Adoption and Fostering Info by State

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Scroll the below or use the drop-down menu to view adoption and fostering information and links for each state.

Alabama

To find out more about fostering in Alabama, read the Alabama Department of Human Resources introduction to foster care.
To find out more about adopting in Alabama, read the Alabama Department of Human Resources introduction to adoption.

Alaska

For information on how to become a foster or adoptive parent, contact the Alaska Center for Resource Families or visit the Office of Children’s Services website.
Check out the Heart Gallery of Alaska to see children awaiting adoption.

Arizona

Start your journey toward fostering or adopting with the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
View the Arizona Children’s Heart Gallery.

Arkansas

Resources can be found at the Division of Children & Family Services of Arkansas.
Learn more about adopting and fostering, or apply to be a foster parent, with Every Child Arkansas.
View the Arkansas Heart Gallery with Project Zero.

California

Cherokee Nation

Find resources and information related to becoming a certified foster or adoptive parent through Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare.

Colorado

Learn about adoption from the Colorado Department of Human Services.
CO4Kids is Colorado’s campaign to raise awareness of the need for foster and adoptive families in every community. Learn more about fostering and adopting.
Visit the Colorado Heart Gallery.

Connecticut

Visit the Connecticut Foster Care & Adoption Services website for more information.
To learn more about children available for adoption, view the Connecticut Heart Gallery.

Delaware

Learn about foster care through Delaware’s Division of Family Services.
Learn about options for adoption in Delaware.
Visit the Delaware Children’s Department Heart Gallery.

District of Columbia

Learn how to become a foster or adoptive parent through D.C.’s Child and Family Services Agency

Florida

Learn about foster care options in Florida.
Explore adoption through the Florida Department of Children and Families at adoptflorida.org

Georgia

Visit the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services’ website, fostergeorgia.com
Learn about adoption in Georgia.

Hawaii

Learn about fostering in Hawaii
State-licensed Agencies in Hawaii include Adopt International, Family Options, and A Family Tree

Idaho

Learn about child and family services and foster care through the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare.

Illinois

For information about Illinois foster care see the DCFS website.
For information about Illinois adoption see the DCFS website.
View the Heart Gallery of Illinois.

Indiana

Indiana foster care information from the Department of Child Services
Learn about adoption with the Indiana Adoption Program
Meet Indiana’s waiting children

Iowa

Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services partners with Four Oaks Foster & Adoptive Connections to recruit and retain stable, nurturing, and diverse foster and adoptive families.

Kansas

Learn about foster care services in Kansas.
The Kansas Department for Children and Families works with Adopt Kansas Kids to place adoptive children with families.

Kentucky

Find information from the Kentucky Foster Adoptive Caregiver Exchange System (KY FACES) .

Louisiana

Learn about foster parenting from the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services
Learn about adoption from the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services

Maine

Find information from Maine ‘s Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS).
OCFS partners with Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (AFFM) to provide support to resource and adoptive families.

Maryland

Learn about foster care through the Maryland Department of Human Services
Learn about adoption services through the Maryland Department of Human Services
View the list of private adoption services licensed in Maryland

Massachusetts

Learn about foster care from the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families
Learn about adopting through Massachusetts DCF

Michigan

Michigan’s Health & Human Services department works through Foster Care Navigator to answer questions about fostering and make child placements.
Michigan’s Health & Human Services department runs the state adoption program through Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE)

Minnesota

Learn about foster care through Minnesota’s Department of Human Services
Learn about adoption through Minnesota’s Department of Human Services
Visit the Reel Hope Project to learn more about Minnesota kids awaiting adoption

Mississippi

Learn about foster care with the Mississippi Dept. of Child Protection Services
Learn about adoption with the Mississippi Dept. of Child Protection Services
Check out the Mississippi Heart Gallery

Missouri

Learn about foster care and adoption through the Missouri Department of Social Services
Meet the children looking for their forever homes in Missouri’s Adoption Heart Gallery

Montana

Get info on becoming a foster parent in Montana with Montana’s Department of Health and Human Services
Learn about adoption in Montana with Montana’s Department of Health and Human Services

Nebraska

Learn about foster care through Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services
Learn about adoption through Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services
See children awaiting adoption in the Nebraska Heart Gallery

Nevada

Learn about foster care through Nevada’s Division of Child & Family Services
Learn about adoption through Nevada’s Division of Child & Family Services

New Hampshire

Learn about fostering with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
ADOPT NH is New Hampshire’s online tool for connecting foster children who are waiting to be adopted with their forever families.

