International Adoptions continue to experience many changes at this time, but we are beginning to see encouraging news in several countries. Adoptive parents have seen many new policies and options in the past 2 years. New prospective adoptive families need to do their research, consider their choices and check timelines and costs. This is creating a situation where adoptive parents are looking at country choices they have not considered in the past. Many programs are smaller, and timelines can be longer. It is also opening possibilities and futures for children in countries that up to now have either not allowed adoptions, or where the adoption path may be 'less traveled’. Please consider all of your options! Ask our staff about these roads less traveled, and you may find that you are directed to your child from an area of the world you never even knew about before.

Domestic Adoption is a wonderful choice for adopting parents who want to adopt a newborn from the United States. Birthmothers come from all states, and with the help of Heartsent you can process a domestic adoption typically within one year, sometimes less. We work with a very short list of experienced and qualified professionals to find the best birthmother match for your family, and work closely with you to personalize your adoption process. Heartsent provides the education, training and personal assistance to help you and your child come together as a family. Please call to schedule a personal interview to discuss the process of domestic adoption at our office nearest to you. We also invite you to see our "For Birthmothers" page, and ask about attending our domestic adoption class "Your Birthmother and You", offered in each of our office locations throughout the year.

Guatemala continues to experience extremely slow progress in its processing of backlogged cases. These cases will need to be processed before new cases can begin. This country is closed to new cases.

In China, processing for adoptions has increased to 3.5 - 4yrs once a family's dossier has been received in the country, unless a family qualifies for expedite service. Since 1/1/09, China increased the orphanage donation for adoption from $3,000 to $5,000 and began to contact orphanage directors to get babies ready for referral. We hope this indicates a desire to speed up the adoption process, but still await these results. Heartsent is approved to process special needs adoptions in China. Please let us know if you would like to consider a special needs child and currently have a dossier logged in, or if you would like to start your special needs / waiting child adoption from China. Your wait time would be drastically reduced, but most importantly you would be able to provide a precious child with a loving family! The government of China is solidly behind foreign adoption and we see no long term problems there. See the CCAA website for other adoption details about new regulations from May 1st of 2007: http://www.china-ccaa.org. Heartsent recently received a 6 month old baby girl referral for a single mother in the regular line. Congratulations! Please check back here for news about the speeding up of adoptions.

Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia) adoptions are currently delayed, as the government of that country decides how to proceed with a new system of international adoption. Heartsent is currently seeking a license under the new system, and is waiting for the government of Kyrgyzstan to institute its new system.

Colombia is a program that Heartsent hopes will be beginning soon. Colombia is currently in the process of re licensing all of the agencies working in that country. Heartsent has applied for licensing and is hoping to start this program sometime in 2010.

Kazakhstan offers a wonderful choice for couples who are wanting to adopt a child from 10 months old-up to 10 years. Timeframes for adoption are now longer than in the past, ranging from 18-24 months. This program requires two trips, but an escort may sometimes be used in certain cases for the second trip. Adoptive families must be under 50 years old. No criminal record is acceptable in this country, and home ownership is required. There are openings in this program. Check for upcoming news about Kazakhstan becoming Hague compliant, and new changes to adoption processing.

Heartsent's Thailand Program has expanded to include waiting, special needs children as well as our healthy young toddlers, 1.5 - 2 yrs. Families matched with a waiting child can expect much shorter time frames (about 6 months to completion, otherwise a total of 18-24 months). Thailand is a beautiful country, with a rich tradition of valuing children and family. We work closely with a small baby nursery in Bangkok, where the children are dearly loved and well cared for. We welcome childless couples 45 or younger, who wish to inquire about our beautiful Thai children. There are several families now processing, and many waiting children in Thailand. If you want a shorter waiting time, open your hearts to those children who have waited longer to find their forever family.

Vietnam Adoptions are currently closed, as the adoption process there undergoes revision and improvements. Heartsent continues its humanitarian aid in Vietnam, and invites interested families to participate in helping by sponsoring the beautiful children at the Village of Hope in Danang, Vietnam.

