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There are 6 basic types of adoptions processed in Hennepin County:
Adult Adoption – The adoption of a person age 18 or older.
Private Agency Adoption - A private agency (e.g., Catholic Charities or Lutheran Social Services) places the child with the adoptive parent and supervises the adoption. See Adoption Rule 28.
County Social Services Agency Adoption - A county social services agency places the child with the adoptive parent as part of a Child In Need of Protection or Services (CHIPS) proceeding. The child’s parents either consent to the adoption or their rights are terminated, thus making the child a ward of the State and freeing the child for adoption. See Adoption Rule 28.
Direct Placement Adoption – The biological parent places the child directly with the adoptive parent either in an emergency or non-emergency and the agency (e.g., Catholic Charities or Lutheran Social Services) supervises the placement. See Adoption Rule 29.
Intercountry Adoption – The child is born in another country and either (1) the adoption takes place in that country and is “formalized” in Minnesota (IR3) or (2) the adoption takes place in Minnesota under Minnesota laws (IR4). See Adoption Rule 30.
Step/Co-parent Adoption - After all rights and responsibilities of the child’s biological parent are terminated either involuntarily or through consent, the child is adopted by the spouse (step/co-parent) of the child’s other parent. See Adoption Rule 27.
Hennepin County Adoption Information
MN Rules of Adoption Procedure
Adoption Court Forms