Adoption Agencies in Oklahoma

If you are a pregnant woman or birth mother please click here to see information that is geared to your needs.

If you are an adopting family we believe you will find the information below helpful. We begin by giving you information regarding child adoption law in Oklahoma (some of what you can and can't do) and then provide you with information on children available for adoption in Oklahoma.  We then relate how we can assist you during the adoption process, and finally we provide a list of licensed Oklahoma adoption agencies through which you can browse for additional information.

Before starting to search for a child to adopt or an agency to assist you, it is important that you understand how the adoption laws in Oklahoma may affect your decisions. Making informed decisions is the best way of increasing your chances of adopting a child.  By way of example, we have listed below a few of the important parts of Oklahoma child adoption law including such topics as advertising, adoption facilitators, adoption expenses, and the critical issue of ending the biological parental rights (called a Consent, Relinquishment or Surrender).

Use of Advertising and Facilitators in Adoptive Placements
Use of Advertisement
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 21, § 866(A)(1)(g)-(h)

The crime of trafficking in children includes:
Advertising of services for compensation to assist with the placement of a child for adoption by any person or organization except by the department or a licensed child-placing agency
Advertisements for and solicitation of a woman who is pregnant to induce her to place her child upon birth for adoption, except by a licensed child-placing agency or an attorney
Nothing in this section shall prohibit an attorney from the advertisement of legal services related to the adoption of children. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a person from advertising to solicit a pregnant woman to consider adoptive placement with the person or to locate a child for an adoptive placement into the person’s own home, provided that such person has received a favorable preplacement home study recommendation in accordance with § 7505-5.1 of Title 10, and that no money or other thing of value is offered as an inducement to the adoption.

Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 21, § 866(A)(1)(a)-(c)

The crime of trafficking in children includes:

The acceptance, solicitation, offer, payment, or transfer of any compensation, in money, property, or other thing of value, at any time, by any person in connection with the adoption of a minor child, except as ordered by the court or as provided by law
The acceptance or solicitation of any compensation by any person or organization for services performed, rendered, or purported to be performed to facilitate or assist in the adoption of a minor child, except by the department, a licensed child-placing agency, or an attorney
Bringing or causing to be brought into the State any child for the purpose of placing such child for adoption and thereafter refusing to comply upon request with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
The ICPC does not apply to the parent or guardian of the child nor to a person bringing the child into the State for adopting the child into such person's own family.

State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Birth Parent Expenses Allowed
Citation: Tit. 10, § 7505-3.2(B)

Reasonable attorney's fees and court costs
Medical expenses
Reasonable counseling expenses
In cases of extraordinary need, reasonable expenses for necessities for the birth mother that are incurred as a result of the pregnancy
Reasonable travel and transportation costs
An initial payment of $500 is allowed before obtaining court approval.

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Citation: Tit. 10, § 7505-3.2(B)

Payments to the birth mother beyond 2 months after placement of the child
Payments for counseling beyond 6 months after placement of the child
Payments deemed unreasonable by the court

Allowable Payments for Arranging Adoption
Citation: Tit. 21, § 866

Acceptance of any compensation by any person or organization, except for the department or a licensed agency, for services performed to facilitate the adoption of a minor child is a felony.

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child
Citation: Tit. 21, § 866

The offer or payment of any compensation for adoption of a minor child is a felony.

Accounting of Expenses Required by Court
Citation: Tit. 10, § 7505-3.2(A)

An affidavit shall be attached to the petition or filed later, but prior to the final decree, that discloses to the court all costs expended or expected to be expended by the adoptive family.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Ann. Stat. Title 10, § 7503-2.1

Written consent to adoption or a permanent relinquishment for adoption must be executed by:
Both parents
One parent alone, if:
The other parent is dead.
The parental rights of the other parent have been terminated.
The consent of the other parent is otherwise not required pursuant to § 7505-4.2.
The legal guardian or the guardian ad litem of the minor if both parents are dead or if the rights of the parents have been terminated by judicial proceedings
The executive head of a licensed child-placing agency, if the minor has been permanently relinquished to such agency
Any person having legal custody of a minor by court order
A parent of a minor born in wedlock or a parent who is age 16 or older shall be deemed capable of giving consent to the adoption of a minor.

