Louisiana Right to Life has been dedicated to the adoption option as an alternative for abortion since our inception in the 1970’s. Unfortunately, however, in our country there are only two adoptions for every 100 abortions performed, and this statistic shows we need to do more to support adoption initiatives and families looking to adopt. In presentations to young people and through our materials, we promote the adoption option to hundreds as a pro-life alternative to abortion.
Adoption and Foster Care Facts
Our production of the film I Lived on Parker Avenue (2017) is one way we have shared the beauty of adoption. The film is about David Scotton, a young man who traveled to Indiana to meet his birth parents after his mom choose life. His birth mother, Melissa Coles, was seconds away from having an abortion but got up from the abortion clinic’s examination table and placed David for infant adoption. You can view our clip on Fox and Friends here.
Louisiana Right to Life toured the country screening the film to thousands and brought national attention to adoption as an abortion alternative. Then, in 2018, we spearheaded the Louisiana Adoption Act (HB 449), which guarantees that Louisiana’s Department of Health website contains proactive information for birth parents about the benefits of adoption and guarantee that materials distributed to women in abortion facilities will also contain information on adoption.
Adoption Choices in Louisiana
Confidential Adoption – In a confidential adoption, birth parents do not have a relationship with the adoptive family and no contact information is exchanged between the two parties.
Semi-Open Adoption (Mediated adoption): A semi-open adoption allows the birth mother to be in contact with the adoptive family with the guidance of an adoption professional.
Open Adoption – In an open adoption, adoptive families share information with birth parents and birth parents can have an ongoing relationship with their child.
Below are resources for families interested in adoption, including attorneys who handle adoption cases.
New Orleans/Baton Rouge Adoption Services and Attorneys
Metairie Adoption Services and Attorneys
Lafayette Adoption Services and Attorneys:
Citations:
https://www.adoptuskids.org/meet-the-children/children-in-foster-care/about-the-children
http://www.adoptioncouncil.org/publications/2017/02/adoption-by-the-numbers
https://www.americanadoptions.com/pregnant/adoption_stats