Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Child Welfare - Adoption and Foster Care Program

Foster care and adoption services available to Native Families living on and near the Leech Lake Reservation

Description

The Adoption Program finds adoptive homes for Leech Lake children who are available for adoption via Child Protection. They are not able to assist with private adoptions.

Pre and Post Adoption resources are available for adoptive families. The adoption process will take a minimum of six months to one year. Adoption subsidies are available for those children who are eligible.

Adoptive families must be either licensed or eligible for licensure in Foster Care while awaiting for finalization of the adoption.

Additional programs include:

• Urban Child Welfare Program: Advocates for the needs of Leech Lake children while in foster care and provides support for families to reunify with their children
• Youth Living Skills Program: Assistance to make the transition to self-sufficiency or young adults who have aged out of the foster care program

The Foster Care Program provides foster care licensing for Native Families on and near the Leech Lake Reservation. The program seeks extended family members or other Native Families to care for children who need to be placed out of the home until the child can be reunified with their family. These homes are intended to provide a short-term, safe and stable environment for children while their family works to improve the conditions that resulted in the out of home placement.

Features

• Area Served by County
  • Beltrami County
  • Cass County
  • Hubbard County
  • Itasca County

• Specialization
  • Native American Community

Eligibility

Eligibility for Adoption:

• 21 years and older
• Enrolled or eligible for enrollment (first generation descendants may apply, however, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Commission will need to approve the application)
• Steady Income
• Driver's License
• Pass Criminal Background Check
• Pass Social Services Background Check

Eligible applicants to become foster parents must:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Pass the substance abuse test
• Pass the three background checks
• Pass the physical exam
• Health and safety home visit