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Ann. Stat. Title 10, § 7503-2.1

If a minor to be adopted is age 12 or older, he or she must consent before a decree of adoption may be granted, unless the court makes a finding that it is not in the best interest of the minor to require the minor's consent. The consent of the minor must be given before the court in such form as the court shall direct.

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Ann. Stat. Title 10, § 7505-4.2

Consent to adoption is not required from a putative father who fails to prove he is the father of the child or fails to exercise parental rights and duties toward the child.

Consent to adoption is not required from a parent who:

For 12 consecutive months has willfully failed, refused, or neglected to contribute to the support of such minor
Is entitled to custody of a minor and has abandoned the minor
Fails to establish and/or maintain a substantial and positive relationship with the minor for 12 consecutive months
Has been convicted of physically or sexually abusing the minor or a sibling of the minor or failed to protect the minor or a sibling of the minor from physical or sexual abuse that resulted in severe harm or injury
Has been convicted in a criminal action of having caused the death of a sibling of the minor as a result of the physical or sexual abuse or chronic neglect of such sibling
Has been sentenced to a period of incarceration of not less than 10 years and the continuation of parental rights would result in harm to the minor
Has a mental illness or mental deficiency that renders the parent incapable of adequately and appropriately exercising parental rights, duties, and responsibilities
Has permanently relinquished parental rights and responsibilities to the minor
Has had his or her parental relationship to a minor legally terminated or legally determined not to exist
Has voluntarily placed a minor child in the care of a licensed childcare institution or child-placing agency, if the minor has remained in out-of-home care for 18 months or more, and the parent has willfully failed to substantially comply for 12 consecutive months out of the 14-month period immediately preceding the filing of the petition for adoption with a reasonable written plan of care

When Consent Can Be Executed
Citation: Ann. Stat. Title 10, §§ 7503-2.2; 7503-2.3

Consent may be given as follows:
The mother of a minor shall not execute a valid consent to the adoption of the minor or a permanent relinquishment of the minor prior to the birth of the minor.
The father of a minor born in wedlock shall not execute a valid consent to the adoption of the minor or a permanent relinquishment of the minor prior to the birth of the minor.
A putative father of a minor may execute a consent to the adoption of the minor, a permanent relinquishment of the minor, or an extrajudicial consent to the adoption of the minor before or after the birth of the minor.
A guardian, guardian ad litem, or legal custodian of a child may execute a consent to the adoption of a minor or a permanent relinquishment at any time after being authorized by a court to do so.
A child-placing agency that places a child for adoption may execute its consent at any time at or before the hearing on the petition for adoption.
A minor age 12 or older whose consent is required may execute a consent to adoption at any time at or before the hearing on the petition for adoption.

Revocation of Consent
Citation: Ann. Stat. Title 10, §§ 7503-2.7; 7503-2.6

Except as otherwise provided below, a consent to adoption shall be irrevocable.

The court shall set aside a consent to adoption or vacate an order terminating parental rights based upon the execution of a permanent relinquishment only if it would be in the best interests of the minor and if the individual who executed the permanent relinquishment or consent establishes:

By a preponderance of the evidence, that without good cause shown, a petition to adopt was not filed within 9 months after the minor was placed for adoption
By a preponderance of the evidence, that another consent or permanent relinquishment was not executed or that a court decided not to terminate another individual's parental relationship to the minor
By clear and convincing evidence, before a decree of adoption is issued, or within 3 months of the discovery of the fraud, whichever is later, that the consent was obtained by fraud or duress
An extrajudicial consent shall be revocable for any reason for 15 calendar days after the execution of the consent before the notary public.

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: Tit. 10, § 7503-3.1(I)

Before or after the child's birth, the putative father may receive a Notice of Plan for Adoption (formal notice that the mother is considering adoption).
He must complete the enclosed preaddressed form within 30 days from the date that the Plan for Adoption was served.

Please visit adoption law in Oklahoma for more details.

Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, Oklahoma had 3,205 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 143 were under the age of 1 year, and 1,038 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Oklahoma public child welfare agencies was only 1,141, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all Oklahoma adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time).

Remember that while you may be a resident of Oklahoma, you are not limited to adopting a child from Oklahoma.  You can adopt a child born in Oklahoma, a child born in any other U.S. state, or even a foreign born child.  What is important for you to understand is that infants and children are available for adoption in Oklahoma, in each of the other the 49 states, and in many foreign countries.

