Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc.

We adopted our daughter through Building Blocks Adoption Services and we highly recommend them. The staff communicated with us constantly throughout the process and our questions/concerns were quickly addressed.

We thought they treated our birth mom with so much kindness and attention to detail. We are very thankful for the role BBAS played in bringing our daughter home!

*Owner reached out to me personally and apologized and answered all of my questions, which i appreciate it.* I am very confused about this agency. I have been doing tons of research on the state waiting adoption program, speaking with almost every other agency in the state of Ohio. I attended a webinar for Building Blocks and was given the directors email. I emailed her the next day asking about their higher fees. Basically asking what her company provided vs others that did not charge such a high matching fee. As a potential client i needed to be sold a bit on it. In my email i also asked what happens to that fee if the adoption did not work out. I also asked how this agency is doing their training not in a classroom setting while every other agency i have talked to stated that Ohio legally requires training to be in a classroom setting. I personally do not want to have anything backfire due to a company not following Ohio laws if that is the case. The very short rude email i received from the director/founder stated "that they are a private company and do not receive any funding from the state and if i wanted a free adoption to go thru my county." WOW, okay i was very taken back by this. Not one of my questions were answered and i was sent that. I never once stated that my family couldn't afford the fees, i have a right to understand where the money is going and why. I'm glad this company seems to have worked for many other couples, however, i am very confused and off put by my experience.
Carolyn

Our adoption was finalized with building blocks about 2 months ago now. We are eternally grateful for our son. The process overall was good. However, I am taking the time to write this review as it relates to our interactions and dealings with the executive director (Denise) of the organization. I do feel bad (for having to write this review) for the rest of the very helpful, kind, gracious and caring staff who was amazing throughout the process. However, it is a result of the EDs actions that I would choose to never use this organization and would caution others from doing so as well.
We had several interactions with the ED that were simply cold, unempathetic and downright rude.
We had an unfortunate legal situation arise after our child had landed in our arms (the issue was later determined to be unfounded) that the actions of the ED were most troubling. Its interesting to note that we experienced a similar issue with the agency that others have reported in reviews and that is, its BEYOND apparent that the ED looks for any angle to add extra fees or keep money that should not be retained by the agency. Upon the occurrence of our unfortunate situation, she attempted to have a social worker come out and amend our home study immediately (would have been another $300). Since the issue was later determined to be unfounded and dismissed, NO AMENDMENT was ever even needed or required.
Additionally, the ED accused us of not following proper protocol with reporting the issue (we reported it to our social worked and lawyer immediately). It was downright frightening the way she was conducting herself, the things she was conveying, making us feel that our child could be taken from us at any moment. She was at times even unresponsive to our attempts to communicate when were completely uncertain what could happen to our son.
In addition to this, the ED told us that a statement needed to be given to her to forward to the Attorney General immediately and that my attorney had told her, to tell me I needed to do this. There are two issues that happened here. The ED was actually speaking of Job and Family Services, NOT the AG, (huge difference when are you involved in a legal matter) but she DID NOT know the difference. Additionally, my lawyer never told her that a statement needed to be given at the time. This left us feeling manipulated and betrayed.
Again, to the rest of the staff at Building Blocks, we say the biggest thank you of our lives for playing a role in helping us through the process.

my reply to yours.

So no explanation for trying to send your social worker out after the alleged incident to make an amendment that was not needed? Ever?? So we could be charged more money. Again, similar issue that others leaving negative reviews have mentioned. Must be a common issue. I will choose not to throw any one under the bus, but we all know it happened.

No comments on the complete lack of empathy, compassion, the crass interactions? No “this will all work out?” Your director is that of a social work agency; this shouldn’t be something for “other staff.” Your staff member made this excuse for you.

When one works to resolve an issue they focus on the legal process, she has staff in place to work directly with families and your person was your social worker who guided you through the incident.

Perhaps they should be utilized more often because we had the privilege of dealing with a simply “cold” individual in the ED Denise several times.

No comment on accusing us of not properly and in timely fashion reporting the issue? When we had. We have emails to prove this. We were mortified, and all Denise could do was make us feel more unsure about what was coming our way.

Rick Marco did in fact tell me not to give the statement Denise instructed me to give under his direction. Them working in the same office, I blindly trusted this. Literally 5 minutes later, Rick Via EMAIL told me this was not true.

The specific accused and unfound ORC is not needed in your comment as well.

We have completed a successful Adoption through Building Blocks and I cannot say enough good things about the process. Building Blocks provided a seamless process every step of the way! The continued support the Social workers provided our birthmother has been top notch. We cannot say enough good things about Building Blocks and are sooo thankful for them and our birthmother making our dreams of parenthood come true.

We adopted through Building Blocks Adoption Service, they processed our entire adoption from beginning to end, and now we are a happy family of three. Thank you for helping us welcome our son home!