The Independent Adoption Center (IAC) is the preeminent open adoption agency in the U.S. Founded in 1982, IAC is a counseling-based, licensed, nonprofit agency that has facilitated nearly 4,000 adoptions. IAC is also the largest and one of the oldest fully open adoption agencies in the country and it has been instrumental in pioneering open adoption.

About the Independent Adoption Center

IAC informs, supports, and guides birth and adoptive parents through the process of creating healthy new families through open adoption. 

IAC’s professional staff provides support and counseling for birthparents, works closely with adoptive parents throughout the adoption process, and provides ongoing post-placement support and consultation for birthparents and adoptive families.

IAC is focused on transforming lives through open adoption by serving the best interests of birthmothers, children, and adoptive families.


More about IAC

  1. IAC has over 25 years of experience with nearly 4,000 successful adoptions
  1. IAC is committed to the adoption triad: birthparents, children, and adoptive parents
  1. All birthparent services are free and include: non-directive pregnancy options counseling, comprehensive lifetime counseling support, needs assessment, and referral to appropriate services
  1. Professional and licensed with over 20 social workers with Masters of Social Work (MSW) degrees or higher
  1. IAC's Clinical Director is a nationally regarded expert in the field. She has written numerous groundbreaking books including Dear Birthmother and Children of Open Adoption and has advocated extensively for open adoption. She provides IAC with clinical oversight and IAC's staff with clinical supervision
  1. IAC's staff takes calls from 7am till 10pm, 365 days a year
  1. IAC is licensed in California (all 58 counties), Georgia, Indiana, and North Carolina and has facilitated adoptions in 33 additional states
  1. IAC has regional offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Raleigh
  1. IAC is one of the only adoption agencies in the country that has never had any exclusionary policies for adoptive parents, including age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, ethnic background, color, or race