New Jersey

Get info on foster and adoption services from New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families

New Mexico

Learn about foster care options through New Mexico’s Children, Youth & Families Department
Learn about adoption through New Mexico’s Children, Youth & Families Department

New York

Learn about foster care with New York’s Office of Children and Family Services
Learn about adoption with New York’s Office of Children and Family Services
New York City has its own foster care and adoptive resources

North Carolina

Learn about adoption and foster care through North Carolina’s Child Welfare Services.

North Dakota

Learn about foster care options with North Dakota’s Health & Human Services department
Learn about the adoption program through North Dakota’s Health & Human Services department

Ohio

To learn more, visit the official website for adoption and fostering in Ohio.
View profiles of kids in Ohio awaiting adoption.

Oklahoma

Visit the Oklahoma Fosters Resource Center website for more information on adoption or becoming a foster parent in Oklahoma.

Oregon

Find out about foster care through the Oregon Department of Human Services
Find adoption info and resources through the Oregon Department of Human Services

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services oversees the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN) for services in foster care and child adoption.

Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) seeks to partner with families and communities to raise safe and healthy children and youth in a caring environment.
Learn more about fostering and adoption in Rhode Island from DCYF
Adoption Rhode Island is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to create safety, belonging and permanency for adopted and foster children, vulnerable youth, and families through compassionate services, advocacy, and education.

South Carolina

Get started with foster care info from the South Carolina Department of Social Services
Learn about public adoption with the South Carolina Department of Social Services

South Dakota

Find out about foster care opportunities with the South Dakota Department of Human Services
Learn more about adoption opportunities with the South Dakota DHS

Tennessee

Get details on Tennessee’s foster care program
Explore adoption with Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services

Texas

Learn about foster care in Texas through the Department of Family and Protective Services
Learn about adoption in Texas through the Department of Family and Protective Services
Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops offers resources for collaborators for the foster journey
Additionally, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) manages the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE), which helps match children awaiting adoption with adoptive parents
View children awaiting adoption in TARE’s Heart Gallery

Utah

Utah Foster Care (UFC) fulfills Utah’s foster care needs through a contract with the Utah’s Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS)
Utah’s Adoption Connection works in partnership with Utah’s Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS) to match children with adoptive families
Check out Utah’s Adoption Connection’s Heart Gallery

Vermont

Learn about foster care and adoption in Vermont through the Department for Children and Families

Virginia

Get information about becoming a fostering or adoptive parent in Virginia with the Department of Social Services

Washington

Learn about foster parenting in Washington through the Department of Children, Youth & Families
Learn about adoption in Washington through the Department of Children, Youth & Families

West Virginia

Learn about becoming a foster parent in West Virginia through the Bureau for Social Services
Mission West Virginia recruits foster families and provides life skills education
KVC West Virginia is a private, nonprofit child welfare organization that offers foster care and adoption, with the goal of enriching and enhancing the lives of West Virginia children and families

Wisconsin

Learn about becoming a foster parent in Wisconsin from the Department of Children and Families
Learn about paths to adoption in Wisconsin from the Department of Children and Families
For more information on types of adoptions in Wisconsin, and how to become an adoptive parent, visit the Wisconsin Adoption Information Center
The Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center (FCARC) offers a variety of resources for both foster care and adoption

Wyoming

Learn about foster care and foster care training with the Wyoming Department of Family Services
Learn about adoption through the Wyoming Department of Family Services