Can i be a foster mom or adopted even if i draw a check?

i get a disabilty check for my kidneys and my bipolar. is there anyway i can adopt a child or be a foster mom? i love kids and are great with them!! {for the record im doing this question for a close friend of mines, she wanted me to ask} thanks!!
Additional Details
well i dont understand why she couldnt...she has a god son that lives with her and she has raised but doesnt have custody..not to mention they let ppl with schizo have kids!! her bipolar is under control...she really gets the check bc of her kidneys and she has pain that is unbearable at times!! but this has never stopped her from taking care of her godson!

Roni F

if you are bipolar, i don't think you should have a child living with you. You should just work at a daycare where you can go home at the end of the day without having to take care of an innocent lil creature 24 hours a day. It's really stressful but rewarding if your good to the child every second of every day.
I don't think s.s. will give you a child if you are filed with disability.

Amanda I

The question would not be about the disability check, but about the bi-polar if it is bad enough that she can't work then the state will wonder about the quality of care and stability that she could provide for children who are already coming from difficult situations.

Doodlestuff

While you could be a foster mom with a disability, it is less likely if you have a mental illness. However, she should check with Social Services. They may be able to tell her up front whether she would qualify with that situation. It may totally depend on how well her bipolar and medical condition is managed.

Heather B

I'm sorry people are being so judgemental about your friend's bi-polar

One of my best friends in the world is bi-polar. She has two kids and is the one of the best moms I know with two very happy, healthy children. She is a published author and appears on TV, runs support groups for women with post partum depression and is active in society

Shame on people to dismiss a bi-polar sufferer as not fit to be a parent!

Best wishes to your friend

mom of many

they will have you or friend get physical and one of the questions will ask the doctor if there is any medical problem that would hinder your raising children. If its not a problem it should be fine. But every agency and state can have their differnt rules.

Aussieluvr

I'm just commenting about the bipolar diagnosis. Some of the best parents I've EVER known have bipolar disorder. They are able to run their homes well, work hard to keep things balanced, and the like. Many are well-educated and deserve the same opportunities as the rest of the world. JMHO Oh- there are also different levels and types of bipolar disorder- some are far more severe than others. Bipolar I can be more debilitating than Bipolar II.

danigrrl8

if you are fostering to adopt the state's social services department will conduct an assesment on your friend to determine if she is an appropriate choice as an adoptive parent. i can't comment about her bipolar because it is managable and i have seen foster parents with disabilities have the ability to adopt.

BPD Wife

I would suggest contacting the local Division of Children and Youth and see what requirements if any they have regarding medical issues. We had to provide our adoption agency with medical records but I don't know if all agencies are states have the same requirements. We were told that the medical records was to prove that we were mentally fit and not "depressed". I always laughed because I couldn't figure out how we could have gone through 8+ years of infertility and NOT be depressed!

At any rate, as I have stated in another question, I would check with the agency because my "thought" would be that to discriminate based on disability would be illegal under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) but I'm not 100% sure.

Good luck to your friend.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: