When you have made the decision to adopt, you can depend on Fortson Consultant Services, Inc. to handle your adoption screening needs with dignity, expediency and in the privacy of your home. Our staff is experienced in dealing with Florida Statutes Chapter 63 that governs adoption.

The initial interview extends between four to five hours. Much time and effort is spent deciding on a time that is convenient and free from stress. The License Clinical Social Worker completes the home study. The study consist of background checks of all household members, medical history, financial history, mental status and your reasons for wanting to adopt a child. We explore stability of the environment, finances, work history, mental status and parenting skills. If there are siblings, we explore your skills to merge the infant into the existing family. We help you identify resources and programs that will enhance the success of the family unit.

The License Clinical Social Worker communicates and request a disclosure from the intermediary. The Disclosure Statutes is taken from Florida Statutes Chapter 63.085; Disclosure by intermediary. The statutes request the intermediary to disclose information of medical cost, hospital care, counseling received for the birth mother, living expenses of the birth mother and to ensure appropriate consents are signed. A Disclosure statement is an intricate part of your completed package that will go to court. Together the intermediary and the LCSW will work toward a timely closure for you first court appearance.

For an additional cost of $125.00 under Insurance Company Assessment, a medical and social history will be obtained from the biological parents. The birth mother is offered counseling and the opportunity to register her name with the Adoption Register. The information is documented and becomes a part of the preliminary report that is submitted to the intermediary. The adoptive parents receives a copy of the biological parents medical profile.

If the home study is favorable and the infant goes home with the adoptive parent(s), two visits are required within 90 days of the infant arriving into the home. These visits are designed to evaluate the parent's comfort level with the new infant, parenting skills, interaction and to answering any questions of the new parents.

The final report is submitted within 90 days of the infant being in the home.