up by a multi-week education and preparation group series. Subsequent to the completion of the group series, families will be seen for pre-adoptive assessments. Upon approval, families may begin the matching process for specific children and be placed in our family resource pool, which seeks matches for specific children. After placement, a variety of educational, supportive events and activities are available through the agency and community resources.
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