Yes, we can help you and so can any licensed child adoption agency (we have listed several below).  By way of introduction to Adoption Services, Inc, I will relate to you a little about myself and our child adoption agency.

Almost 40 years ago I (Dr. Vince Berger) began working as a psychologist with pregnant teens in the Pittsburgh city school system. It was very challenging because in those days there were very few services for these young women, society was not yet accepting of unmarried and/or pregnant teens, and the word "adoption" was hardly ever used.

I loved the work I was doing and knowing that I was personally able to help so many of the pregnant women I was working with. But something was missing - I did not feel I was helping people enough. So, I set out to provide the personal and professional care that a birth mother and adopting family need and deserve in the adoption process.

I started a full service, non-profit adoption agency. Not just any agency, but one that was, and still is, dedicated to helping birth parents and adopting families receive the best and most comprehensive of adoption related services. Over the past 20 years, my staff and I have helped over 9,000 adopting families, birth parents, their babies and children.

I love helping people. I work 6 days a week and answer calls at all hours. The hours I put in are long but never hard, since I find so much joy and strength in helping others.

My goal continues to be to help you. Accordingly, in addition to the website you are on now and the Adoption Services website, we created Adopting Family Resources and International Adoption Help as well as Child Adoption Laws and Child Adoption Resources and Pregnancy And Children to give you a information and help.

I hope that you will call me or my staff so we can help you in the adoption process. However, if you don't want to call us, then please review the agencies listed here and give one of them a call. Do not give up until you get the help and attention you need and deserve.

Thank you for letting us help, and good luck.

Dr. Berger
and the staff of Adoption Services

Adoption Affiliates
6136 East 32nd Place
Tulsa, OK 74135
Phone: (918) 664-2275
Toll-Free: (800) 253-6307

Adoption Choices of Oklahoma
201 N. Broadway, Suite 107,
Moore, OK 73160
Phone: (405) 794-7500
Fax: (405) 794-7506
Toll-Free: (800) 898-6028

Baptist Children's Home
16301 South Western Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73170
Phone: (405) 691-7781

Christian Homes
802 North 10th Street
Duncan, OK 73533
Phone: (405) 252-5131

Christian Services of Oklahoma (CSO)
2221 East Memorial Road
Edmond, OK 73013
Phone: (405) 478-3362
Fax: (405) 607-6401
Toll-Free: (888) 409-6650

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach (CPO)
11323 South Vine Street
Jenks, OK 74037
Phone: (918) 296-3377
Phone: (918) 232-2326
Fax: (918) 296-9993
Toll-Free: (888) 648-0869

Deaconess Home Pregnancy and Adoption Services
5300 North Meridian Avenue
Suite 9
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Phone: (405) 949-4200
Fax: (405) 945-9673
Toll-Free: (800) 567-6631

Oklahoma Home Study (OHS)
1820 Threestars Road
Edmond, OK 73034
Phone: (405) 341-0045

SAFY of America
1209 Sovereign Row
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
Phone: (405) 942-5570

Small Miracles International (SMI)
1148 South Douglas Boulevard
Midwest City, OK 73130
Phone: (405) 732-7295
Fax: (405) 732-7297

If you are looking for a child adoption agency simply click the link below for the state to see a list of the adoption agencies in that state.

Why You Need an Adoption Consultant

There are many risks when you go to adopt a child including losing a child after you have already taken them home (referred to as a disruption), loosing all of the money you have invested in the adoption if the birth mother changes her mind, or finding that there are previously unknown or undisclosed fees that may appear. Dr Berger has helped thousands of  adopting families with domestic adoptions and international adoptions and he is available to assist you no matter what type of adoption you chose to pursue and regardless of whether you work with an adoption agency, facilitator or adoption attorney.  He can help you save your  time, effort and money in helping you to decide what routes to take and the best way to achieve your goal of adopting a child. He can help reduce your risks and potential pain and can help you avoid many of the problems and pitfalls found in the adoption process. You can read and download his free adoption manual or, for more information on how he can help you, please visit his Adoption Consultant link or contact him by phone (1-800-943-0400) or email.

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