Charlie Crist

Governor

State of Florida Robert A. Butterworth

Department of Children and Families Secretary

Nancy Dreicer
Regional Director

May 13, 2008

Mrs. Tedi Hedstrom Certified Mail 7006 0810 0003 4991 1687
259 North Roscoe Blvd. Return Receipt Requested
Ponte Vedra, FL 32082

Re: Cease and Desist Operating a Child Placing Agency without a License
Effective Immediately - May 13, 2008

Dear Mrs. Hedstrom:

The Department of Children and Families received several complaints, alleging that you were operating an
adoption agency without a Florida, child placing agency license. Our investigation has revealed the
following:
1. Four of your current adoption applicants (L.E., A.E., CR., and J.H.) provided information that
correspondence was mailed to and/or from your current home address located at 259 North Roscoe
Blvd., Ponte Vedra, FL 32082.
2. Three of your current adoption applicants (L.E., A.E., and C.R.) visited your home and completed
adoption application paperwork at the cottage located at your home.
3. You are the CEO of Adoption Blessings Worldwide, Inc., a licensed adoption agency in Georgia.
Adoption Blessings Worldwide, Inc. has annual corporate registrations for 2007 and 2008 listing your
home address as the address for the CEO. The address and zip code are correct, but the state is
listed incorrectly as "GA" for both years.
4. YourCommunity.com, an online Ponte Vedra community phone directory, lists Adoption Blessings
Worldwide, Inc. located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida with a phone number of (904) 280-1644.
5. Documentation was obtained confirming that you leased a cottage located at your home address,
259 North Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to Adoption Blessings Worldwide, Inc.
6. The website, guatadopt.com, lists Tedi Bear Adoptions, another licensed adoption agency in
Savannah, Georgia, as being located in Neptune Beach, Florida.

Based on the investigative findings, you have violated Florida Statutes and Florida Administrative Codes
that specifically indicate that:
o Pursuant to Florida Statutes 63.202:
o (1): The Department of Children and Family Services is authorized and empowered to license
child welfare agencies that it determines to be qualified to place minors for adoption.

NORTHEAST REGION
Circuit 3 (Madison Taylor Dixie Hamilton Lafayette Suwannee Columbia Counties) Circuit 4 (Clay Duval Nassau Counties)
Circuit 7(St. Johns Flagler Va/usia Putnam Counties)
Circuit 8 (Levy Union Gilchrist Bradford Baker Alachua Counties)
5920 Arlington Expressway. P. O. Box 2417. Jacksonville, Florida 32231-0083

Mission: Protect the Vulnerable, Promote Strong and Economically Self-Sufficient Families, and
Advance Personal and Family Recovery and Resiliency
Re: Tedi Hedstrom - Cease & Desist Operating a Child Placing Agency without a License

o (2) No agency shall place a minor for adoption unless such agency is licensed by the Department,
except a child caring agency registered under Florida Statutes 409.176.
o Pursuant to Florida Statutes 63.032(3): An "adoption entity" means the department, an agency, a
child caring agency registered under Florida Statutes 409.176, an intermediary, or a child placing
agency licensed in another state, which is qualified by the Department to place children in the state of
Florida.
o Pursuant to Florida Statutes 63.212(1)(g): It is unlawful for any person, except an adoption entity, to
advertise or offer to the public, in any way by any medium whatsoever, that a minor is available for
adoption or that a minor is sought for adoption, and further, it is unlawful for any person to publish or
broadcast any such advertisement without including a Florida license number of the agency or attorney
placing the advertisement.
o Pursuantto Florida Administrative Code 65C-15.001
o (3) "Agency" means any child placing agency licensed in the state of Florida.
o (5) "Child Placing Agency" means any person, corporation, or agency, public or private, other
than the parent or legal guardian of the child or an intermediary acting pursuant to Chapter 63,
F.S., that receives a child for placement and places or arranges for the placement of a child in a
family foster home, residential child caring agency, or approved adoptive home and provides any
of the necessary adoptive services listed under the definition of Adoption subsection 65C-
15.001(1), FAC.
o Pursuant to Florida Administrative Code 65C-15.003
o (1) Application for a child placing agency license shall be made on an Application for License from
the Department of Children and Families' regional office.
o (3) If an agency was preViously licensed in another state or outside the district or region in which
it is seeking licensure, the Department shall make a written request to the other state, district, or
region requesting verification that the agency is in good standing and has met that jurisdiction's
licensing requirements.
o (9) Satellite and branch offices of licensed child placing agencies shall be required to be
separately licensed if: (b) The office maintains central client records and central personnel files on
premises.

