Domestic Intermediary Services

Search, outreach, background and openness services are available to all members of the adoption circle, in some cases including extended family members of those touched by adoption.

Search and Outreach Services for Adopted Persons*:
We would be happy to assist you with your search to find birth family members if your adoption was done through Children's Home Society & Family Services (formerly Children's Home Society of Minnesota) or one of our contract agencies**. Services include: 
    - Search Services
    - Outreach Services
    - Openness Services

Search and Outreach Services for Birth Family Members:
We would be happy to assist you with your search to find birth children if the adoption was done through Children's Home Society & Family Services (formerly Children's Home Society of Minnesota) or one of our contract agencies**. Services include: 
    - Search Services
    - Outreach Services
    - Openness Services

Non-Identifying Background Information:
To answer your questions about the background surrounding your adoption, we can help you by compiling and presenting you with a written genetic background history only if the adoption was done through Children's Home Society & Family Services (formerly Children's Home Society of Minnesota) one of our contract agencies**. 

To begin the outreach process, call the CHSFS Post-Adoption Services Information Team at 800.952.9302 from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Or e-mail Post-Adoption Services staff at pas@chsfs.org. They will provide you with a registration packet and information regarding the fees for this service. 

Frequently asked questions about Domestic Intermediary Services

* Current Minnesota Statute states that adopted persons age 19 or older may request a copy of their original birth certificate. A birth parent may or may not give permission for the information on the birth certificate to be released. Adopted persons 19 years or older may request the agency that arranged their adoption to locate their birth parents for the purpose of obtaining updated information and/or requesting contact. If the adopted person is younger than 19 years old, the adoptive parents may request this service. Birth parents may request the agency to contact an adopted person 19 years or older or the adoptive parents of a minor child. Adopted persons placed after August 1, 1982, may contact the agency regarding identifying information about their birthparent(s) if their birthparent(s) signed an affidavit to release this information. Parents adopting a child after August 1, 1987, are required to notify the agency if their child dies. Birth parents are requested to contact the agency if they wish to be informed about the death of a child.

**CHSFS has contracts to provide domestic search and background services for clients of the adoption circle who worked with the following agencies:  Ramsey County, Hennepin County, Jewish Family Services Minneapolis and St. Paul, Lutheran Family Home and HOPE International Children’s Service.