Mission

According to recent National Vital Statistics, there were 1,347,043 births in the United States to unmarried women in just one year (3,691 per day). And, the most current statistics reveal 1,370,000 abortions in one year (3,753 per day). As alarming as these figures are, the mission of Smithlawn Maternity Home and Adoption Agency is to offer hope and positive solutions for expectant mothers in crisis, helpless babies, and childless couples.

Goals

As an established and unique organization, Smithlawn preserves a professional approach to maternity and adoption services by maintaining confidentiality at all levels. Expectant mothers of any race, creed and circumstance experiencing an unplanned pregnancy receive help through the maternity division. Babies are being saved to either go home with the biological mother or adoptive parents. Qualified couples are able to adopt a child through the adoption division.

Objectives

We currently live in a sexually permissive society, but expectant mothers of all ages can have a brighter future! Join us and our professional staff, in assisting them as clients, to decide what is best for the baby and themselves in a private setting. You can supply the means to help them get back on their feet, to rebuild a relationship with their parents, to continue their education, and receive the medical help they need during a crisis pregnancy.

Counseling is available to give them the tools to cope with whatever decision they make; whether to get married, keeping the child to raise as a single parent, or to place the child for adoption with a mother and father who are ready and able to be parents. By supporting our work, you play an active role by helping us to: continually serve expectant mothers in crisis, save babies from being aborted, and through our agency, place the babies of those who make that choice with qualified adoptive couples who are ready to parent.

Your support also helps us to increase our efforts to inform potential clients of the services we provide. By making more people aware of what is offered at Smithlawn, we will serve more of those who need our assistance.

Plans are being made to hire an additional staff person by January 1, 2007 as an assistant in the Maternity Division to help with the increase of clients.

Programs

Smithlawn offers a calm, supportive atmosphere where expectant mothers can explore the options available to them in a confidential setting and are assisted in making appropriate choices. Licensed by the State of Texas, Smithlawn provides a cottage-style residence where pregnant clients share tastefully decorated bedrooms and participate in household responsibilities. They experience the warmth of a home under the caring supervision of houseparents and form supportive relationships with the caseworker, and other residents. The maternity services program is staffed with spiritual Christian counselors and certified social workers, who assist each client in making responsible decisions effecting their future and the future of the baby.

Visits from family and designated friends are encouraged while precautions are taken to protect each client’s privacy. A variety of recreational opportunities exist, including movies, plays, concerts, shopping, sports and other seasonal activities for entertainment. Each resident may continue her education through the Lubbock Independent School District, one of the local colleges or through correspondence work.

All medical care is provided by local physicians and complete confidentiality is assured to each client. Prenatal, postpartum instructions and childbirth classes are offered on a regular basis. Appropriate exercise is encouraged and available for the expectant mothers. Each resident is advised to stay at least 8 days after delivery, but may leave sooner upon her doctor’s approval.

Choosing adoption for the birthmother means making a decision based on logical thinking instead of emotion. It means placing the baby’s welfare above feelings. This is love. The child will be placed in a secure, loving home allowing the birth mother to pursue a future beneficial to her.

Smithlawn’s adoption agency is licensed by the State of Texas and offers a full spectrum of services to birth parents, adoptive parents and adopted persons. Prospective adoptive parents are carefully screened and selected. They are appropriately chosen as the most suitable parents for each individual baby based on the wishes of the birth parents.

Medical histories of the birthparent(s) are diligently pursued. The information is then de-identified to provide as much information as possible to the adoptive parents concerning medical matters that might affect their adopted child. Should ongoing medical information become known, either on the part of the adoptee or the birthparent(s), every effort will be made to pass along that information to the other affected parties. De-identified copies of available medical records/labor and delivery records are also given to the adoptive family.

Smithlawn realizes that the adoption process can be stressful for potential adoptive couples. It is a complex maze of regulations, forms, and legal requirements. Our staff carefully walks the adoptive applicants through each step of the process.

Governance/Board

Smithlawn Maternity Home and Adoption Agency is a division of the Smithlawn Church of Christ of Lubbock, Inc. Smithlawn is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, religious affiliated, social service organization governed by a Board. The Board of Trustees bears the legal responsibility for all Home and Agency activities. The Board of Directors, is composed of the Trustees of Smithlawn with additional members, not to exceed eighteen. One of the Trustees serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The responsibility of the Board is to ensure that Smithlawn stays on track with its philosophical, legal and financial goals.

