MINNESOTA ADOPTION RESOURCE NETWORK

ZERO KIDS WAITING (ZKW) PROGRAM - THE GATEWAY TO INFORMATION ABOUT ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE, AND KINSHIP CARE IN MINNESOTA. PROVIDES STATEWIDE INFORMATION ABOUT ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE, AND KINSHIP CARE BASED ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. RAISES PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL NEWS AND PRINT MEDIA. CREATES ONLINE FEATURES FOR CHILDREN IN MINNESOTA WHO NEED AN ADOPTIVE FAMILY IMMEDIATELY. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 THIS PROGRAM HAD 647,232 CONTACTS WHERE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL WERE PROVIDED, AND 112 CHILDREN REGISTERED ON THE STATE ADOPTION EXCHANGE WERE PLACED WITH ADOPTIVE FAMILIES. EDUCATION FOR FOSTER, ADOPTIVE & KINSHIP PARENTS, AND PROFESSIONALS: FOSTER ADOPT MINNESOTA SUPPORTS FAMILIES BY PROVIDING TRAININGS ON MENTAL HEALTH, THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA, AND COMMON CHALLENGES FOR ADOPTED CHILDREN AND THOSE IN FOSTER CARE AND KINSHIP PLACEMENTS. FAM IS A STRONG RESOURCE FOR PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE YOUTH CONNECTED WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. TRAINING OFFERED INCLUDES TOPICS SUCH AS SUPPORTING BIRTH FAMILY CONNECTIONS, WORKING WITH LGBTQAI+ YOUTH, TRAUMA, ATTACHMENT, IDENTITY, AND DIVERSITY. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 THE EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDED EDUCATION TO 13,806 PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS. HELP PROGRAM: FOSTER ADOPT MINNESOTA OFFERS A WARMLINE FOR ALL ADOPTIVE, FOSTER AND KINSHIP FAMILIES THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA AND IS STAFFED BY HELP SPECIALISTS WITH ADVANCED TRAINING IN PERMANENCY SUPPORT SERVICES. THIS FREE SERVICE CONNECTS FAMILIES WITH ADOPTION, TRAUMA AND ATTACHMENT COMPETENT THERAPISTS IN THEIR AREA, PARENT CONSULTATION, TRAINING, AND NEEDED COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THE HELP PROGRAM ALSO ASSISTS ELIGIBLE FAMILIES WITH FUNDING TO HELP WITH THE COST OF THERAPY WITH VETTED THERAPISTS AND ELIGIBLE SUPPORTS. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 THE HELP PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES TO 303 FAMILIES AND 199 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROFESSIONALS.POST-ADOPTION SEARCH PROGRAM: FOSTER ADOPT MINNESOTA PROVIDES POST-ADOPTION REFERRAL SERVICES TO ASSIST ELIGIBLE SEARCHERS IN CONNECTING WITH THEIR ADOPTION PLACING AGENCY AND COUNTY OF ADOPTION FINALIZATION. FAM ALSO PROVIDES POST ADOPTION FUNDING TO ELIGIBLE REQUESTORS WHEN OTHER FUNDING IS UNAVAILABLE. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 POST SEARCH SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 330 INDIVIDUALS. POST PERMANENCY NAVIGATOR: FOSTER ADOPT MINNESOTA SENDS OUTREACH AND POST-PERMANENCY SUPPORT INFORMATION TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS WHO HAVE RECENTLY FINALIZED ADOPTIONS OR TRANSFERS OF PHYSICAL AND LEGAL PERMANENCY CUSTODY. THE POST-ADOPTION NAVIGATOR HELPS TO ADDRESS THEIR QUESTIONS AND RESOURCE NEEDS, RAISES AWARENESS AROUND THE POST-PERMANENCY SERVICES AVAILABLE IN MINNESOTA, AND CONNECTS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO THOSE SERVICE PROVIDERSFOR UP TO 12 MONTHS PAST THEIR FAMILIES' ADOPTION. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE POST PERMANENCY NAVIGATOR OUTREACHED 877 ELIGIBLE FAMILIES.PERMANENCY SERVICE RESOURCE HUB LAUNCHED MIDWAY THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE PERMANENCY SERVICES RESOURCE HUB SERVES AS A CENTRALIZED WEB-BASED RESOURCE WHERE ADOPTIVE, FOSTER AND KINSHIP FAMILIES, ALONG WITH THE PROFESSIONALS THAT SUPPORT THEM, CAN LEARN ABOUT PERMANENCY RELATED SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, THIS WEB RESOURCES WAS ACCESSED 21,900 TIMES.