Taiwan offers families a great choice, as many couples have recently begun their adoption process there. Timeframes for infant child referral vary from 20-24 months, followed by a 4-6 month time period for the court case to be completed after which families can travel. We have expanded our Taiwan program, and now work in several locations throughout the country.. We love our precious children in wonderful nursery and foster care. Couples only, under 50 preferred but older will be considered for older and waiting children. Children are between 8-10 months when they come home from the infant program. Families cannot choose gender for Taiwan adoptions. Our young toddler program has a 14-18 month wait for child referral at this time! Toddlers are often available for matching and quicker travel times. Ages are 4-6yrs. on average when home. There is currently room in this program for new applicants.

Russia is one of our program offerings, and we are excited to be working there with singles and couples. This program continues to offer children of all ages from several regions throughout the country. Contact us for details.

Ethiopia is now a program Heartsent offers for interested couples and singles. This program has shorter timelines and offers healthy children from under 1 year up to young teens. Sibling groups and waiting children are also available. Please inquire! This country offers one of the quickest processing times.

USA! Heartsent is proud to offer our domestic program of adoptions! Newborns are available from any of our US states, typically placed in your home within one year. Heartsent is pleased to work with qualified adoption professionals to complete your domestic adoption. We work with traditional and non-traditional families of all ages, and encourage singles to apply to our personalized program of domestic adoptions. We have many expectant mothers at this time, and need adopting parents!

General: Heartsent has long been committed to working with infants and older children, to find them their loving homes. At times these children have special medical or emotional needs, other times there is a sibling group of healthy children simply needing to find a family who can love them as a group and leave them intact. Our older child and special needs programs are growing well! Please inquire if you have room in your hearts and homes for these wonderful children. We currently have more than 50 children needing homes! Also, Heartsent Learning Solutions, our learning center (supplemental to school) approach developed exclusively for adopted children and their families, is expanding to include a Kindergarten readiness school program in our SF Bay area office. Call for details! We stared tlast Fall and are currently accepting children for Summer and Fall 2010 needing a school program two-five mornings a week that focuses on getting children ready for Kindergarten.

Trips: Heartsent staff make regular trips to Taiwan and we will be scheduling a trip to China in 2010.

Pasadena: welcomes our adopting families from Southern California! Please contact Program Director Jill, or our Adoption Coordinator Jamie, in our office near old town Pasadena at 454 S. Marengo Ave. Phone (626) 793-8333. Our next orientation is July 31,2010 from 10:30 to 12:00. Please call to confirm. If you are interested in meeting with us for a personal interview prior to or after the orientation, please call Jill or Jamie for an appointment. Please join us for our September picnic-in-the-park this year!

Sacramento: in our Fair Oaks office, Heartsent will have its next Adoption Workshop in October- please call Lianne or Nicki for details, dates and reservtions. Our Adoption Workshops are offered to our adopting families as well as the community, and will acquaint you with adoption issues and to Heartsent. If you are interested in beginning your adoption with us, please call anytime for a personal interview with Lianne or Val. Come say hello to our resident chickens and roosters!

Orinda: We are working hard to place all of our current waiting children from China, Taiwan and Thailand. Busy busy! Welcome to our new interns as they learn about adoption in our bustling Orinda office. Tian, Val's daughter, is also providing intern assistance as she finishes high school and gets ready for college.Welcome also to Nicki, as Lianne goes on to study London for her graduate degree in International Children's Issues. Please join us for our next Adoption Workshop in early November, as well as our specially scheduled classes earlier this summer and fall. Our classes are now open to the public and welcoming all who are interested in adoption education. RSVP to Karen or Chris at 925-254-8883. Next orientation meetings: July 17th (Sat.) and in early September.

Through our Humanitarian Aid program, Heartsent Aid International supports projects in Central Vietnam, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, and Guatemala. Heartsent also provides aid to women and children in China, Thailand and Taiwan. Call us if you can help, or want to learn about our aid and child sponsorship programs.

Through the generosity of a few of our adoptive families, we offer Life Foundation Grants from time to time, which assist those families needing financial assistance with their adoption. Please contact us for further information if you desire such assistance, and have looked elsewhere for funding to no avail. Priority is given to families adopting older children, those with special needs and sibling groups.