Adoption | Beltrami County

Beltrami County Health and Human Services adoption program primarily works with children who have been involved with the child protection system. Our initial goal is to reunify children with their biological parents. In the event that this does not/cannot occur and there are no relatives who are able to make a long term commitment to the child(ren), the parents’ rights to the child(ren) are terminated and the child(ren) becomes a State Ward. The agency then seeks out a permanent family for the child(ren) through adoption. It is our goal to match the child(ren) with a family that is best able to meet the child’s individual needs and personality.

Becoming an Adoptive Parent

We hope the information below will assist you in determining you next steps in becoming an adoptive parent.

To begin the process of becoming an adoptive parent to a Waiting Child, you will need to complete a home study. Beltrami County Health and Human Services participates in the Public/Private Adoption Initiative (PPAI) program. Through this initiative, the Minnesota Department of Human Services contracts with private adoption agencies to complete home studies for families interested in adopting waiting children through the child welfare system.

For further information about this type of adoption and to begin the home study process, please contact a private agency participating in PPAI . A list of these agencies can be found at Foster Adopt Minnesota and have also been linked. Costs associated with the adoption for Minnesota’s Waiting Children are paid for or reimbursed by the MN Department of Human Services.

Depending on a child’s needs, financial assistance may be available for families adopting a Waiting Child. The NorthStar Care for Children program helps reimburse families for the costs of non-medical services and support necessary to meet the eligible child’s needs for. Additionally, the program provides Medical Assistance as a back up for the child to the families’ health care.

Once a family has a complete home study, they can begin the matching process for a Waiting Child. To consider a family, Beltrami County must have a copy of the approved home study and background checks. Once a potential match is made, information is shared regarding the child(ren)’s needs including a social, medical history by the child’s team, which includes a social worker, Guardian Ad Litem and at times an attorney. A decision is then made by the child(ren)’s team about whether the family can meet the child’s needs and if both parties decide to move forward, a transition plan is made.

Additional information and current Waiting Children can be found on Foster Adopt Minnesota.

Additional Resources

Foster Adopt MN

List of PPAI Agencies

Northstar Care for Children

Paths to Permanency/Adoption