Adoption agencies have come a long way in the century since these pinafored Australian orphans gathered for this picture. But some Illinois agencies still engage in some decidedly 18th century practices. Although Illinois law requires adoption agencies to provide adoptees with non-identifying information on request, a few agencies are not very nice about it. Others simply refuse to comply with the law (as in the "files were lost in an earthquake"...). Others charge exhorbitant amounts ($100 and up) to redact background information from the original files.
We're not about to point any fingers on this Web site, but if you'd like further information on post-adoption services available at any of the agencies listed below, you can call or e-mail us for additional details.
If you are a prospective adoptive parent...or an expectant parent considering adoption, please also refer to our "Considering Adoption?" section. You will also find a number of Illinois adoptive parents' groups listed in the Support & Advocacy section.
If you are a seaching adoptee, birth relative or adoptive parent looking for contact information for the agency that handled the adoption and do not find your agency's name listed below, chances are good that the agency was one of dozens that went belly up in the 70s and 80s. Fortunately, in most cases, someone somewhere still has the agency records...Call or e-mail us for assistance if your agency is not listed below.
This list includes both public and private agencies which have their primary offices in Illinois and was compiled from Internet listings and the Yellow Pages of Chicago... An attempt was made to call each and every agency on this list for information on their post-adoption services. Agencies which reported offering post-adoption services and/or a search assistance program for adult adoptees and birth parents are marked with an asterisk*.
For newer agencies (less than 25 years old), the date the agency was founded is provided in parentheses after the agency name.
Ada
S. McKinley
7640 S. Vincennes Ave.
Chicago, IL 60620
773/994-4618
Adler
Adoption Agency (1985)
According
to Adler's Executive Director, the agency has "no plans"
to offer post-adoption services once their adoptees from the mid-80s
reach adulthood.
25 E. Washingston St.
Chicago, IL 60602
312/565-0678
Adoption
by Choice Ltd.
435 Clavey Ln.
Highland Park, IL 60035-3798
847/433-7820
Adoption Connection
(The)
All
calls to this North Shore agency were automatically forwarded to
voice mail.
452 Central
Avenue, #206
Highland Park, IL
60035
847/433-7820
e-mail:
info@adoptionconnection.com
www.adoptionconnection.com
Adoption
Resources
1830 Sherman Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201-3798
847/869-6979
Adoption-Link, Inc.
(1996)
1145
Westgate/Suite 104
Oak Park, IL 60301
708/524-1433
800/401-3906
Fax: 708/524-9691
e-mail: alink@theramp.net
http://maxsite.com/adoption/
Aunt Martha's Youth
Services (1974)
4343 Lincoln
Highway, #340
Matteson, IL 60443
708/754-1044
*Baby Fold
The
Baby Fold's post-Adoption
program is headed by
Jan Holmes (X412).
210 Landmark Dr., Suite A
Normal, IL
61761
309/454-1770
Beatrice
Caffrey
Requests
for information on post-adoption services were forwarded
to voice mail.
5401 S. Wentworth
Chicago, IL 60609
773/285-8644
Bensenville
Home Society
905 S. Russell St.
Champaign, IL 61821-4419
217/352-5283
Bensenville
Home Society
318 N. Church St.
Rockford, IL 61101-1006
815/965-2231
*Bethany Christian
Services (in Illinois since
1985)
No
charge for post-adoption services, including searches.
9718 South Halsted
Street
Chicago, IL 60628-1007
773/233-7600
800/238-4269
Fax: 773/233-7617
e-mail: bcschicago@bethany.org
www.bethany.org
*Booth
Memorial Maternity Homes
The
Salvation Army's Web site has a "Booth
Babies Inquiry Information"
page where Booth adoptees and birth mothers whose medical records
are on file with one of the Salvation Army's East Coast maternity
homes (Boston, MA; Flushing, NY; Buffalo, NY; Jersey City, NJ;
Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Cleveland, OH or Cincinnati, OH)
can make an online request for a free search of Booth's records. If the
file corresponding to your case can be located, the Salvation
Army Missing Persons bureau will mail the adoptee or birth mother
a release document which then must be completed and notarized before
release of the records. (No third party requests will be accepted.)
http://salvationarmy-usaeast.org/find/booth_babies.htm
*Catholic Charities, Chicago
Archdiocese
See
Post-Adoption Services listing below for search assistance.
