Domestic Infant Adoption Fee Schedule

NOTE: There are no fees assessed to birth parents

Infant and Open Agency Program Fees
All fees payable with personal check, VISA® or MasterCard®, and are subject to change. Service fee disclosure, as required by Minnesota statute §259.37, follows:

Registration: $50
There is a one time, nonrefundable registration fee for all programs except Minnesota Special Needs Children and Re-Applications. (due with completed registration form)

Application: $500
This fee covers costs associated with the opening of the adoption file, processing the application materials, securing references and performing background checks. This fee is non-refundable once application processing begins. (due with application)

Pre-Adoption Education Workshop: $500 ($250 per person)
To begin the adoption process, you will attend the 2-day Infant Open Pre-Adoption Education workshop. This seminar is held every other month in the Twin Cities and is designed to educate families on the open adoption process and to prepare them to parent adopted children. (due prior to attending workshop)

Adoption Study: $2,000*
This fee includes social work interviews both in your home and in our offices as well as study document preparation. (due at start of adoption study)

NOTE: The Re-application Adoption Study Fee (for families who have completed one adoption, including Adoption Study, through LSS) is $1,200. (due at start of adoption study)

Outreach Program: $1,000
Once your home study is complete, you will begin the Outreach Program by attending a one-day Outreach Training in the Twin Cities, which will provide you with knowledge and resources needed to successfully reach out to prospective birth parents. This will be in addition to the 2-day pre-adoption education workshop required to complete your adoption study. Additionally, you will receive ongoing support from your LSS worker during the outreach process, and will have access to ongoing educational opportunities and LSS generated resources to assist you in your outreach efforts. (due at completion of adoption study)

Waiting Family Program: $4,500
Waiting Family Program: $4,500 Applicable only if you choose to participate in this outreach option. As part of your outreach efforts, you will be given the option of participating in the Waiting Family Program, as space becomes available, by creating a family profile for the Waiting Family Book. LSS birth parent clients utilize this book during their family selection process. This fee includes placement in the Family Book for birth parent selection, on-going education opportunities, facilitation of match meetings/relationship with birth parents, assistance with cooperative adoption agreements and placement planning. (due prior to placement in the Waiting Family Book)

Post-Placement Supervision Counseling: $1,500
Support and referral following placement of child (children). Includes report to court. (due at physical placement of child)

Birth Parent Services: $4,000 or $8,000 (fee depends on how you connect)*

*$8,000 Birth Parent Program - Applicable when family connects with birth parent through the waiting family book. Program fees include marketing and development of program, recruitment of birth parent clients, and services to birth parents. Services to birth parents include education, counseling, support, and assistance with implementing an adoption plan. Services to birth parents extend well beyond the hospital experience and the adoptive placement of their child, with birth parents receiving support and grief counseling on an unlimited basis. (due at physical placement of child)

*$4,000 Designated Birth Parent Program - Applicable when family connects with birth parent(s) through their own outreach efforts and birth parent(s) receive services through LSS. Services to birth parents include education, counseling, support, and assistance with implementing an adoption plan. Services to birth parents extend well beyond the hospital experience and the adoptive placement of their child, with birth parents receiving support and grief counseling on an unlimited basis. (due at physical placement of child)

*Note: Families working with birth parents who are not working with LSS should expect to pay Birth Parent fees to whoever is providing those services. Additional costs to third parties may apply depending on the services you and/or your birth family choose to use (such as travel expenses and fees to other outreach partners - agencies, attorneys, facilitators, etc.) We will work cooperatively with the other resources to facilitate your adoption.

Foster Care Utilization: $1,000
Applicable only if your child receives care in an LSS baby foster home prior to adoption. (due at physical placement of child)

Designated/Identified Program Fees
All fees payable with personal check, VISA® or MasterCard®, and are subject to change. Service fee disclosure, as required by Minnesota statute §259.37, follows:

Application: $500
This fee covers costs associated with the opening of the adoption file, processing the application materials, securing references and performing background checks. This fee is non-refundable once application processing begins. (due with application)

Pre-Adoption Education Workshop: $500 ($250 per person)
As part of the adoption process, you will attend the 2-day Infant Open Pre-Adoption Education workshop. This seminar is held every other month in the Twin Cities and is designed to educate families on the open adoption process and to prepare them to parent adopted children. (due prior to attending workshop)

Coordination/Facilitation: $1,000
Includes individual planning, coordination and facilitation of adoption between birthparents, agencies, attorneys and adoptive parents. (due at the first adoption study interview or prior to attending education; reduced to $500 if working with an American Academy of Adoption Attorney)

Adoption Study: $2,000
This fee includes social work interviews both in your home and in our offices as well as study document preparation. (due at start of adoption study)

Post-Placement Supervision Counseling: $1,500
Support and referral following placement of child or children. Includes report to court. (due at physical placement of child)

Birth Parent Services: $4,000*
Applicable only if your birth parent received services through LSS Birth Parent Services Program. Adoptive parents are responsible for birth parent program fees – no fees are ever charged to birth parents. Services to birth parents include education, counseling, support, and assistance with implementing an adoption plan. Services to birth parents extend well beyond the hospital experience and the adoptive placement of their child, with birth parents receiving support and grief counseling on an unlimited basis. (due at physical placement of child)

*Note: Families working with birth parents who are not working with LSS should expect to pay Birth Parent fees to whoever is providing those services. Additional costs to third parties may apply depending on the services you and/or your birth family choose to use (such as travel expenses and fees to other outreach partners - agencies, attorneys, facilitators, etc.) We will work cooperatively with the other resources to facilitate your adoption.

Foster Care Utilization: $1,000
Applicable only if your child receives care in an LSS baby foster home prior to adoption. (due at physical placement of child)

ALL FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
CLIENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FEES THAT ARE CURRENT WHEN THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED OR CONTRACTED FOR