Ohio State Information

Below is a list of helpful information for your adoption journey in Ohio.

Child Abuse/ Neglect Central Registry Check

1-866-635-3748 OPTION 2

Office for Children and Families

Instructions and form for Child Abuse Registry Check

Secretary of State

Ohio Secretary of State
30 East Broad Street, 15th Floor
Columbus, OH 43266-0418
phone: 614.466.2585
toll free: 877.767.6446

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/ElectionsVoter/documentAuthen.aspx

Fee: $5.00/document
Designated Authority: Secretary of State; Assistant Secretary of State.

Vital Records and Health Services

USCIS Office

US CIS - CLEVELAND OFFICE
A.J.C. Federal Building
1240 East Ninth Street, Room 585
Cleveland, Ohio 44199
cleadoption@dhs.gov*

CIS - Columbus Sub-Office
Leveque Tower
50 West Broad Street, Suite 306
Columbus OH 43215
clmadoption@dhs.gov*

CIS - Cincinnati Sub Office
J.W. Peck Federal Building
550 Main Street, Room 4001
Cincinnati, OH 45202
cinadoption@dhs.gov*

*If you have already filed a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative and/or a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, and you have an emergency need to speak with the adoption officer at this office please call or send an email to the applicable CIS Office. The adoption officer will respond to your inquiry within 2 business days

Home Study providers

Children's Hope is licensed by the State of Ohio to complete home studies for Ohio families.

Medical Clinics

Cleveland

Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital
University Hospitals of Cleveland
Adoption Health Service
Director: Dr. Karen Olness
11100 Euclid Avenue, Mail Stop 6038
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-6038
(216) 844-3224
E-Mail: RCIC@po.cwru.edu

http://www.uhhs.com/

Cleveland Clinic Adoption Clinic
Elaine E. Schulte, M.D., M.P.H., Chair/General Pediatrics 9500 Euclid Ave. Desk A120 Cleveland, OH 44195
(216) 445-9742 Fax: 216-445-3523
schulte@ccf.org

Akron

Akron Children's Hospital ? Oak Adoptive Health Center William H. Considine Professional Building
Director: Dr. Ellen Kempf, M.D.
Two Perkins Square, Suite 6300
Akron, Ohio 44308-1062
(p) 330/543-3550
800/262-0333 Ext. 33550
(f) 330/543-3512

Cincinnati

The International Adoption Health Center Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 7036
Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
Barbee Sjodahl
Email: Barbee.Sjodahl@CCHMC.org
Phone: (513) 636-2877, select option 2
(800) 344-CHMC (2462), ask for ext. 62877, select option 2
Fax: (513) 636-6936
http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/svc/alpha/i/int-adopt/default.htm

Columbus

Columbus Children's International Adoption Clinic 700 Children's Drive Columbus, OH 43205
(p) 614/722-4949
InternationalAdoption@chi.osu.edu

http://www.med.umn.edu/peds/iac/otherprofessionals.html#oh

Post-Adoption Lawyers

Should contact your county probate court to determine if you need an attorney for post-adoption issues such as re-adoption/re-finalization (not all Ohio counties require this). If an attorney is needed, you can ask the court for a referral or call the Ohio State Bar Association.

International adoption training

Adoption Network Cleveland
4614 Prospect Ave, Suite 550
Cleveland, OH 44103
Phone (216) 881-7511
Fax (216) 881-7510

Adoption support groups

Attachment and Bonding Center of Ohio
Gregory Keck, PhD

Cleveland Office 440-230-1960
12608 State Road, Suite 1
Cleveland, Ohio 44133

Columbus Office 614-850-9800
3966 Brown Park Drive, Suite H
Columbus, OH 43026

Childhood Centers and Programs

Additional Comments:

Please keep in mind that the State of Ohio requires document VERIFICATION prior to state authentication. To confirm which county the notary is registered in, please check the following site:

http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/pls/portal/PORTAL_CF.NOT_QRY_NOTARYV2.SHOW_PARMS

Please check each notary, even if they list a county on the notary section of the document. We have seen many notaries write the wrong county so you will need to verify this. If there is a discrepancy in the commission expiration date or in the name signed by the notary, please contact your Adoption Specialist immediately.

Becuase verification is required, it is best to have as many documents as possible notarized by the same Notary. When all Dossier documents have been collected and notarized, forward them along with a letter requesting the Verification of documents (you can also hand deliver the documents to the County Clerk of Courts where they will Verify the documents immediately for you). Please see the following site to find the contact information for each county (you'll need to ask them the cost for each document and any other requirements they have in order to verify your document): http://www.fcmcclerk.com/links/ohioclerks.php (or http://www.fcmcclerk.com/links/index.php and choose "Ohio Clerks of Court")