Effective immediately, please cease and desist operating your satellite offices to Adoption Blessings
Worldwide, Inc. and Tedi Bear Adoptions of Gerogia's adoption agencies and their respective websites and
prOViding adoption services without properly obtaining a Florida, child placing agency license and/or being
qualified to place children in the state of Florida.

Please provide us with a list of all pending adoptions that involve families in the state of Florida, indicating
the status of each, by Friday. May 30. 2008.

If you have any questions, please contact Regional Foster Care Licensure, Program Administrator Aida
Seeraj at (904) 723-2107 or aida seeraj@dcf.state.fl.us.

Sincerely,

Nancy Dreicer
Northeast Regional Director

20f3
Re: Tedi Hedstrom - Cease & Desist Operating a Child Placing Agency without a License

CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE

I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing has been furnished by U.S. Certified Mail
7006081000034991 1687, Return Receipt Requested, in accordance with ss120.60(3), Florida Statutes,
this day of May, 2008.

State of Florida, Department of Children and Families

Nancy Dreicer
Northeast Regional Director

30f3
 Charlie Crist
Governor

State of Florida Robert A. Butterworth

Department of Children and Families Secretary

Nancy Dreicer
Regional Director

May 23,2008

Mrs. Tedi Hedstrom Certified Mail 7006 3450 0002 4264 6467
259 North Roscoe Blvd. Return Receipt Requested
Ponte Vedra, FL 32082

ADDENDUM

Re: 2nd Notice· Cease and Desist Operating and Advertising a Child Placing Agency
without a License
Effective Immediately - May 27, 2008

Dear Mrs. Hedstrom:

The Department of Children and Families has received some additional information that you are
also advertising and hosting adoption recruitment parties in Ponte Vedra, Florida. This form of
advertising is in addition to the previous information gathered:

1. Four of your current adoption applicants (L.E., A.E., CR., and J.H.) provided information
that correspondence was mailed to and/or from your current home address located at
259 North Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra, FL 32082.
2. Three of your current adoption applicants (L.E., A.E., and C.R.) visited your home and
completed adoption application paperwork at the cottage located at your home.
3. You are the CEO of Adoption Blessings Worldwide, Inc., a licensed adoption agency in
Georgia. Adoption Blessings Worldwide, Inc. has annual corporate registrations for
2007 and 2008 listing your home address as the address for the CEO. The address and
zip code are correct, but the state is listed incorrectly as "GA" for both years.
4. YourCommunity.com, an online Ponte Vedra community phone directory, lists Adoption
Blessings Worldwide, Inc. located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida with a phone number of
(904) 280-1644.
5. Documentation was obtained confirming that you leased a cottage located at your home
address, 259 North Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to Adoption Blessings
Worldwide, Inc.
6. The website, quatadopl.com, lists Tedi Bear Adoptions, another licensed adoption
agency in Savannah, Georgia, as being located in Neptune Beach, Florida.

