Adoption Study--If you live in Minnesota, Iowa, Western Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., Maryland and counties in Northern Virginia or Richmond you will first complete your adoption study through Children's Home Society & Family Services. If you live outside of these areas you will first complete your adoption study through a local adoption agency. If you are not currently working with a local adoption agency, we recommend using one of our partner agencies.
Minnesota, Iowa and western Wisconsin families:
If you have attended an information meeting, you can complete the registration form and we will mail you an application packet.
CHSFS provides adoption study and post-placement services for families living in Minnesota, Iowa and the following western Wisconsin counties: Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, LaCrosse, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempeleau and Washburn.
Washington D.C., Maryland and counties in Northern Virginia and Richmond:
If you have attended an information meeting, you can complete the online registration form and we will mail you an application packet. For more information, please contact: Tiara Johnston at (301) 562-6505 or tjohnston@chsfs.org.
CHSFS provides adoption study and post-placement services for families living in Washington D.C., Maryland and the following Northern Virginia and Richmond counties: Arlington, Clarke, Culpepper, Henrico, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock, Richmond, Stafford, and Warren.
Families outside our local area:
If you are a resident of any state besides Minnesota, Iowa, Western Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., Maryland and counties in Northern Virginia or Richmond you may apply for an adoption with CHSFS using a local adoption agency in your state for your adoption study, and using CHSFS as the agency that offers you a choice of 10+ international country programs. Our work with you is done by phone, e-mail and mail. We help you choose a country, guide you through the country preparation process, refer a child for your adoption, and help you in your travel to that country or provide an escort for your child to come home to you.
Although CHSFS will work with most licensed and insured adoption agencies, we have special partner relationships with certain agencies across the country. If you have yet to select a local agency to prepare your adoption study report and post placement services, we encourage you to consider working with one of our partners.
If there is no partner agency available near where you live, or you choose to work with a non-partner agency, here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a local agency:
-
The agency must be licensed to provide adoption services in your state of residence, including writing an adoption study and providing post placement reports.
-
CHSFS requires that the agency carry liability insurance for their services in the amount of $1 million dollars aggregate (this protects you, the child and CHSFS; we will ask them to provide a copy when you apply).
-
-
Also, check to see that they are experienced in writing international adoption studies (familiarity with the international steps and requirements will be important in your process). They do not have to have any of their own international programs, however. Your social worker will need to sign that you have completed a minimum of 10 hours of adoption education.
You can sign up for a free information meeting, or receive printed information on CHSFS's programs.
If you have made your decision to adopt from CHSFS, you may download, and complete this application on your home computer, print it out and send it to us to begin your work with CHSFS. Click to download application.
When we receive the completed and signed application materials, we will notify you regarding the next steps of your adoption process, which includes the completion and return of the Cultural Awarness Parenting Plan along with other items.
| 
