JustChoice FAQ

1. Tell us a little about the founding and development of your organization?
   JustChoice, previously Choice Network, was founded in 2010 by Molly Rampe Thomas. At the time Molly was working for the YWCA in Franklin County, Ohio and was often seeing women come in with unplanned pregnancies. After many conversations with these individuals she realized that they often felt their only options were abortion or parenting. No one saw adoption as an option that could be done ethically. She set out to change that and now thirteen years later we are an all-options organization that equips all people to choose a path to parenting that fits them best. We walk every pregnant person through all-options: abortion, adoption, and parenting. No matter their decision we support them through every step. Our agency was one of the first that openly and proudly accepted LGBTQ+ couples and individuals seeking to start their family. Each year since 2017 we have been awarded the Human Rights Campaign seal of approval for this work. It is our dream to continue this work fully supporting all people facing unplanned pregnancies, parenting journeys, and a desire to build a family through ethical adoption plans.
2. How are your adoption home study and your organization unique?
   JustChoice is one of the only places where all people can find what they need. We walk pregnant people through all options counseling, parents get hands-on parenting support, and individuals and couples are able to discuss the ways to build a family. Our homestudy families get one on one access to our homestudy assessor to walk them through the process and answer any questions they may have.
3. Why are you passionate about adoption and the home study process?
   Adoption is not the answer for everyone seeking to build their family, but for those that it is they deserve to have someone standing in their corner. Every family we work with knows that they are going to play an important role in both their future child’s life as well as that child’s birth family's lives. The homestudy process can be hard to navigate at times, but it is vital in ensuring that the child has a happy and safe place to land. For our families it is a time to slow down and process through the emotions that brought them to the adoption decision. They take intentional time in their training and ongoing conversations with the JustChoice team to make sure they are fully prepared for the challenges that this journey will bring. For our parents choosing adoption our process ensures that we trust the families and feel confident in their ability to stand in this space.
4. How long is an adoption home study valid?
   An Ohio homestudy is valid for two years.
5. Approximately how much time is necessary to complete an adoption home study by your organization?
   Completing a homestudy can take as little as a few weeks to as long as a few months as it truly depends on the family. We work as quickly as the family does in regard to uploading documents. There are factors that are out of our control such as the background and out of state checks that may cause a slight delay in this process.
6. Can adoptive parents use a home study completed by your organization to adopt a child born in another state?
   Yes, all of our homestudies are ICPC compliant.
7. If you complete my home study, do you also have to complete my post-placement visits?
   No, we do not have to complete your post-placement visits but we are able to do so if you wish.
8. How many post-placement visits does your organization require?
   Our agency follows Ohio state law which requires us to complete six months of post-placement visits, as well as initial visits at 4 days and 7 days post-placement.
9. What is some advice you can give to potential adoptive families about the home study process? What should they be prepared for?
   The homestudy process is not something that can be completed overnight. Be prepared to have to take the time to find a lot of documentation that you may not have needed for a while. Set aside time to do the training as a couple, these do take time and may need to be spread out but it is important to the process. Lastly, prepare to engage in hard conversations as you fill out forms such as the Child Characteristics sheet.
10. What do your home study social workers look for in a home and a family when they visit potential adoptive families' homes?
    When completing the in-home portion of the family’s homestudy we are looking to see if the house is set up for a child to live in it. Is there an extra bedroom available for the child(ren)? Are your smoke alarms working? Are cleaning supplies and harmful chemicals put away somewhere the child cannot reach or locked if in a lower cabinet? If a family has a pool or backyard near a field, pond, or the road is there something preventing the child from getting to it? While there are more detailed questions and observations we are looking for, these are the biggest requirements. In our families we look to see that you are welcoming, open-minded and open to growing in your understanding of what adoption looks like. While adoption is beautiful, it also comes with a lot of hardships as well. Our training talks about the trauma that comes with adoption and we want to make sure that our families can see that and are willing to walk their future child(ren) through it. We are an agency that fully promotes openness in adoption. Our dream is for the family and birth family to stay connected; while not all birth parents want this, we do ask that our families stay open to it.
11. Are you Hague accredited, and if not, does your international home study comply with Hague International Standards?
    No, we are not Hague accredited. We do not complete homestudies for international purposes.
12. Do you have experience in completing the home study and working with international placement companies?
    Our agency does not do any international adoptions as we are only a nationally licensed agency.
13. Are there other services and benefits you would like to share about your company?
    Our agency is able to provide post-placement visits if requested by the family. We also have the Human Rights Campaign seal of approval and have partnerships with Gays With Kids.