Adoption

Since our founding in 1902, we’ve helped to bring more than 16,000 families together. We pair children of all ages with adoptive parents who will nurture and love them. Our dedication to adoptive families continues for a lifetime from the initial adoption process through post-adoption support.

The CHS Adoption Process

  • 1. Application

    Contact CHS and request adoption information and application.

  • 2. Meet with a Specialist

    Meet with a CHS Specialist to discuss your interest in adoption and the type of children for whom you could provide the best permanent home.

  • 3. Complete Training

    Complete a training class known as TIPS-MAPP (Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence: Model Approach to Partnerships in Parents) in your area.

  • 4. Home Assessment

    Complete a mutual home assessment and foster care license (required for adoption) and a home study.

  • 5. Approval

    Receive approval as a licensed foster home and discuss potential placements with your CHS Specialist.

  • 6. Visit with the Child

    Pre-placement visits with the child and people in the child’s life.

  • 7. Child Comes Home

    Child is welcomed into your home.

  • 8. Congratulations!

    Decree of Adoption is issued.

Learn More Get Started

Ensuring every child has a chance.

We want all children to find their forever homes. We use a specialized approach to match the longest-waiting children in foster care with families uniquely suited to their needs.

Adopt an Older Child

Types of Adoption

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INFANT ADOPTION

We work with a select number of families in our Infant Networking Program to keep our wait times for adoptive placement shorter and more reasonable.

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RELATIVE ADOPTION

We help relatives or adults close to a child through social and legal ties become their permanent adoptive families. 

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ADOPT AN OLDER CHILD

Statistically, children ages 9 – 20 have a much harder time finding adoptive families. We’re working to change this.

Adoption FAQs

If you have questions, we can help. Contact us today.

  • We encourage our families to both foster and provide respite while waiting to be matched, as this enhances your experience parenting a child with trauma.

  • You can both foster and adopt. It is important to know that most of the children needing an adoptive family are above the age of 9 or part of a sibling group.

  • Most of the children currently needing an adoptive family are above the age of 9 or part of a sibling group.

  • There is a $120 clerk filing fee per child, due during the time of adoption and should you elect to retain an attorney, the attorney with whom we partner charges $500 per child, both of these fees are often reimbursable. There are also incidentals during the foster care licensing process. (CHS licenses all families whether they want to foster, adopt, or both), and many of those can be found in the PDF booklet for here.

Foster Care with CHS

Even if only for a short period, the impact you can make in a child’s life through foster care can be immense. Learn more about this powerful opportunity to make a difference.

Learn More

Get Involved

Our community is vital to our success. Find out how your time, talent and resources can help more children find and experience loving families.

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It takes a village to raise a child. And it takes a community to affect lasting change. Invest in the lives of children and make a difference for families everywhere.