NORTHEAST REGION
Circuil3 (Madison Taylor Dixie Hamilton Lafayelte Suwannee Columbia Counties) Circuit 4 (Clay Duval Nassau Counties)
Circuit 7(St. Johns flagler Volusia Pulnam Counties)
Circuit 8 (Levy Union Gilchrist Bradford Baker Alachua Counties)
5920 Arlington Expressway. P. O. Box 2417. Jacksonville, Florida 32231-0083

Mission: Protect the Vulnerable, Promote Strong and Economically Self-Sufficient Famiiies, and
Advance Personal and Family Recovery and Resiliency
Re: Tedi Hedstrom - Cease & Desist Operating a Child Placing Agency without a License

Based on the investigative findings, you have violated Florida Statutes and Florida
Administrative Codes that specifically indicate that:
o Pursuant to Florida Statutes 63.202:
o (1) The Department of Children and Family Services is authorized and empowered to
license child welfare agencies that it detemnines to be qualified to place minors for
adoption.
o (2) No agency shall place a minor for adoption unless such agency is licensed by the
Department, except a child caring agency registered under Florida Statutes 409.176.
o Pursuant to Florida Statutes 63.032(3): An "adoption entity" means the department, an
agency, a child caring agency registered under Florida Statutes 409.176, an intermediary, or
a child placing agency licensed in another state, which is qualified by the Department to
place children in the state of Florida.
o Pursuant to Florida Statutes 63.212(1)(g): It is unlawful for any person, except an
adoption entity, to advertise or offer to the pUblic, in any way by any medium whatsoever,
that a minor is available for adoption or that a minor is sought for adoption, and further, it is
unlawful for any person to publish or broadcast any such advertisement without including a
Florida license number of the agency or attorney placing the advertisement.
o Pursuant to Florida Administrative Code 65C-15.001
o (3) "Agency" means any child placing agency licensed in the state of Florida.
o (5) "Child Placing Agency" means any person, corporation, or agency, pUblic or
private, other than the parent or legal guardian of the child or an intermediary acting
pursuant to Chapter 63, F.S., that receives a child for placement and places or
arranges for the placement of a child in a family foster home, residential child caring
agency, or approved adoptive home and provides any of the necessary adoptive
services listed under the definition of Adoption subsection 65C-15.001 (1), FAC.
o Pursuant to Florida Administrative Code 65C-15.003
o (1) Application for a child placing agency license shall be made on an Application for
License from the Department of Children and Families' regional office.
o (3) If an agency was previously licensed in another state or outside the district or
region in which it is seeking licensure, the Department shall make a written request to
the other state, district, or region requesting verification that the agency is in good
standing and has met that jurisdiction's licensing requirements.
o (9) Satellite and branch offices of licensed child placing agencies shall be required to
be separately licensed if: (b) The office maintains central client records and central
personnel files on premises.

Effective immediately, please cease and desist operating your satellite offices to Adoption
Blessings WorldWide, Inc. and Tedi Bear Adoptions of Gerogia's adoption agencies and their
respective websites and providing adoption services without properly obtaining a Florida, child
placing agency license and/or being qualified to place children in the state of Florida.

Please provide us with a list of all pending adoptions that involve families in the state of Florida,
indicating the status of each, by Friday, May 30, 2008.

20f4
Re: Tedi Hedstrom - Cease & Desist Operating a Child Placing Agency without a License

Effective immediately. please remove and stop all advertisements or offers to the public.
including but not limited to phone book directory listings, Internet listings. adoption
recruitment parties, etc. of Adoptions Blessings Worldwide. Inc. in the state of Florida.

If you have any questions, please contact Regional Foster Care Licensure, Program
Administrator Aida Seeraj at (904) 723-2107 or aida seeraj@dcf.stateJl.us.

Sincerely,

Nancy Dreicer
Northeast Regional Director

30f4
Re: Tedi Hedstrom - Cease & Desist Operating a Child Placing Agency without a License

CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE

I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing has been furnished by U.S.
Certified Mail 7006 3450 000242646467, Return Receipt Requested, in accordance with
ss120.60(3), Florida Statutes, this day of May, 2008.

State of Florida, Department of Children and Families

Nancy Dreicer
Northeast Regional Director

40f4