The Board of Directors consists of individuals from the community with varied backgrounds to bring experience, knowledge and wisdom for maximum benefit. Each Board member is elected for an unspecified period of time. The Advisory Council consists of not more than twenty-five individuals. The Advisory Council is carefully selected to represent various segments of the population. Members will be from various professions and religions in order to give a broad based representation of advice and council to the Board of Directors.

Staff

There are two departments that are supervised by two individuals. Each position requires a minimum of a Master’s level degree in Social Work.

The Director of Maternity Services responsibilities are as follows:

Respond to all inquiries concerning maternity care offered by the home, providing all necessary and relevant information to each inquiry as demanded by the situation.

Design/implement plan of service for each client, including residential care, educational programs, counseling services, medical care, social activities, emotional and spiritual guidance.

Supervise all home staff, contracted help, volunteers, and interns working in the maternity services department.

Communicate with other maternity care agencies for the purpose of information exchange, professional support, etc.

When possible, attend relevant meetings, conferences, etc. pertaining to child and maternity care. Maintain membership in professional organizations as defined by the administration.

Coordinate appearances of self or clients at public gatherings as representative of the home.

Be present at the time of signing of all paperwork regarding maternity and adoption services when possible.

Answer the office phone after hours, on weekends, and on holidays.

Work with specific policy-making committees in decisions that shape the direction of the home and agency.

Maintain proper level of standards consistent with Licensing.

The Director of Adoption Services responsibilities are as follows:

Provide supervision and consultation to Child-Placing staff, pursuant to Texas Minimum Standards for a Child Placing Agency.

Review and approve adoptive home studies, updates, and social histories.

Review and approve foster home studies, quarterly visits, infant placement, plans of service and updates, intake studies, and foster family files.

Review and supervise the adoption process as it relates to interviewing prospective adoptive families, information sharing and contact at the birthmother’s request, required documentation, and informing adoptive families of placement plans.

When possible, represent Smithlawn to other agencies, related organizations, and attend appropriate association meetings/conferences.

Location

Finances

Smithlawn is a work intended to be supported by Christians and has since its beginning in 1960. There are three categories of support which are received from Churches, individuals and adoption fees. The following is a condensed explanation of income and expenses from the previous year.

Development

Contributions are needed and encouraged from individuals, churches, and foundations to sustain the ministry of Smithlawn Home. Our future depends on a continuation of contact with all who are interested in assisting expectant mothers in crisis, saving babies from being aborted, and assisting couples to have a family by adoption.

History

The Smithlawn Maternity Home of Lubbock, Texas began in 1960 by a group of concerned Christians who recognized the need for a very specific ministry. Their goal was to provide a refuge or safe haven for young women with an unplanned pregnancy. Funds were raised that allowed Smithlawn to build the first cottage style maternity home facility in the nation. Smithlawn now has two cottages on a 20-acre campus for 32 residents.

Through the homelike atmosphere offered in the cottages, Smithlawn provides a calm, neutral environment for the residents to consider all options available in dealing with a crisis pregnancy. Live-in houseparents provide daily care and support during their stay. Christian counselors and social workers assist the expectant mothers as they make a responsible decision that will affect the rest of their life and the life of the baby.

Smithlawn is licensed by the state of Texas. Local physicians provide necessary medical care for the residents. Smithlawn also works with clients who choose to live at home or off-campus providing counseling and medical attention. Clients of any race, religion, and circumstance are accepted. Smithlawn maintains a careful practice of confidentiality in all cases. The program has served more than 30,000 expectant mothers in its history.

Expectant mothers have come to Smithlawn from every state of the nation except Hawaii. It has also had residents from eight foreign countries. 2,400 clients have enrolled in its maternity services program. The young ladies learn about Smithlawn by referrals from professional services, counselors, ministers, and other concerned individuals.

In 1968, Smithlawn obtained its child placing license from the state of Texas. Smithlawn can facilitate an adoption plan for a baby whose birthparents make that choice. The agency has placed more than 1,900 babies for adoption.

Smithlawn's staff is exceptionally qualified and dedicated to the needs of the birthparents, babies, and adoptive families. TONY PARNELL began work with Smithlawn in 1994 as its Director of Adoption Services. He is Smithlawn's third Director. FRANCES PHILLIPS is the Director of Maternity Services. She has worked in this capacity since 1978 and has been associated with the home since its beginning. The maternity staff is available 24-hours a day.

Smithlawn recognizes the need to be more than "just another" maternity home and adoption agency. Instead, Smithlawn is known in these fields as a national leader and pioneer. Its intent is to continue to serve as trailblazers in these critical areas of human services. In 1988, Smithlawn was recognized for its work as it received the President's Volunteer Action Award Citation, signed by President Ronald Reagan.