Adoption in Alaska
People interested in adopting in Alaska can find children who are in the foster care system or through the use of a licensed child-placing agency that works with birthmothers who choose to place their child for adoption.
Adoptive parents can be single, married, or in a committed relationship. They can own a home or rent. They can have parented before or be new to parenting. They don’t have to have a large income. Families are sought on the basis of their ability to successfully parent a child and not on their race, ethnicity, culture, income, age, marital status, religion, appearance, or lifestyle.
In Alaska, in order to provide foster care or adopt a child from the foster care system, you must complete an orientation class and training, which is called CORE Training for Resource Families. The orientation and the CORE class is the same for foster parents, adoptive parents, and relative and kinship foster placements. Adoptive parents must also be fingerprinted, complete an application, and have a home study done. Once all the paperwork and training is completed, the family can be matched with a child. The social worker will provide ongoing support for six consecutive months after the child is placed with the family. The child can be adopted after the six month period and positive reports.
Foster Care in Alaska
There are approximately 1,200 children each month in foster care in Alaska. They find a temporary, safe, stable and nurturing home in foster homes until they can be reunited with their families. In some cases children stay in a foster home for days or weeks; some children stay for several years or even are placed permanently with another family.
In Alaska foster homes must be licensed, that is, state approved to provide care for children and they must meet basic standards of safety set by law and regulation. These standards include minimum age of 21, being physically and emotionally capable of caring for children, and having no alcohol or drug abuse problems, having references on the potential parent(s)’ moral character, mature judgment, ability to manage financial resources, and capacity for developing a meaningful relationship with children, being able to pass a criminal background check, as well as home safety and space standards.
Licensed foster parents receive a monthly stipend as a reimbursement to help with the cost of caring for a child in care. The rate is set by the state legislature, and is based on how many nights a child is in the foster home, the age of the child and the geographic location of the foster home.
Below you can find names, summaries, and contact information for agencies providing adoption and foster care services and helpful information.
Alaska Center for Resource Families
The mission of the Alaska Center for Resource Families is to provide support and training to all of Alaska’s resource families (foster, adoptive, relative caretakers and guardianship families) in order to strengthen them and enhance current skills, while developing new ones. They collaborate with OCS, Tribes, and others involved in the foster care and adoptive systems and seek to support, encourage, and assist individuals interested in becoming foster parents or adopting through the foster care system.
815 Second Avenue Suite 101
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone: 1-800-478-7307
Email: acrf@nwresource.org
Catholic Social Services
Catholic Social Services provides Alaskans with a wide range of human support services related to the basic necessities of life – food and shelter, physical health and safety, and emotional and spiritual well being.
The safety net of programs CSS offers includes two emergency shelters, a home for teen boys, a food pantry, supportive housing, an adoption and pregnancy support program, services for individuals with disabilities, and a refugee resettlement & immigration program.
Catholic Social Services Pregnancy Support and Adoption Services provide all services related to adopting a child, including Adoption Home Study Services, International Home Study/Postplacement Services, Infant Adoption, Special Needs Adoption, Waiting Child Program, as well as Post Adoption and Support Adoption Services.
3710 E. 20th Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Phone: 907.222.7300
Email: info@cssalaska.org
Fairbanks Counseling & Adoption
Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption (FCA) is a private, non-profit agency located in Fairbanks, Alaska. Licensed by the State of Alaska, Department of Health and Social Services, FCA has been providing adoption services since 1977.
FCA Adoption Department assists families and individuals who are interested in adopting a child providing them a variety of post-placement services.
912 Barnette St
Fairbanks AK 99701
Phone: (907) 456-4729
Email: fca@fcaalaska.org
Office of Children’s Services
The Office of Children’s Services works in partnership with families and communities to support the well-being of Alaska’s children and youth. Their main programs for supporting children, youth and families are Infant Learning Program, Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Planning and Child Protection and Permanency.
Office of Children’s Services (OSC) makes an informed assessment about whether the child is unsafe or at high risk, and the extent of the family’s protective capacities. OCS also provides services to families with children remaining in their home as well as to families whose children have been placed in out-of-home care.
PO Box 110630
Juneau, AK 99811-0630
Phone: 1-800-478-7307
Email: christy.lawton@alaska.gov (Christy Lawton, Director)