Are there any agencies that allow adoption by people with bipolar or schizophrenia?

Question

I've done some research and I can't find any. It's always been my dream to adopt, and I cried when I realized that I most likely couldn't. Does anyone know of any place who would let me if I matched all the other qualifications?

Answer 1

Do you have to disclose your illness? As far as I know the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 made this kind of discrimination impossible. No one can directly ask and make you disclose that you have a mental illness. And follow Elyn Saks example, do not disclose your illness haphazardly. You illness does not at all reflect your competency as a parent (and people who think that it does are living in the Dark Ages).

People with bipolar and schizophrenia are perfectly capable of raising healthy and happy children. I am perfectly happy to be the daughter of someone diagnosed with schizophrenia, my childhood was perfectly normal and healthy.

Answer 2

Yes, but its not being disclosed or its over looked because of money. In a few countries money speaks louder than whats in the best interest of a child. Ethics in IA adoption doesn't exist.

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Story?id...

Answer 3

Hi Liz,

Although discrimination of any kind, when it comes to hiring practices is against the law, when it comes to adoption I would think the rules would vary from person to person. If it's a question of your being hospitalized periodically, or your emotional ups and downs that would cause the child distress, is that what you'd want to bring a child into?

I've never had children either. Schizophrenia runs in my family and I was afraid I might pass on these genes to my biological children.

Is there a "Friends of Schizophrenics" group in your city? If so, get their input because these are the family members, including children of parents who have schizophrenia.

Ask how this illness has affected their lives.

I'm asking you to consider what your child's life would be like, to see things from their perspective.

I'm certain you want to take the childs needs into consideration too.

Good luck with this.

Answer 4

I would think that, when adopting from foster care at least, there would be something along the lines of the ability to get a drivers license for people with epilepsy.  Obviously, no one is going to want to give a child to someone who is volitile and dangerous.  

However, a person with bipolar or schizophrenia who is being successfully treated is, in many ways, safer than just your average person.  After all, anyone at all may develop a mental illness later in life, may become an alcoholic or drug addict, may become injurred and wheel chair bound, or may even develop a medical condition which causes convulsions or seizures - any of which are potentially dangerous to a child, espescially considering the number of hours spent in cars these days.  Someone who is already diagnosed and on a successful stable treatment is doing well AND being monitored so any potential problems can and will be addressed promptly.  Thus, I see no reasons why the "less picky" agencies (I've heard that chinese adoptions require insane qualifications) would have a problem chosing you as a parent - espescially for kids in the foster system.

Answer 5

I like that CatZ got a thumbs-down for telling the asker to consider the CHILD'S feelings in this.

So much for adoption being about helping children, eh?  

I can see it's ALL about satisfying the adopters' needs.  Who gives a rat's *** what the kid might feel.