Adoption Counseling and Services
These are programs that participate in arranging permanent homes for
individuals whose birth parents are unable or unwilling to provide for their care. This usually involves legal responsibility
for the individual.
There are also programs that provide counseling and assistance for people
who want to place their children for adoption or arrange for an independent
adoption. The agencies or programs can
recruit, select, counsel and match suitable adoptive parents with children who
have been placed for adoption. Some
programs assist in the adoption of foreign-born children, stepchildren or
adults. Other agencies and services
provide foster care for children who have been placed for adoption but not yet
moved into a permanent home.
There are also services to assist people who are adopted to locate their
birth parents and birth parents to locate the children they relinquished.
The Child Welfare Information Gateway through the U.S Department of Health and Human Services is a
comprehensive resource on all aspects of adoption. Visit the site to learn more
about prospective adoptive parents, birthparents and relatives, and people who
have been adopted.
For further information*:
Contact one of the information lines listed below during normal business hours. Services are free and confidential.
The Senior LinkAge Line® is served by volunteers and staff of the area agencies on aging who are certified by the Minnesota Board on Aging. Staff and volunteers receive extensive training and provide objective, confidential assistance. They are independent and are not connected with any private or non-profit companies that sell products. The Senior LinkAge Line® is the federal government-certified Medicare Counseling phone service for the state of Minnesota.
The Disability Linkage Line® is served by the Metropolitan and the Southeastern Centers for Independent Living. Staff and volunteers receive extensive training, and provide objective, confidential assistance. They are independent and are not connected with any private or non-profit companies that sell products.
The Veterans Linkage Line™ is answered by trained staff at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and Crisis Connection, a Twin Cities based nonprofit mental health telephone counseling service. MDVA staff, who are veterans themselves manage the lines Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm. Crisis Connection social workers field all crisis call during business hours, and all calls after hours, weekends and on holidays.
Minnesota Teens or Young Adults with questions or comments about this Web site can call (651) 431-4714; Mon- Fri, 8:00 am - 4:30pm or email: youth_corner@state.mn.us.
* Many programs in this Web site require that you have maximum income or asset limits and use the standard of Federal Poverty Guidelines (e.g. 120% of FPG). The Federal Poverty Guidelines are set by US DHHS, and take affect in Minnesota July 1st. Federal Poverty Guidelines are available at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Eligibility for many public programs is done by the Minnesota County Social Services System. To find a county eligibility office near you, put your zip code into Minnesotahelp.info and type the name of the program in the keyword search box. For example, "Medical Assistance".
NOTE: There are many other factors - besides a person's income - that go into determining whether a person is eligible for a program. It's important to talk to the provider of the program to see if you can qualify.