Several critics are calling out the Kathy Hochul administration due to its stringent adoption rules. According to them, it is easier to get an adoption than to adopt a child under Hochul’s rules.
Therefore, critics, adoptive, would-be-adoptive parents, and thief lawyers are putting the New York governor on full blast. This is as a result of a new rule for the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) that limits the financial support adoptive families can give. This also applies to out-of-state birth mothers.
The rule says that mums can only get financial help 60 days before the baby is born and 30 days after birth. Without a doubt, this restricts the help that these biological mums need desperately.
As it affects mothers who live outside New York, too, it makes it difficult for them to prioritize adoptive parents in the state. OCFS Agency Director Shelly Fiebich sent out January 5th to explain the new law.
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“Be advised that the New York State Office of Children and Family Services Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (NYS OCFS ICPC) office has revised the Adoptive Placement Fee Disclosure Form OCFS-4690 to clarify that the [agency] will only apply New York law when reviewing fees paid or to be paid in the context of an adoptive placement and an application for [agency] approval of an adoptive placement into New York,” Fiebich wrote.
Dennis Pousr, the executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, spoke to The Post concerning this issue. “New York is encouraging women from other states to get abortions here but discouraging pregnant women from other states to provide loving homes for their babies right here in New York,” he said.
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Lisa Goldberg, a longtime adoption lawyer, also cited the disadvantages of this policy. “It puts a chilling effect on New York adoptive parents. It puts them at a disadvantage. Why would a birth mother pick you if you’re limited in how much you can assist her?” she asked.
The lawyer also added, “It disadvantages an expectant mother who can’t get [more] financial assistance from a New York family even if they do the adoption in her home state.”
Max Rose, a former Congressman and father of an adopted boy, is also one of the critics of this policy. “I sincerely hope Gov. Hochul fixes this rule. I know in her heart of hearts she wants New York families who choose to adopt to be supported and make New York a place to raise a family,” he said.
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“Unfortunately, this rule does the opposite and puts New Yorkers through a lot of pain,” he added. Just like Rose, Goldberg is surprised that the state regulators said they would “not accept” out-of-state court orders that dealt with fees or payments New York adoptive parents make to a birth mother from another state.
This makes New York one of the hardest states to adopt from, to the detriment of its residents. The lawyer also believes that the governor has to reconsider the law for the benefit of citizens across the country.
“Hard and fast rules like this don’t help anybody. It doesn’t take into account the unique needs of each adoption,” Goldberg concluded. The lawyer and several others believe that the “mom governor” will have a change of mind and do what’s best for adoptive families.
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