If I make an adoption plan for my baby, will he grow up thinking I don't love him?

Your birth child's adoptive parents will always assure him of your love and we will help you to make a special book for him to always have. You can tell him everything about yourself that you want him to know, and also have the opportunity to tell him how much you love him and that that is WHY you have chosen to give him a two-parent home.

Yes, definitely! You will be able to spend as much time with your baby as you choose while you are in the hospital.

We encourage you to stay involved with CPO as long as you wish. We have a birth mother who is still coming after placing her son 18 years ago. She is now in a position to be of such help to new women who are going through the process. There will not be any other group of people who will so totally understand what you are feeling.

Potential adoptive couples must complete a home study—a court-required document written by a licensed social worker. It describes the adoptive family, their activities, and how they are or how they plan to be good parents. It also includes a criminal background check and references from people who know the adoptive couple. They are also required to attend a 2 ½-day Waiting Families’ Workshop, provided by CPO. Crisis Pregnancy Outreach requires that the adoptive couple also have a letter of reference from their pastor. The home study and application information is reviewed by our staff before a family is accepted by our agency.

The adoptive family will create a Family Profile called a "Life Book" for the agency that contains pictures and text describing themselves. We usually have between 30-40 Life Books on hand. You will be able to look through the ones we have available that meet your preferences, such as geographical location or already having children in the home. We encourage you to look at as many as you would like and narrow your selection. You will then have an opportunity to meet and talk with the family, if you choose.

Yes, you can.

No. CPO does not use foster care. Your baby will go home from the hospital with the parents you have chosen for her.

Yes, at the very least through telephone calls and letters or e-mail, and often a couple will be able to travel to Tulsa to meet with you, during your pregnancy. Couples are asked to travel to Tulsa shortly before the baby is due and to be at the hospital when the baby is born. An entrustment ceremony is held about a week after the baby is born after which the adoptive family will return to their home. In many cases these families will stay with a local CPO adoptive family for these weeks.

CPO will work with your specific circumstances and will help you with getting a place to live and a job or back in school if that's what you need. You will be encouraged and ALWAYS welcome to attend CPO's weekly support group meetings. Letters, photos and visits will continue to let you know your baby is doing well.

Yes, you certainly will be able and even encouraged to keep in contact with your birth child. This is important to his growth and development and sense of personal identity. We want him to always have the answers to his questions.

Yes. We have many families who see their child's birth mom on a very regular basis. We are committed to VERY open adoptions, and the potential adoptive parents are aware of our expectations from the time they apply with our agency.

Yes. Almost 60 percent of the birth moms who place with CPO are already parenting older children.

We will provide you with a 24-page form that includes many questions about your medical history. It is VERY important that you fill this out as completely as possible. This information will be valuable to your child's health care providers.

How long can I continue to see the counselor that is assigned to me?

You can go for every week of your pregnancy, and for as long as you want to after the baby is born. We have many birth moms that continue to see the counselor from time to time for several years. It is a service that we believe is very important and will always be available to you. If you move away you can still connect with her by phone.

You will be seen by the same doctor on every visit and he or she will be the doctor who delivers your baby. The care is very personal and you will be seen and treated as a person, never a case number.

CPO always has families waiting to adopt children of color.

Federal law requires that your baby be placed with an adoptive family that has documented blood of the same tribe. Fortunately, many of our "waiting families" have a Native American heritage and a tribal roll card.

CPO asks adoptive families to pay an agency fee of $4,000. All of the money is used to pay our operating expenses, to buy maternity clothes and personal care items that birth mothers might need, for Support Group supplies, etc. CPO is a totally non-profit agency and no one associated with CPO is paid a salary or benefits monetarily from the fees.

Since 1983. We have always encouraged openness in adoptions, even before "open adoption" became popular.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services licenses adoption agencies in the state. If you have questions about the agency, you can contact them at 405-521-2779.