Rhode Island's Rhode to Adoption: One Agency's Mission to Build Families

​For families dreaming of adoption, the process can feel overwhelming—a maze of paperwork, home studies, and difficult decisions. But for Janelle "JC" Roussel, founder of Rhode to Adoption, guiding families through that maze is more than a career. It's a calling.
Rhode to Adoption is one of only three or four licensed private adoption agencies in Rhode Island, serving hopeful parents across the state. Unlike Adoption Rhode Island—a state-funded agency that facilitates foster-to-adopt placements for older children and sibling groups—Rhode to Adoption specializes in infant adoption. The agency is also fully inclusive, welcoming couples, individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Home Study: More Education Than Evaluation
At the heart of the adoption process is the home study—a requirement for every family pursuing adoption, whether domestically or internationally. Roussel is quick to put nervous families at ease.
"There's no escaping the home study," she says with a laugh. "But it really should be viewed as an educational process."
The home study consists of three to four interviews designed to get to know the family, educate them about adoption, and ultimately approve them as adoptive parents. It also involves collecting key documents—birth and marriage certificates, financial records, health forms, and references—a process that typically takes two to four months.
Roussel, who has worked in the adoption field for nearly 30 years, says she has only ever said "not now" to three families in her entire career—and never a flat-out "no."
"These families are usually in a really good place," she explains. "Many have experienced infertility, so they've already navigated some loss. I'm very mindful of how vulnerable they are."
The agency also conducts thorough background checks, including state, DCYF (child protective services), and national fingerprint checks, to ensure the safety of every child placed.
Open Adoption: The Research-Backed Approach
When it comes to open adoption—where adoptive families maintain some form of contact with birth parents—Roussel is a firm advocate.
"The children I've seen thrive are those who grow up knowing they were adopted and have as much information as possible about their biological parents," she says.
Fear, she acknowledges, is the most common reason adoptive parents shy away from open adoption arrangements. They worry about the child's loyalty or the possibility of the adoption being contested. But Roussel says those fears are largely unfounded.
"You hear about those situations because they're so unusual. They make the news precisely because they're rare."
In her experience, many adoptive families develop meaningful, respectful relationships with birth parents over time. She recalls one birth mother who attended the wedding of the daughter she had placed for adoption years earlier.
Roussel also stresses the importance of being honest with children about their adoption from day one. "If you're uncomfortable talking about it, they're going to be uncomfortable with it," she says. "Get used to the conversation when they're a baby. By the time they're two or three, it's just part of the family story."
The consequences of keeping adoption a secret, she warns, can be significant. Children who discover later in life that they were adopted are rarely upset about the adoption itself. "They're upset because you lied to them for 20 years," Roussel says plainly.
An Unlikely Path to Adoption Work
Roussel's journey to founding Rhode to Adoption is, by her own admission, an unlikely one. She holds a master's degree in criminal justice from Salve Regina University, earned a black belt, and once tested for positions with the FBI, Marshalls, and DEA.
A hiring freeze redirected her path. She found herself in human services—running a substance abuse facility, managing a boys' home—before receiving an unexpected call about an opening as an adoption manager.
"I didn't know anything about adoption," she admits. "But they trained me. They sent me all over the country."
She fell in love with the work and spent years building expertise across multiple agencies before deciding to strike out on her own. Rhode to Adoption opened just a year and a half ago, and Roussel says it was the best professional decision she's ever made.
"I wish I had done it 10 years ago, honestly."
A Book for Every Family
In addition to running the agency, Roussel recently published a children's book called The Band Family—a story designed to help parents and caregivers talk to children about adoption from an early age. Rather than the typical animal characters found in most adoption books, Roussel drew on her background as a professional drummer and musician, centering the story around musical instruments.
Crucially, the characters in the book have no assigned genders, reflecting Roussel's belief that every family looks different. There are two pages of thoughtful conversation starters—tools for parents, therapists, and teachers to open meaningful discussions with children about their feelings around belonging, identity, and family.
The Band Family is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
A Resource for Anyone Considering Adoption
For families who aren't sure where to start, Roussel emphasizes that Rhode to Adoption is happy to simply talk—at no cost.
"Call, text, email—whatever works for you. Getting information so you can make a mindful decision is the whole point."
Roughly 20% of the families she speaks with are ultimately better suited for foster-to-adopt programs through Adoption Rhode Island, and she actively helps connect them with that pathway. "We're not competitors," she says. "We both want the same thing—to place children in loving homes."
For more information about Rhode to Adoption's services, or to get in touch with JC Roussel, visit www.rhodetoadoption.com.