Illinois Assistance Programs for Pregnant Women and Birth Mothers plus Information Regarding Adoption Agencies
If you are pregnant in Illinois, have already given birth, parenting, or are thinking of placing a child for adoption in Illinois, we can help and there is never any cost or obligation on your end.
Our not-for-profit agency has helped over 9000 birth parents and families over the past 45+ years.
If you want help quickly, click on the link "Ways we can help you" or contact us or call toll-free 1(800)943-0400.
Below is help about pregnancy, labor, birth, raising children, financial and medical assistance programs, support groups, adoption, and more. We are committed to putting your needs first and to helping you in every way possible.
[If you are an Illinois Adopting Family, I suggest you leave this page and click on the link Adopting Persons that helps with adopting a child.]An Important Issue for an Illinois Pregnant Woman Regarding Adoption
If you are thinking of placing your child for adoption, take time to determine the intentions of those involved in the adoption process. There are many good and caring people involved in the adoption field. Then there are those who may offer you the world but whose primary concern is making money rather than the safety and emotional well-being of you and your baby.
Before choosing an adoption agency or anyone else, please ask yourself, "Are they doing this because they care about me and my baby or is this simply a business for them?". Ask them why they started providing this service in the first place. Ask yourself, "If they really cared about me and my baby, what have they done to show me that this is not just about the money for them?"
I started Adoption Services, Inc., a not-for-profit adoption agency, and created this website and several other websites (such as PregnancyAndChildren.com) because I truly care about you and your baby (Click here to read my story). If you want to place your child for adoption, we are here to help make sure you and your baby's needs are met and that your baby is placed with the perfect safe and loving home.
On the other hand, if you are looking for information on financial, medical, nutritional, and emotional help so that you can raise your child, we are also here to help you. My goal is to help you and others like you to be safe, to keep your baby safe, and to help you to make decisions based on what You want and what You feel is best for you and your baby.
Illinois adopting Persons <---- Please click this link to view the section of our website designed specifically to help Adopting Persons with issues concerning adopting a child.
Who Are We?
My name is Dr Vince Berger. My staff and I, at Adoption Services, are available to answer your questions and to assist you if you live in Illinois or any other state. Our goal is to help you with your pregnancy whether you are planning to raise your child yourself or are thinking of placing your child for adoption. No matter whether you get help from us or from some other source, our goal is to help you and your child and other pregnant women and their children to lead healthier and happier lives. Please feel free to contact me (I would be happy to talk to you personally by phone or email) or my staff with any questions you have or to check out the help we offer. My number is 1(800)943-0400
Pregnancy and Pregnancy Resources
Pregnancy Issues and Pregnancy Resources
Pregnancy Issues and Pregnancy Resources will help you (whether you live in Illinois or any other state) if you are pregnant. It has information about pregnancy and what you can expect. We start by answering some of the most frequently asked questions and then proceed with pregnancy tests and pregnancy symptoms, the stages of pregnancy, all about prenatal care as well as hospital selection and much more.
Pregnancy Concerns
Pregnancy Concerns are shared by almost every pregnant woman and include subjects such as: morning sickness and nutrition and diet, alcohol and drug usage, depression and moodiness, and labor and delivery concerns. In this section we have tried to address some of the most common concerns you and other birth mothers may have including resources for financial help and nutritional advice as well as medical assistance and more. (Note: There is more information on assistance programs for pregnant women and birth mothers further down this page).
Pregnancy Support Groups
Illinois Pregnancy Support Groups can help connect you with pregnancy support information and groups in Illinois. We also provide information on resources in the other 49 states.
Crisis Centers
Crisis Centers for birth mothers and pregnant women living in Illinois or any other U.S. state or in Canada are listed on this page. If you are a victim of domestic violence, have knowledge of a sexual abuse, or are in need of a shelter, please visit the page Mother and Child Safety.
Financial and Medical Assistance
Pregnant Women, Mothers and Children
Women, Infant and Children's Programs in Every State
The Illinois Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC) for Women, Infants and Children provides free food, nutrition counseling, and referrals to health and other social services at no charge. WIC serves low-Income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5. For the WIC program in other states click on the link Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
Child Health Insurance Programs
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in Illinois and the other 49 states can help keep your child safe and healthy by offering you free or low cost health insurance coverage for your child.
Child Nutrition Programs in Every State
Child Nutrition Programs in Illinois and the other 49 states will help you understand many child nutrition issues and they provide low-cost and free food to children who qualify. The link Nutritional Help can also help you with issue of nutrition.
Child Welfare Agencies in Every State
The Illinois Child Welfare Agency (also called the Department of Human Services, Department of Human Resources, Department of Children and Families, or Department of Public Welfare) can help you with issues of pregnancy, parenting, foster care, and adoption. This site also lists the State Child Welfare website for other states and provides you with a link to their website.
Department of Education Programs
The Illinois Department of Education can help provide you with information about nutrition, pregnancy, insurance and other programs for children and pregnant woman living in Illinois. The link Department of Education will help you identify early intervention programs and nutrition programs available to children in other states.
