Adoption

In permanency planning, nothing is more important than the child’s safety and well being. When best efforts fail to ensure that children can safely remain in, or return to their birth families, adoption provides a means of achieving permanency, often with a family the children know—relatives or foster parents.

Most children goaled for adoption have an “identified adoptive resource,” an individual or couple, whether kin or foster parent(s), who has agreed to adopt them.  For those children without identified adoption resources, matches are pursued using state and local data bases of approved adoptive homes. Every attempt is made to find a healthy, supportive home for children in need. 

Since 1996, DHS has engaged in a public-private collaboration between the state, the DHS Office of Children, Youth and Families, the Allegheny County Children's Court, and a private sector law firm, Reed Smith LLP, to address the necessity of safe, permanent homes for the children involved in the foster care system in Allegheny County. This collaborative effort, the Adoption Legal Services Project, is funded by the StateWide Adoption and Permanency Network.

Recognizing that the need for support, counseling and—in some cases—tangible aid continues as a new child is integrated into the family, DHS remains available to those who need services after adoptions are finalized.

CYF/PNC Subsidy Payment Debit Card Frequently Asked Questions
All subsidy payments for CYF placement services (foster care, adoption, permanent legal custodianship, and independent living) will be paid using a PNC Bank Debit Card beginning in August 2013. Learn more about this by reviewing the list of FAQs above.

Adoption Searches
Pa. Act 101 of 2010 created a new registry to allow adopted children and their birth parents to interact and exchange information.
 A synopsis of Act 101 by SWAN     The Pa. OCYF bulletin re Act 101

National Adoption Month in Allegheny County
Adoption Month is celebrated in November with a variety of events to raise awareness about the need for strong, loving adoptive homes. One high point of each year is National Adoption Day. On this day, children and their adoptive families are honored by Allegheny County with festivities and mementoes of the day.

Adoption Resources

Persons interested in preparing to be an adoptive family to a child(ren) in Allegheny County may contact the DHS Office of Children, Youth and Families Adoption Office at 412-473-2300 or the StateWide Adoption Network (SWAN) at 1-800-585-SWAN (7926).

 Adoption Tax Credit

Adoption and Fostering Requirements  

Adopt US Kids

Kids for Keeps

Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange

Three Rivers Adoption Council