126 North
DesPlaines
Chicago, IL 60661
312/655-7000
www.ccaoc.org
*Catholic
Charities, Chicago Archdiocese
Post-Adoption Services
651 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60661
312/655-7086
or 312/655-7071
www.ccaoc.org/mat-adopt/adoption.htm
*Catholic Charities, Joliet
Diocese
See
Rockford listing for post-adoption services information.
203 N. Ottawa
Street, 2nd Floor, Suite A
Joliet, IL
60432
815/723-3053
*Catholic Charities, Springfield
Diocese
For
post-adoption assistance contact either Laura Ratch or Danielle
Smith (Danielle can be reached at 217/523-9201; Laura is at the
Springfield office number listed below.)
120 S. 11th
Street
Springfield, IL 62703
217/525-0500
*Catholic Social
Services of Aurora
Contact
person for post-adoption assistance is Sherri Nestmann.
1700 N Farnsworth
Avenue, Suite 18
Aurora, IL 60505
708/892-4366
*Catholic Social Services, Belleville
Diocese
For
post-adoption assistance, contact Brandy Booth (X250).
8601 W. Main
Street, Suite 201
Belleville, IL
62220
618/394-5900
http://cssil.org/
*Catholic Social Services, Peoria
Diocese
Joe
Knapp is the head of post-adoption services for CSS Peoria.
413 N.E.
Monroe
Peoria, IL 61603
309/671-5720
www.cdop.org/social
*Catholic Social Services, Rockford
Diocese
For
post-adoption assistance, contact Sherri Nestmann (listed under
Catholic Social Services of Aurora).
921 W. State
Street
Rockford, IL 61102
815/965-0623
http://cssil.org/
Center for Family Building,
Inc.
All
calls made to this agency were automatically forwarded to voice mail.
1740 Ridge Avenue, Suite 208
Evanston,
IL 60201
847/869-1518
Fax: 847/869-4108
e-mail: info@centerforfamily.com
http;//www.centerforfamily.com
*Chicago Child Care
Society
No
charge for post-adoption services, including searches.
5467 S. University
Avenue
Chicago, IL 60615
773/643-0452
*Child
Care Association of Illinois
300 East Monroe, Suite 202
Springfield, IL 62701
217/528-4409
Fax:
217/528-6498
www.cca-il.org/
*Children's Home and Aid Society of
Illinois
125
S. Wacker, 14th Floor
Chicago,
IL 60606
312/424-0200
www.chasisystems.org/
*Children's Home and Aid Society of
Illinois
1819 S. Neil, Suite D
Champaign,
IL 61820
217/359-8815
www.chasisystems.org/
*Children's Home and Aid Society of
Illinois
910 Second
Street
Rockford, IL 61104
815/962-1043
Fax: 815/962-1272
www.chasisystems.org/
ChildServ
(formerly Lake Bluff Children's Home)
Limited
post-adoption services are available to adult adoptees.
8765
West Higgins Rd., Suite 450
Chicago, IL 60631
773/693-0300
Fax:
773/693-0322
www.childserv.org
*Counseling and Family
Services
Formerly
known as "Associated Charities and Philanthropies," "Family
Welfare Assn. of Illinois," and "Child and Family Service."
330 S.W.
Washington
Peoria, IL 61602
309/676-2400
*Cradle (The)Susan Vernon heads
the Cradle's post-adoption services.
2049 Ridge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
847/475-5800
Fax: 847/475-5871
e-mail: cradle@cradle.org
www.cradle.org
Creative
Families
Lake Forest, IL 60045
847/604-8472
*Department of Children and Family
Services
Division of Foster
Care and Permanency Services
If
you were in foster care at any time after the late 50s, this agency
(aka DCFS) may have a file for you...Midwest Adoption Center (see
listing under Illinois
Resources) administers a program through which DCFS adoptees
and their birth parents can access non-identifying information as
well as a free search program; the White Oak Foundation also administers
a free search assistance program for DCFS adoptees. For a listing of all DCFS offices
throughout Illinois, please consult our
Illinois
Resources
section.
406 East Monroe Street, Station #225
Springfield, IL
62701-1498
217/524-2422
Fax: 217/524-3966
www.state.il.us/dcfs
Easter
House
Please
email or call the White Oak Foundation for information on Easter
House's post-adoption services.
