Iowa Targets Abby’s One True Gift, Inc. Adoption License UPDATED

If you are in the for-profit adoption business, times are not lean!

Last year, Iowa-based for-profit agency Abby’s One True Gift, Inc. took in over $1.2 Million for making 43 successful matches. They made contact with “1,350 birth mothers and adoptive families, according to state investigators.” They had 39 failed matches and 29 pending cases.

“Iowa is moving to revoke the license of a Waukee-based adoption agency accused of breaking several provisions in state adoption laws and failing to adhere to a voluntary legal agreement reached with the Iowa attorney general’s office in 2008.”

“The Des Moines Register on Wednesday reported that the Iowa Department of Human Services decided to revoke the agency’s license on Monday, after a state investigator outlined allegations, including claims that it coerced couples into contracts and encouraged adoptive parents to pay birth parents above legally allowable expenses to prevent adoptions from failing.

The company has filed an appeal, meaning it can remain in business while the case is decided by an administrative law judge.”

“”The agency consistently operated without due regard to the well-being of birth parents, adoptive parents and children,” wrote the investigator, Dixie Dupey.”

“The Register said the Iowa attorney general’s office has received 16 complaints about the agency since 2004, including one from a couple suing the owners for fraud. Robert and Jennifer Welsch of St. Louis said they were forced to return a Georgia newborn after the birth father objected to the adoption, court records show.

The owners of the agency, K.C. Gerlitz and Patricia Gerlitz, told The Register in an interview earlier this year that the birth father was dishonest in that case, which is scheduled to go to trial in late August.

Abby officials say in their notice of appeal that the state failed to approve or deny the agency’s latest application for a license within the 90 days required by law. They said the state investigator also cited as deficiencies in its latest report practices that had been approved in past years’ reviews.

If the state prevails in the case, Abby’s will not be allowed to do business in Iowa.”

Iowa targets license of adoption agency
[KVUE 5/18/11 by Associated Press]

Update: As of August 10, 2015, they are still doing business. See http://www.onetruegift.com/

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