Adoption

Opening up your home and your heart to a child through adoption can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.

Each year, Catholic Charities' Adoption Services places infants, children, and youth with adoptive families who provide safe, permanent homes.

Adoption Services specializes in adoption of children and youth with special needs. Children with special needs are those who are part of a sibling group, who are minority or older, school-aged children, or who have particular physical, emotional, or educational needs. Special needs children are unique only in that their needs are obvious earlier in life than most. Since we can identify their needs, Catholic Charities also designs support services for these children and their families.

Catholic Charities now provides international adoption services to connect children around the world with parents in southwestern Pennsylvania.

In providing the international services, Catholic Charities collaborates with Children's Home Society of Minnesota, an organization that annually coordinates 650 adoptions of children from 15 countries. The Children's Home Society has been working on the behalf of children and families since 1889. They have placed over 22,000 children in adoptive homes one-half of which are international children. CHS's strong devotion to children and families closely parallels the mission of Catholic Charities. Its mission is to help children thrive; to build and sustain safe, loving families; and to provide opportunities for individual growth.

The adoption department of Catholic Charities is prepared to provide the following:

  • Informational Meetings on the International Adoption Process
  • Orientation Meetings
  • Training & Preparation for Adoption
  • Home Study Preparation
  • Post-Placement Visits

The staff of Catholic Charities will work very closely with your family and Children's Home Society throughout the adoption process and finalization to the final adoption hearing. Adoptions are available through the following countries:

  • China, Korea, India, Vietnam, and Other Asian Programs
  • Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan, and Other Eastern European Programs
  • Colombia, Guatemala, and Other Latin American Countries
  • Ethiopia

If you have already chosen an international agency to work through, we are available to work with those agencies as well.

All services are provided without regard to race, religion, sex, disability, or national origin. However, adoptive parents must:

  • reside in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, or Washington counties.
  • be 21 years of age, or older.
  • be in good physical and emotional health.
  • maintain a secure home environment.
  • single, or married for at least two years

Our Adoption Services staff guide families through the adoption process with services such as pre-adoption counseling, home study preparation, placement, and post-placement services.

Families unable to afford the necessary adoption fees can apply for financial assistance. Fees are waived for families adopting through the Pennsylvania Statewide Adoption Network.

For more information, call Catholic Charities' Adoption Services at 412.456.6960, or email us at adoption@ccpgh.org