Elijah
Adopted
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Mario
17 years old
Adopted
Future Olympian in the making!
Mario is an extremely gifted athlete and was born to shine! When he is not engaged in Cross County, he is in Wrestling. When he is not in Wrestling, he is in Track. When he is not running track, he is trying his hand at baseball. And when he is not playing baseball, he is participating in Lacrosse! There isn’t anything he can’t do! Mario needs a family that is supportive of his busy schedule and will not limit his opportunities to participate in all the extracurricular activities and sports. Mario would love to have parents who attend all his sporting events and are ready to advocate and cheer him on in the front row! Mario is extremely personable, charismatic, mature, sweet, and caring. Mario is very self-motivated and educated-- and has future career plans to join the military. Mario is independent and loves to spend time with his friends and teammates. Mario would prefer to be in a home with a mother and father who are active and energetic. Mario loves animals and is hopeful his future parents will let him have a pet rodent one day. Families that reside in New Tampa would be preferred, as Mario wishes to remain at his current school (or a family that is willing to transport him to this school to finish out his remaining years). Mario would be the best addition to a sporty family!”
FAQs
If a child in foster care is in the Heart Gallery, reunification with their biological family was not possible so an adoptive family is needed. Most Heart Gallery children are at least 9 years old, part of a sibling group, and/or have special needs. All children in foster care have experienced abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect; therefore, need support to heal from the trauma they have experienced.
All children are different, with a variety of unique strengths and needs so all types of families are needed. In Florida, you must be at least 21 to adopt a child from foster care. There are no restrictions based on age, race, marital status, or sexual orientation. You may live in a home or apartment that you own or rent. Adoptive parents must have a stable income sufficient to support their family.
In Florida, there is no cost to adopt a child from foster care. In fact, families who adopt may qualify for a monthly adoption subsidy. Health care for children adopted from foster care is covered by Medicaid until age 18. They also receive free tuition at any Florida state college, university, or vocational school.Federal tax credits and exemptions may also be available. Visit the IRS website to learn more.
Prospective adoptive parents must complete Adoption Orientation, a 36-hour Professional Parenting course, have an approved home study, and approved background screenings. Most importantly, you must be willing to make a lifelong commitment to a child in need.
Yes. One of the benefits of adopting from Florida is having access to a comprehensive case history. You will be given information on the child’s background, medical history, and personality. This information helps you determine if your family is the right fit for the child.
This can vary greatly depending on the situation. However, as a general rule, it usually takes about 12 months from the time a family begins training to the time when a child is placed with the family.
Yes! Your approved home study should be accepted by any child welfare agency. Each circumstance will be assessed to determine if it is appropriate for a child to move out of state. Keep in mind these adoptions can be more complex and take longer, depending on the case.
Adoptions appear to be more stable when parents have flexible and realistic expectations for their children and when they use post-adoption supports to help with challenges.
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