Getting Started

Family Focus provides adoption services to children under state guardianship or tribal guardianship at minimal costs to the families or county agencies contracting for these services. Most services are funded through the Minnesota Department of Human Services Public/Private Adoption Initiative (PPAI).

To get started, contact one of our Minnesota offices or call Kim at 612-604-1112.

METRO OFFICE
2800 University Ave., SE
Suite 204
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-331-4429
Fax: 612-331-3520

AUSTIN OFFICE
1111 28th Street, NE
P.O. Box 715
Austin, MN 55912
Phone: 507-434-3586
Fax: 507-434-4815

DULUTH OFFICE
11-15 Buchanan Street
Suite 212
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: 218-740-3146
Fax: 218-740-3147

FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS

The Family Focus Adoption and Foster Care Program requires the following of applicants:

• Age: Applicant must be at least 21 years of age.
• Application: Applicants are required to complete an application.
• Criminal Background Checks: Applicants and family and non-family members, living in the home, are required to complete and pass an Adam Walsh Background Study.
• Home Study Assessment: Applicants are required to participate in a home study assessment. The assessment will include a personal contact with each member of the family and must include home visits, a written social history, and various paperwork.
• Home Safety Requirements: Applicant's household must pass a Department of Human Service's Home Safety Checklist.
• References: Applicants must provide three references regarding their ability and experience to foster and/or adopt youth.
• Licensing Requirements: Applicants must meet Minnesota Department of Human Service Rules parts 2960.0010 to 2960.33.
• Experience/Training: Foster Care-Applicant must have two years' experience in fostering/adoption or specialized experience in working with youth or complete 25 hours of training on Parenting or Child Development issues. Applicants will receive 6 to 9 hours of pre-service orientation. Adoption-Applicants must complete 16 hours of pre-adoption training prior to the completion of their home study. Child passenger safety, SIDS, and Shaken Baby training is required before the placement of a child.
• Reliable Income: At least one applicant must have reliable income.
  

RECRUITMENT

• Family Focus will contract with county agencies that need child-specific recruitment services when an agency has determined that no relatives or family can be identified to adopt children under state guardianship.
• Creation of a Life Book with the children.
• Work with children to create opportunities for them to meet families interested in adoption.
• Monthly visits with families that are fostering children waiting for adoption and engage with them to develop strategies that will lead to adoption.
• Weekly check-ins and phone or email updates to Guardian ad Litem, county workers, foster parents, therapists, and supportive adoptive parents.

ADOPTION TRAINING SERVICES

• The Family Focus Adoption and Foster Care Program use a curriculum created by Spaulding for Children. The curriculum is called "Parents as Tender Healers, A Curriculum for Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Care Parents." The curriculum includes a participant workbook and videos. This 16-hour training is required prior to the approval of an adoption home study.
• Applicants will also be provided with a one-hour adoption orientation when they inquire with Family Focus.

ADOPTION HOME STUDIES

• We provide adoption home studies for families that are intending to adopt children under state guardianship for minimal fees.
• County and tribal social services agencies may request a Relative Adoption Home Study when a relative has expressed an interest in adopting children and a full disclosure of the children's history and relationship to the relative has been provided.
  

CHILD PLACEMENT ACTIVITIES

Family Focus will contract with placing county or tribal agencies and adoptive families to provide Child Placement Services, once children are placed with prospective adoptive families. These services include the following:

• Developing a placement plan in partnership with placing agencies and prospective adoptive families
• Scheduling monthly visits with the child and creating a Life Book
• Providing weekly supportive contact and a minimum of once-monthly visits to families.
• Providing post-adoption information, resources, and crisis intervention/planning with adoptive families
• Reviewing the placement plan every 90 days with placing agencies and families to ensure goals of placement are being met. This service is provided through finalization of the adoption.
• Working with county and tribal social service providers to provide information for required court reports and administrative reviews, as identified with assistance from the county or tribal social service placing agency

POST-ADOPTION SERVICES

• Links to support groups, other support systems, and community resources
• Guidance for the entire adoptive family
• Assistance in securing therapeutic services with competent adoption therapists and mental health professionals
• Education and outreach on behalf of your family with the wider community, including child care providers, court professionals, school professionals, foster and respite providers, day treatment professionals, and residential treatment facilities
• Support and resources for an adopted child who has been temporarily placed outside the home in foster or residential care

FILL OUT AN ADOPTION INFORMATION FORM
FILL OUT AN ADOPTION TRAINING REQUEST FORM

Foster Care

Family Focus provides specialized foster care for youth who require out-of-home professional care in the least-restrictive environment. To get started, contact one of our Minnesota offices.

METRO OFFICE
2800 University Ave., SE
Suite 204
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-331-4429
Fax: 612-331-3520

AUSTIN OFFICE
204 Oakland Ave. W
Austin, MN 55912
Phone: 507-434-3586
Fax: 507-434-4815

DULUTH OFFICE
11-15 Buchanan Street
Suite 212
Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: 218-740-3146
Fax: 218-740-3147

The Family Focus professional foster care program is focused on children with special needs including severe emotional and behavioral disturbances, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, and medically fragile youth. Appropriate referrals also include youth whose families are involved in concurrent planning where reunification efforts are possible. This service includes twice monthly contact from a licensed social worker/case worker that will provide supervision, coordination of individualized treatment plans, crisis intervention and specialized training to the foster parents.

Family Focus social workers/case managers are responsible for matching youth to potential foster homes and coordinating pre-placement visits. If the team believes the youth is initially a good match with the foster family, the social worker will facilitate the placement and schedule the treatment plan meeting.

This meeting will include the youth and his/her family, the Family Focus foster parent(s), the referring worker, the Family Focus social worker, and other significant people involved with the youth. Every youth’s needs are assessed, and an individualized treatment plan is developed with the youth and the treatment team.

The ongoing involvement and support of the youth’s family is an integral part of the treatment process. The youth and treatment team meet quarterly to review goal progress and to re-assess the treatment plan.

SPECIALIZED FOSTER CARE SERVICES

• Licensed through DHS Rule 4
• Assistance for youth in transition from residential treatment
• For youth with special needs such as emotional, behavioral, correctional, or developmental issues
• Intensive involvement of biological parents
• Individualized treatment plans
• Transition youth to independent living
• Whole family placements
• Continuing education for foster parents
• Whole family placements that provide a stabilization period for parents and children involved in the child protection system
• Child respite care in a Rule 4-licensed foster home to provide relief to primary caregivers of severely emotionally disturbed youth

FILL OUT A FOSTER PARENT INFORMATION FORM