ICPC – What I don't know

We have been waiting for that last piece of paper to get signed. In the state of California on the government web site, one finds out that ICPC duties have been divvied up by county. For LA there are about 5 different folks. One does incoming , one for outgoing, two for who knows but the web site shows no folders – I think that means they don't want any extra paper just the ICPC form. Finally there is one for private adoptions which is what we are doing. I called the contact to see where my paperwork is and after getting my name and the agency info to them they say, “We don't do state to state ICPC you need to talk to the agency that did your home study” Now this is a very odd thing to say at the acronym for ICPC includes the word INTERSTATE. Oh my gosh, I have hit the bureaucratic nemesis. Well if I can't get any satisfaction from the county then might as well head up to their overseer -go to the capitol – Sacramento. Once again there are 5 folks listed on the web site and so I start with the top. Unfortunately they are on their way out to a meeting and I ask the receptionist for the duty officer in charge that day for ICPC. She transfers me and I get a voice mail. 24 hours later they have not called back... expecting not get a call back I then hit our agency contact, the home office and finally the home e number of the agency president. Later that night I get an email that the form is signed – I want a copy of that for my records so I can tell you which office it should get to. This ICPC is not done by the adopting parents but is done between the adoption agency in Texas and either the adoption agency or the Home study agency in California. It does get countersigned by the state ICPC representative.

Here is a link to

California ICPC general site

State ICPC contacts

California County ICPC contacts

Form A that gets filled out before you get your child

Form B that gets filled out after you get your child

je

Post script: 10jan09

late afternoon update

Just got of the phone with the adoption agency that we went through to get the home study done. They are authorized by the state to sign on behalf of the state. Texas signed the papers sent it to them they then countersigned it and have just today sent it back to Texas. So in about a week we should be getting a green light from Texas to make plans to go to India – woo hoo.

je