Community Social Workers and Case Workers

The Barker Adoption Foundation is a licensed adoption placement agency in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and all of our counselors hold LMSW or LCSW-C licensure. We provide quality, confidential, and no-pressure services to expectant parents experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.

If you are working with a client experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and would like to support them in learning about options for considering adoption, please refer them for pregnancy counseling. Our counselors are available 24/7 to answer any questions and provide free counseling services before, during, and after delivery.

Public Child Welfare/Foster Care Workers

WHAT IS PROJECT WAIT NO LONGER —OLDER CHILD ADOPTION FROM FOSTER CARE?

Project Wait No Longer (PWNL) is Barker’s unique public-private initiative. Its goal is to recruit, train, and support families committed to adopting older children who are awaiting permanency within the U.S. foster care system. PWNL partners with public child welfare agencies throughout the country to place waiting children (ages 0-21) from the foster care system into approved adoptive homes in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Our goal is to locate and approve families who are not only prepared to welcome children into their homes and hearts but who are also realistic about the challenges that come along with parenting children who have experienced trauma.

DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE WANTING A FOREVER HOME?

Let us help you connect with prospective parents for children on your caseload!

Barker's website now features children who are eligible for out-of-state placements. If you have children that you would like to be featured on our website, please complete our official form request and submit it with the child's photo. For any questions, please contact Taylor McLeran by tmcleran [at] barkerfoundation.org (email) or by calling the Barker office at 301-664-9664. 

Download Form Now

Visit Program
Foster Care Case Workers

Private Adoption Placement Agencies

Our Work with an Out-of-Area Domestic or International Agency

The Barker Adoption Foundation has long been recognized for its comprehensive, lifelong services for birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive parents, and for its close collaboration with other adoption agencies around the country. Barker families can work with placement agencies located outside of the Washington, D.C., or attorneys (domestic infant adoption only) while partnering with Barker for adoptive-parent education, home study, and post-placement services.

Our adoptive families are thoroughly screened and well prepared for the adoption journey, whether they are pursuing domestic infant adoption or international adoption. Our families – domestic and international -- have tremendous respect for birth parents and the courageous and selfless decision they make to trust others to provide for, nurture, and unconditionally love their child.

If your agency or law firm (domestic infant adoption only) would like to learn more about Barker and the support we provide for families who live in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., or if you would like to work with us to share information about your agency with our adoptive families, please let us know.

Domestic Infant Adoption Contact
Saara McEachnie
email: smcEachnie [at] barkerfoundation.org (s)mcEachnie [at] barkerfoundation.org
phone: 301-664-9664

Visit Program

International Adoption Contact
Emily Marshall

email: emarshall [at] barkerfoundation.org
phone: 301-664-9664

Visit Program
Adoption Placement Agencies

Adoption Home Study Agencies

Our Work with Out-of-Area families to Adopt Internationally Through Barker

The Barker Adoption Foundation has a long history of strong partnerships with other nonprofit adoption agencies throughout the United States. Although we are an agency licensed in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., Barker’s international program staff can work with other agencies in the United States on international adoptions and on continuing to meet the needs of children and families. We also ensure that Hague and country requirements, as well as state regulations, are met. If you are an agency working with an out-of-area family seeking to adopt through one of Barker’s direct international programs (China, Korea, and India) please contact us for more information on how we can work together.

Contact
Emily Marshall
email: emarshall [at] barkerfoundation.org
phone: 301-664-9664

Visit Program
Adoption Home Study Agencies

Hospitals, Health Clinics, Pregnancy Centers

The Barker Adoption Foundation is a licensed adoption placement agency in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. If you have a patient who is considering an adoption plan and would like further information, please visit the pregnancy counseling section to learn more about Barker’s approach. If you wish to refer a patient, Barker’s licensed, experienced counselors are here to listen and help anytime 24/7. Barker’s services are free.

In addition, Barker is a proud leader in the adoption field and regularly provides in-service trainings at hospitals, clinics, and crisis pregnancy centers. Please contact us if your organization is interested in our Barker staff providing a free training, which includes social work-eligible CEUs.

Contact
Saara McEachnie, LICSW, LCSW-C
email: smceachnie [at] barkerfoundation.org
phone: 301-664-9664

Visit Program
Hospitals, Health Clinics, Pregnancy Centers

Adoption Attorneys

The Barker Adoption Foundation now provides birth parent counseling to support private adoptions.

Our Domestic Infant Department is pleased to offer counseling for birth parents who are placing or have recently placed their child for adoption through a private adoption agency. We provide counseling around grief, loss, and healing which birth parents often encounter following the decision to place their child for adoption. These services are meant as a complement to the legal services provided by an adoption attorney who obtains relevant consents, entrustments, or relinquishments.

These services are provided by licensed social workers specializing in infant adoption. Service arrangements begin with a minimum six-session retainer and can be paid directly to Barker or held by the adoptive parent’s attorney. Services not used by birth parents are returned to adoptive parents 14 months after commencement of services. Services for more than six sessions are available as well.

Contact Saara McEachnie, LICSW, LCSW-C at smceachnie [at] barkerfoundation.org, or (301) 664-9664 for more information or to engage services.


Post Adoption Counseling for birth parents who placed at an earlier point in their lives:

Barker’s Family and Post-Adoption Services Department provides ongoing and short-term counseling to all members of the adoption circle, including birth parents who placed a child at any point in their lives. Therapists with extensive experience with adoption issues are available to counsel clients on processing grief and loss and feelings about the placement, navigating relationships (if in open or semi-open adoption) with the adoptive parents or child, explaining the adoption to any other children, and searching for or reconnecting with birth children. Fees for these services are $105 per hour. Barker is a participating provider with Cigna, Carefirst BCBS, and Magellan. For all other insurance carriers, Barker provides a detailed receipt that clients may submit to their insurance companies.

To learn more about Barker’s post-adoption services contact Varda Makovsky, Director of Family and Post-Adoption Services at, vmakovsky [at] barkerfoundation.org, or 301-664-9664.

Counseling services within 50 miles of Barker offices

Retainer for six sessions, Includes mileage/tolls
Some sessions can be via telephone if client prefers
$1,000
Additional sessions $150

Counseling services for clients over 50-100 miles from Barker offices

Retainer for six sessions, Includes two in person sessions & four viaTelephone/Skype sessions $1,200
Travel fees $250
Total retainer $1,450

Counseling services for clients 100+ miles from Barker

Please call for fee structure

Agency-based social worker attendance at consent

When required by state adoption laws, please call for fee structure

Stay Connected!

Stay up to date by signing up to receive the latest news, resources, and training opportunities Barker has for professionals in our community.









By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: The Barker Adoption Foundation, 7979 Old Georgetown Rd. 1st Fl, Bethesda, MD, 20814, US, http://www.barkeradoptionfoundation.org. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.