Adoption Month: Michigan Searches for Permanent Homes for Over 320 Children in Foster Care

LANSING, Mich. – More than 320 children who are in foster care in Michigan need permanent homes as the state marks November as Adoption Month, as proclaimed by Gov. Rick Snyder.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services – in partnership with adoption agencies and the courts – works to find and create forever families through adoption. In fiscal year 2018, 1,931 children were adopted from the Michigan foster care system, according to MDHHS.
"It is important for all children to have a loving home that they can call their own," said MDHHS Director Nick Lyon. "While our priority is to safely reunify children in foster care with their parents, we rely on adoptive parents when it's determined that a child cannot safely return to his or her home."
People can adopt whether they're single or married. They don't have to be wealthy or own their own home, but must have adequate financial resources to provide for a family.
Children in the foster care system become eligible for adoption following termination of parental rights due to abuse or neglect. There were 13,710 children in the foster care system as of Sept. 30, 2018, but the goal for most children is safe reunification with their families.
New families are becoming "official" at Adoption Day ceremonies around the state this month, including Nov. 26 at the Michigan Supreme Court Hall of Justice in Lansing.
Those interested in adopting from foster care can contact the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange at 800-589-6273 or learn more about children available for adoption at mare.org. For more information about adoption in Michigan, visit michigan.gov/adoption.