312/951-2700
www.easterhouse.com
Evangelical Child and Family
Agency
1530 N. Main
Wheaton, IL
60187
630/653-6400
*Family Counseling Clinic,
Inc. (1975)
Agency
reported that they will conduct searches "in some cases."
19300 W. Highway
120
Grayslake, IL 60030
847/223-8108
*Family Resource
Center (1991)
5828 North Clark
Street
Chicago, IL 60660
773/973-2323
Toll Free: 800/676-2229
Fax: 773/334-8228
e-mail: adoption@f-r-c.org
www.f-r-c.org
Family Service Agency of Adams
County
Offers
support groups for adoptive parents and adoptees and search assistance.
No longer facilitates adoptions.
915 Vermont
Street
Quincy, IL 62301
217/222-8254
*Family Service Center of Sangamon
County
(formerly Child And Family Service)
This
newer
comprehensive post-adoption program is headed by adoption specialist
Vicky Moore.
1308 S. Seventh
Street
Springfield, IL 62703
217/528-8406
e-mail:
fscspfld@fgi.net
Finally Family
161 West Harrison, Suite
C-102
Chicago, IL 60605
312/939-9399
Fax: 312/692-1922
e-mail: michelle@finally-family.com
www.finally-family.com/
Glenkirk
2501 N. Chestnut
Arlington Heights,
IL 60004
847/998-8380
Generations
of Hope (1994)
(formerly
Hope for the Children)
1530 Fairway Drive
Rantoul, IL 61866
217/893-4673
e-mail: h4tc@soltec.net
www.hope4children.org
Hobby Horse House
Messages
requesting information on their post-adoption program were not returned.
P.O. Box 1102
Jacksonville, IL
62651
217/243-7708
*Illinois Baptist Children's
Home
Some
post-adoption assistance available; contact Carla Donoto for additional
information.
4243 Lincolnshire
Drive
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
618/242-4944
*Illinois Children's Christian
Home
Post-adoption
assistance available, but few particulars
on the extent of the
program were available by phone. Contact Connie Dunn for additional
information.
P.O. Box 200
St. Joseph, IL
61873
217/469-7566
*Jewish Children's
Bureau of Chicago
Post-adoption
search assistance available in most cases.
1 S. Franklin
Street
Chicago, IL 60606
312/346-6700
(main number)
312/444-2829 (post-adoption services)
www.jcbchicago.org/foster.htm
Journeys of the Heart -
Illinois
A
licensed, full-service agency that offers both domestic and international
adoption services.
P.O. Box 28
Glen Ellyn, IL
60138
630/545-0542
Fax: 630/469-4382
e-mail: JOHChicago@aol.com
www.journeysoftheheart.net
Lake
Bluff Children's Home (aka Lake Bluff Orphanage back in the 1800s)
Please
see listing for ChildServ above.
*Lifelink/Bensenville Home
Society
Lifelink
offers one of the better agency post-adoption programs in
Illinois. For further information, contact
Melissa Novacek.
331 South York
Road
Bensenville, IL 60106
630/766-5800
e-mail: alladopt@lifelink.org
www.lifelink.org
*Lifelink/Bensenville Home
Society
1213
S. Vista View Ct.
Mahomet, IL 61853-3654
217/586-3151
www.lifelink.org
*Lifelink/Bensenville Home
Society
2201
7th Ave.
Moline, IL 61265-1436
309/762-5645
www.lifelink.org
*Lifelink/Bensenville Home
Society
3601
N. Sheridan Road
Peoria, IL 60604-1434
309/681-1912
www.lifelink.org
*Lifelink/Bensenville Home
Society
2324
S. Alpine Rd.
Rockford, IL 61108-7726
815/229-3141
www.lifelink.org
*Lutheran
Child and Family Services
Post
Adoption Services Contact:
Laurie Lawton.
Corporate
Headquarters
7620 Madison Street
P.O. Box 5078
River Forest, IL
60305
708/771-7180 (main number)
708/763-0700 X316 (post-adoption services)
Fax: 708/771-7184
www.lcfs.org/
*Lutheran Child and Family
Services
See
LCFS Corporate Headquarters listing for post-adoption services information.
2408 Lebanon
Avenue
Belleville, IL 62221
618/234-8904
www.lcfs.org/
*Lutheran Child and Family
Services
See
LCFS Corporate Headquarters listing for post-adoption services information.