Food Bank Programs
Illinois Food Banks can provide you with free food for you and your children. We have also provided links to food banks in other states.
Food Stamp Programs in Every State
Illinois Food Stamp programs help low-income people and families obtain the food they need for good health. Other State food stamp programs are listed on the link Food Stamp Programs.
Department of Health Programs
The Illinois Department of Health is an excellent resource to help you find programs dealing with health and nutrition, pregnancy, insurance and other programs for pregnant women, mothers, fathers and children. We have also provided the website links and contact information for the Department of Health in the other 49 states.
Energy Assistance Programs in Every State
The Illinois Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program can help you pay winter heating bills and medically necessary summer cooling bills. We have also listed contact information and website links for the other 49 states' Low Income Home Energy Assistance Programs.
Medical Assistance Programs
Illinois Medicaid can provide you with information about free or limited-cost health care for you and for your child. We have also provided the contact information for the other 49 states' Medicaid programs. Additionally, the Medical Help link includes information on medical problems plus information on where you may be able to get free or discounted medical, dental and prescription care for your child.
Unemployment Programs in Every State
The Illinois unemployment insurance program can help you financially if you are temporarily unemployed. We have also provided the contact information and/or website link for the other 49 states' unemployment insurance programs.
Free Cancer Detection Programs
The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Programprovides free education, screening, diagnostics and case management related to breast cancer and cervical cancer. These programs are also available in the other 49 states.
Parenting
Parenting Your Child and Parenting Support Groups
Parenting Your Child is designed to help a birth mother and/or birth father living in Illinois or any other state to raise their child and even improve their ability to parent. Illinois Parenting Support Groups connects you with parenting support groups in Illinois and provides you with some of the information and resources that we believe you may be looking for. Additionally, we have tried to provide a list of parenting support groups and resources in the other 49 states.
Adoption
Types of Child Adoption and Adoption Choices
If you are thinking of placing our child for adoption we are available to help you whether you place your child with us or some other agency. We want you to understand that you have several choices including the type of adoption you want. For instance, you can whether to use a licensed child adoption agency or proceed with a private adoption (not recommended - please click the link to read about the risks involved) or adopt through a facilitator (not recommended - please click the link to read about the risks involved) or an adoption attorney. You can choose between an open adoption or a closed adoption (this basically determines how much or how little you are involved in your child's life after the adoption) and what involvement you want in selecting the adopting family (For the safety of your child please verify that a detailed history and complete home study of the adopting family has been done). It is very important that before you start the actual adoption process that you to learn and understand the possible outcomes of each of these choices.
Selecting a Child Adoption Agency
We at Adoption Services can help you if you live in Illinois or live in any other state. We want you to know that we can help you with medical, legal, and living expenses, and as well as other types of assistance to the extent that the law allows, just as can other legally licensed Agencies. We also want you to be aware that some in the "business of adoption" may offer you incentives that go beyond what the law may allow and that in some cases these "adoption businesses" may put their financial interests and their adopting families' interests ahead of the interests of you and your baby. While we hope that you will want to use our services for your adoption, if you do not want to work with us for any reason, we can help you select another agency.
We want you to know our first priority is always to help you and your baby. And, if you decide to proceed with an adoption, our next priorities are to make sure that all adopting families are very thoroughly screened and personally approved by myself, Dr Vince Berger, to assure you that your child is placed into the perfect loving home where they will be treated with tenderness and affection, and to insure that your baby will be kept safe and loved. In order to protect the physical and emotional well-being of your baby, please contact us before you finalize your plans.
Adoption Rights and Adoption Laws
Adoption rights and adoption laws are an important part of every adoption. It is important for you to understand the adoption rights of all parties involved including those of the birth mother, the birth father, and even the rights of the grandparents of the child. We strongly encourage you contact us before you start the adoption process so that we can help you understand all of your rights. Click the following link to read the child adoption laws of Illinois, or the following link to find the adoption laws of other states.
Home Study and Family Selection
We conduct a very careful evaluation of every adopting family on our waiting list. A critical part of our evaluation is called our Home Study. The Home Study includes a detailed evaluation of the adopting persons, their home, surrounding environment, finances, health, attitudes about child rearing and discipline, FBI clearances, state police and child abuse clearances, and much more. We feel that this is needed for the safety and well-being of every child who is placed by our agency. This is a very important study, since it is through this Home Study that we, or any other agency or attorney, gets to know the adopting family. I, Dr Vince Berger, have been evaluating families for over 40 years and, as a result of our extra thorough evaluations, we have never had a situation where any child we have placed has been abused, abandoned or neglected. We have a perfect record and will be glad to help you make sure your baby is placed with the perfect family.
Government Benefits Programs (Listed On Our Site)
Click here to read about Government Benefit Programs in Illinois or click here to select a state to read about it's government benefit programs.
Government Benefits (Federal Governments Website)
The GovBenefits.gov website is a fantastic source of information, not just for your state, but for all the states. Click here to see the government benefits available in your state.