How do you adopt a child from another state?

I attended an orientation for a private agency last night. I am located in Michigan. Most waiting children here are placed through private agencies that have a contract with the state. I assumed that once i had an approved homestudy with whatever agency i decide to go with, that the homestudy could be used for any waiting child in the US. I assumed that the waiting child's state would reimburse my agency for the cost of the homestudy (and if it were a MI child, the state of MI would pay for it.) Either way, the agency gets paid, right? I asked, at the meeting, if i would get a copy of my homestudy (answer was yes), i then asked if they would send it to children in other states....i was told that they feel more responsibility to the children in our own state, and that *since they contract with the state of MI* that homestudy could not be used for out-of-state children unless i paid for the homestudy upfront. I am not sure if that is the case with all the other private placing agencies that work with the state, or just this one, so i guess i'll call around. But i get the feeling the agencies want to place their OWN kids with you (which i totally understand), but i want to find the RIGHT kid, no matter which agency or state. Seems a shame that i can only consider kids in my state, esp since i live so close to Ohio (and there are a couple of kids on the Ohio list i'd like to at least inquire about.) I was told last night that they don't go looking for other kids who need homes, there are plenty right here. It just seemed kind of an outdated way of looking at adoption. So, is this experience typical? Am i only eligible for MI kids unless i pay for the homestudy? I dont want to do that (can't really afford it anyway), and since i am apparently looking for the exact type of kid that needs a home around here (male, over 8, any race)i'll likely be matched with a MI kid anyway. But i like to keep my options open yknow? Katherine