15411 Broadway
Ave.
Harvey, IL 60426
708/596-7464
*Lutheran Child and Family
Services
See
LCFS Corporate Headquarters listing for post-adoption services information.
800 S. 45th
Street, Wells Bypass
Mt. Vernon, IL
62864
618/242-3284
www.lcfs.org/
*Lutheran Child and Family
Services
See
LCFS Corporate Headquarters listing for post-adoption services information.
120 S.
Marion
Oak Park, IL 60302
708/763-0700
www.lcfs.org/
*Lutheran Child and Family
Services
See
LCFS Corporate Headquarters listing for post-adoption services information.
524 S. Fifth
St.
Springfield, IL 62701
217/522-4296
Fax:
217/522-4468
www.lcfs.org/
*Lutheran Social Services of
Illinois
See
LSSI Chicago South Office listing for post-adoption services information.
103
S. County Fair Dr.
Champaign, IL
61822
217/398-3011
Fax:
217/398-3176
*Lutheran Social Services of Illinois,
The
contact person for post-adoption
services at LSSI is Susan Kell, Interim Supervisor.
Chicago
South Office
11740 S.
Western
Chicago, IL 60643
773/371-2700
*Lutheran Social Services of
Illinois
See
LSSI Chicago South Office listing for post-adoption services information.
1144 Lake Street, 3rd Floor
Oak Park,
IL 60301-1043
708/445-8341
*Lutheran Social Services of
Illinois
See
LSSI Chicago South Office listing for post-adoption services information.
3000
W. Rohmann
West Peoria, IL 61604
309/671-0300
New Life Social
Services (1989)
6316 N. Lincoln
Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
773/478-4773
Fax: 773/478-7646
e-mail: nlss2@aol.com
*Saint
Mary's Services
For
post-adoption assistance, please contact Susan Cianci (best days
to call are Monday and Thursday, otherwise leave a voice mail message).
Counseling
Offices
1133 N. La Salle
Chicago, IL
847/870-8181
http://stmary@home.interaccess.com
Saint Mary's Services
See
SMS's Chicago listing for post-adoption services information.
717 W. Kirchoff Road
Arlington Heights, IL
60005
847/870-8181
http://stmary@home.interaccess.com
Saint Mary's Services
See
SMS's Chicago listing for post-adoption services information.
7600
S. Wolf Rd.
Burr Ridge, IL
http://stmary@home.interaccess.com
Saint Mary's Services
See
SMS's Chicago listing for post-adoption services information.
210
McHenry Ave.
Crystal Lake, IL
http://stmary@home.interaccess.com
Saint Mary's Services
See
SMS's Chicago listing for post-adoption services information.
40
Center St.
Elgin, IL 60120-5609
847/742-4921
http://stmary@home.interaccess.com
*Saint Mary's Services
See
SMS's Chicago listing for post-adoption services information.
410
Grand Ave.
Waukegan, IL 60085
847/249-1848
http://stmary@home.interaccess.com
Saint Mary's Services
See
SMS's Chicago listing for post-adoption services information.
Western Springs, IL 60558
708/246-5012
*Salvation
Army - Missing Persons Bureau
Alas,
alas, the Salvation Army has closed the doors of its Central U.S.
office in Des Plaines and no longer provides search assistance to adoptees born in one of the Salvation
Army's Midwest Booth Memorial Hospitals.
10
W. Algonquin Rd.
Des Plaines, IL 60061
847/294-2000 (main
office)
Fax:
847/290-2114
http://salvationarmy-usaeast.org/find/booth_babies.htm#usamap
*Sunny Ridge Family Center,
Inc.
(formerly known at
the Klingberg Children's Home)
Although
Sunny Ridge' has had few requests for post-adoption assistance up
until now (their domestic adoptions program did not begin until
1979), they do
handle requests for information or search assistance
on
a "case by case" basis.
2 South 426 Orchard
Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
630/668-5117
Fax: 630/668-5144
e-mail: info@sunnyridge.org
www.sunnyridge.org
Uniting Families
Foundation (1997)
International
adoptions only.
40
Cleveland Ave.
Lake Villa, IL 60046-8767
847/356-1452
Fax: 847/356-1584
e-mail: UnitingFam@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/UnitingFam/index.html
e-mail:
phone: 312-666-5721
