Horrible No Good

Here are some characteristics of lousy, irresponsible, unreliable, mismanaged and sub-standard agencies (taken from http://guatemala.adoptionblogs.com/index.php/weblogs/adoption-agencies-need-to-shape-up-or-sh)

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1. They make promises that sound too good to be true. For example, promising that your child will be home in record time. HNG's website still says the kids will be home in 4-6 months. I don't know of a single family from HNG that did bring home their child in that timeframe, even when that was the average timeframe.
2. They want all the money upfront and don’t send receipts. HNG wanted half. I never got a single receipt. (Then again, nothing ever happened with my paperwork, other than the check getting cashed.)
3. They don’t explain the adoption process in detail and you just have to figure it out for yourself. HNG did explain it, but almost every group email to their "clients" states that the process is a mystery. And for what it's worth, there was no process in my case.
4. They have gag clauses in the contract and don't allow adoption supervisors. HNG did not have a gag clause. They did allow adoption supervisors, but apparently they didn't like adoption supervisors. They bullied every one of their "clients" who they found out had hired AS. And another well-known adoption supervisors group actually posted on their monthly newsletter that Joanne did not hire them. Apparently, HNG's clients were e-mailing this other group saying that the director hired them to look into their adoption case, and this must have happened several times for the group to actually put this kind of statement in their own newsletter, open to everyone on the Internet.
5. They are wonderful when you first call, but once you’ve signed on it is hard to get hold of them. FWIW, I stopped calling Joanne after the cedula thing started. But we all know that it's impossible to get a hold of her. At least, it's impossible for me to get a hold of her. What does that ticker above say? Last I heard, she was going to get back to me after she spoke with her "legal counsel." That was in January. I'd say that shows how hard it is to get a hold of her. And even that e-mail came after several days of waiting and resending the same email begging her to give me some information.
6. When there are problems in the international adoption scene, such as in Guatemala right now, they “avoid” the parents. I’m hearing so much of this right now. HNG didn't avoid me. She flat out lied to me. Like when she said I was waiting for DNA authorization even though she already knew about the two cedulas, making it impossible for me to actually get DNA authorization, she told me about the problems with the embassy.
7. You don’t get monthly photographs and updates on your child. I got pictures and a DVD each time HNG visited. Not every month, but as often as she visited. I never got a medical update. I was "in process" from October 2005 - December 2006 (using Joanne's definition of "in process"), but the only medical report I ever got was dated September 13, 2005.
8. They don’t have much information on the foster mother or orphanage,,and they won’t go out of their way to provide it. I got her name and phone number. I was encouraged to call. Then, when Thanassis started to bully the foster mother I stopped calling. Joanne kept telling me to call, but I didn't feel comfortable with it. Ultimately, Joanne told another family with this same foster mother that I called so much that the foster mother had to change her phone number because of me. That is TOTALLY not true, as I have e-mails from Joanne actually TELLING me to call and me saying I will NOT call. But anyway, I did get some information about the foster mother that turned out to be conflicting.
9. They use unethical and immoral lawyers and know it. NEED I SAY ANY MORE THAN THIS??? Hello, everyone who keeps touting Thanassis (or whatever name he'd like to go by now, Steve or Teo or Theo or whatever). He may be wonderful to you, but he IS immoral and unethical and BANNED.
10. They offer a quicker process through PGN if you pay more (YES, this still goes on; I’ve had emails from people telling me about it.) I've said this time and again. I was never asked for a bribe, but I know other people that Joanne did ask for a bribe. I don't know if those families actually did pay the bribe. I have a bunch of e-mails from Joanne, mass e-mails to all her "clients," where she openly says she'd love to bribe PGN if she could figure out a way. (And I've also admitted this time and again. If I were asked to pay a bribe at the end, to get my child out of PGN, I would almost definitely do it. I'm ashamed that I feel that way, but I'm being 100% honest here.)
11. They do not have in country staff (in Guatemala) to help you when you are picking up your child. Supposedly, HNG has in country staff. The phone number I got as my in country contact was Steve, and the phone number turned out to be a fake. And the only person I met was Thanassis.
12.There is constant staff turnover at the agency. No idea. The only one I met was Thanassis.
13. They don’t turn away applications even when they don’t have the staff to handle them. One would assume that HNG doesn't have the staff to handle their current client list, since the "clients" don't get regular updates and e-mails go unanswered.
14. They continue giving referrals when it is no longer advisable to do so. HNG updated her photolisting just the other day. I could go on the Wayback machine and see the last time, but it's not worth my energy.
15. They do not sufficiently educate prospective adopting parents on the challenges they face with international adoption. "It's a risk" is not educating PAPs. "It never happens" is not warning PAPs of the potential risks associated with the process (and hello, it DOES happen because it DID happen to me.) I don't really know how their education is for post-adoption services, but I've heard HNG will not address questions about readoption, titres, or medical history.
16. Once you bring your child home, they aren’t interested in problems you are having with paperwork or with your child. See my comment to #15.
17. They don’t train their staff well. No idea. The only person I ever had any contact with was Joanne.
18. They are ignorant of the culture and politics of the country you are adopting from. OK, this is where Joanne is queen. She DOES know the culture and politics of Guatemala. How else would she laugh off a warning about working with Thanassis and respond with, "This is Guatemala. Everyone pays a bribe."
19. They are disrespectful and unpleasant to their clients. I don't think I really need to comment on this one. Read most of my blog.