DeColores Adoption Agency Offers Compassion And Caring
By Madelaine B. Landry
“To get started on your adoption journey, it is important to understand some of the fundamental aspects and frequently asked questions about the process. There are a few things to know when considering adoption in Louisiana,” advises the national website adoptionnetwork.com. One highly respected SWLA source for information and confidentiality is DeColores Adoptions, located in Lake Charles.
“If you are faced with an unplanned pregnancy, adoption could be a good option for you and your baby. Please consider giving your baby the best chance at life.” This is the stated mission, the task and the heartfelt joy shared by the owners of DeColores Adoptions.
The agency’s founders are themselves no strangers to the challenges found in the adoption process. Twin sisters Sandy Pousson-Suttle and Debbie Campbell are adoptive parents of children from Paraguay, Guatemala and the United States. With over 40 years of personal experience, they understand firsthand the happiness, as well as the challenges, every adoption brings.
The agency, started in 1999, has been witness to the roller coaster of emotions involved in adoptions in which they were either participants or partners.
“We are a non-profit agency, licensed by the state, that monitors our adoptions through the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS),” says Suttle. “DeColores Adoptions has also received full Hague Convention accreditation by the Council of Accreditation (COA). The LA DCFS shows up unannounced at regular intervals to review all our active files, monitoring for compliance to state guidelines and regulations. We specialize in domestic adoptions with an ongoing commitment to providing loving adoptive families to children.”
Starting with compassion and caring for orphans and extending it to the potential parents who yearn to share their love and their lives with a child, the organization offers adoptions services nationwide. Suttle noted that the international adoption market is not as open as it once was. For this reason, they have ventured more deeply into domestic adoptions, working closely with birth mothers and adoptive parents in the United States.
Sandy and Debbie are identical twins who have learned much from their personal adoption journeys. Debbie could not conceive a child, and Sandy had high-risk pregnancies, realities that sent the two sisters on searches for children who needed a loving, stable family.
“DeColores Adoptions believes that God calls us, as parents, to care for and nurture His children because they are His greatest creation,” notes Suttle. “But sometimes they are born into unfortunate circumstances, which fills orphanages and foster homes with beautiful newborn babies and toddlers. We are committed to aiding these wonderful waiting children.
“Unplanned pregnancies happen to single and married women; their choices are never easy. We offer our birth mothers the necessary time to think through a very challenging and painful decision and work closely with them so that they may find inner peace with their final choice. We want them to face their own future with confidence, knowing that their child has been placed with a family that truly wants them, one that will offer them love, safety and security in their future as well.”
First, Suttle emphasizes, pregnant women need to understand both their rights and responsibilities. There are funds available to assist birth mothers, through attorneys or agencies, so the first priority is to ensure the parties are aware of their options, understand the regulations, and are committed to working together towards a successful and happy adoption. At any point in the process, a birth mother always has the right to change her mind.
“We have apartments in the Metairie area, as well as counselors and volunteers who assist with grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments, and other transportation needs such as gas money or Uber fees. Debbie and I speak often with the birth mothers. Trained, compassionate counselors also speak with them, offering support and guidance.
“We try our best to vet our birth mothers to ensure this is their decision — that there has been no pressure put on them. We offer no judgment. A birth mother will not sign surrender papers until three days post-partum. Support for them continues for six weeks after the baby’s birth.”
DeColores assists the mothers in creating a profile book to ensure their baby will be carefully matched with the family of their choice.
“Three-way calls will be set up for open communication between mother, adoptive parent(s) and the agency,” says Suttle. “Adoptive families can be in- or out-of-state. The adoption can be open or closed, with many variations, all suited to the mother’s choices. Some birth mothers want to be able to write letters and to receive pictures of the child regularly. Some want annual visits or to speak to the child occasionally. Some choose families who already have other children; others prefer a home that has no children. Many times, adoptive parents are even welcomed to attend the baby’s delivery. That baby gets passed around from room to room. It is a joyful moment to watch.
“Mothers in need of placing their child into the arms of a loving parent tell me ‘My heart hurts over this, but I know my child will have a better life.’ Adoption can be a beautiful option, knowing they can still be a part of this child’s life, as part of an extended family.
“We work endlessly to find loving families who have always hoped and dreamed of sharing a permanent and loving home with these children of God, which ultimately makes this our highest calling. Most families are looking for newborns, but rarely, we do find those that are open to adopting older children.
“November is Adoption Awareness Month. We want our Louisiana communities to know we are here, that we have over 25 years of experience, and that we are committed to providing extensive support, security and empathy to birth mothers and adoptive families on a personal level, filled with compassion and understanding. We will continuously strive hard to provide each birth mother, and (each) family who adopts through our agency, ongoing guidance, and support to accomplish these goals, making the entire adoption experience a reward of love and happiness that lasts a lifetime.”
Although located in Lake Charles, DeColores Adoptions serves many areas throughout Louisiana and other southern states: New Orleans, Metairie, LaPlace, Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Lafayette, Alexandria, Shreveport, Houston, Gulfport and Mobile.
For more information, call 337-540-7232 or visit decoloresadoptions.com for a live confidential chat.
Adoptionnetwork.com/adoption-by-state/Louisiana is also a valuable source for the legal requirements for both adoptive parents and birth mothers.
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