What Support and Benefits Can Birth Mothers Receive Through Shorstein & Kelly?

Updated

Shorstein & Kelly is a private adoption law firm in Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, Florida, that works with pregnant women considering adoption. According to the firm's website, birth mothers who place a child for adoption may be entitled to a range of financial and personal benefits at no cost to them, along with counseling, medical care, and help choosing an adoptive family. The firm states it is available 24/7 and describes the process as confidential.

Financial and Personal Benefits Listed by the Firm

The site lists the following as benefits a birth mother may be entitled to when placing her child for adoption:

  • Food, clothing, and household expenses
  • Money for rent and utilities
  • A cell phone and service
  • Transportation
  • Counseling and medical care for both the birth mother and the baby

The firm frames these as available "at no cost to you." Note that the website says a birth mother "may be entitled" to these benefits — it does not guarantee them or specify amounts, eligibility rules, or which benefits apply in which situations. Those details would need to be confirmed directly with the firm.

Counseling and Medical Care

Counseling and medical care for the birth mother and her baby are included in the list of benefits. The firm describes its role as guiding women through "the emotional process of giving a baby up for adoption" and providing "everything needed for both mother and baby throughout the process of finding adoptive families." The site also references support around the day-to-day challenges of being pregnant as one of the topics it addresses.

Help Choosing and Meeting Adoptive Parents

The firm's stated approach includes helping birth mothers select and meet adoptive parents. Its website features profiles of waiting families — for example, Courtney and Daniel, Lisa and Jason, and Maggie and Connor — which visitors can view by tapping the photos. The firm describes its aim as making "a difficult choice easier" and helping a birth mother "find the most loving family for your child."

Confidential, Judgment-Free Process and 24/7 Availability

The firm presents the process as confidential and free, and states it has helped "thousands considering adoption." It lists two phone numbers — (904) 348-6400 and +1 (833) 212-2382 — and marks itself as available 24/7. The site's opening message to pregnant women is: "Young and pregnant? You're not alone. We're with you every step."

What the Site Does Not Specify

The website does not state dollar amounts, eligibility criteria, how benefits are funded, or whether any limits apply based on location or circumstances. It also does not detail the legal steps of an adoption or the timeline. Because these are the terms that usually determine what a birth mother actually receives, they are the questions to raise directly with the firm.

Practical Next Step

If you are pregnant and considering adoption in Florida, the site's own path is to contact the firm at one of the numbers above, describe your situation, and ask specifically:

  • Which benefits you may qualify for and how they are provided
  • What counseling and medical care are covered, and by whom
  • How the process works if the baby's father is involved or if you are unsure
  • What happens at each stage, and what you can change your mind about

Getting those answers in writing, and asking whether you can speak with an independent attorney of your own, will give you a clearer picture than the website alone can.