About

About the Permanency Services Resource Hub 


The Permanency Services Resource Hub is funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN DHS) and developed by Foster Adopt Minnesota (FAM) on behalf of all Public Private Adoption Initiative (PPAI) and Permanency Support Services (PSS) agencies in Minnesota. 

The Resource Hub was developed out of a need for current and prospective kinship, foster, and adoptive families and the professionals who serve these communities to have a statewide, centralized location to access information about the pre- and post-permanency services available to families in Minnesota. 

The Resource Hub is designed to raise awareness about the services provided by PPAI and PSS agencies in Minnesota and bridge connections for families and professionals to these agencies. The hub also addresses the spectrum of permanency-related needs for families ranging from those who are just starting the process of considering kinship care, foster care, and/or adoption—to those who have finalized adoptions or guardianships and are in need of resources and supports.

While there are a number of resources included on this website, the ultimate goal of the Permanency Services Resource Hub is to provide a pathway for families and professionals to access the information and services they need. The individual agency pages contain at-a-glance information about the services they provide so families and professionals are able to quickly assess whether the agency may offer the services to address their needs.

All visitors are encouraged to learn more about and connect with the agencies by visiting their websites through the links provided on their Resource Hub agency pages.

The information featured on the individual agency pages within the Paths to Permanency, Permanency Support Services, and Calendars sections of the Resource Hub have been provided by designated representatives from each of the PPAI and PSS agencies. Agency representatives are responsible for ensuring that all agency information provided to Resource Hub staff for inclusion on their individual landing pages and the hub calendars is accurate and as up-to-date as possible. 

What is “Permanency”? 

For children and youth in foster care, permanency is not about replacing the families they were born into—as those biological and emotional connections matter and will always exist in some way for those who have experienced familial separation and loss. 

The word “permanency” encompasses the many ways in which children and youth in foster care are able to attain physical, emotional, and legal stability through the supportive connections with adults in their lives who are committed to providing them with a lifetime of the love, care, and support they need to heal and thrive. 

It is important to be mindful of the fact that there is no right or wrong way to define family, as lived experiences can very much contribute to and shape each individual’s meaning and perception of family. 

Just as there is no singular definition of family, permanency can also take on many forms and meanings based on individual perceptions and experiences. Kinship care, guardianship, foster care (with the goal of reunification), and adoption can all serve as pathways to permanency for children and youth in Minnesota’s foster care system.

Which Agencies Provide PPAI and PSS Services? 

The Public Private Adoption Initiative (PPAI) is made up of six private adoption agencies in Minnesota that are under contract with MN DHS to provide services to children and youth in foster care who are in need of permanency and to prospective kinship and adoptive families. Services include (but are not limited to) agency-specific education, home studies, and post-adoption services.

The following agencies are under contract with MN DHS to provide services through the PPAI grant: 

The Minnesota Permanency Support Services (PSS) program was developed in 2017 with the goal of increasing access to services and supports for kinship, foster, and adoptive families and reducing the number of placements for children in foster care, as well as the occurrences of children re-entering foster care who had previously achieved permanency through adoptions or Transfers of Permanent Legal and Physical Custody (TPLPC). 

The following agencies are under contract with MN DHS to provide services through the PSS grant: 

 How Do I Navigate the Resource Hub? 

Resource Hub visitors have the option of navigating through the site starting with the “I am a current or prospective kinship, foster, or adoptive parent” and “I am a professional working with kinship, foster, and adoption communities” prompts that are featured on the home page, or via the menu options located within the hub’s navigation bar. 

Most sections of the site contain information for current and prospective families. The Paths To Permanency section contains information for prospective families interested in learning more about kinship care, foster care, and adoption services in Minnesota. The Permanency Support Services section features information for families ranging from those in the process of being licensed through those who have finalized adoptions or Transfers of Permanent Legal and Physical Custody (TPLPC) of children from Minnesota foster care and are in need of resources and support. 

While we encourage workers and professionals to peruse the entire site, the information located on the For Professionals, Professional Calendar, and Resources pages may be especially helpful to those providing support to the kinship, foster, and adoption communities in Minnesota. 

When navigating the sections of the hub that are specific to professionals, you may encounter some password-protected areas. These sections contain information specifically for DHS, County, PPAI, and PSS staff that may not be appropriate for families and other professionals to access. If you are a DHS, County, PPAI, or PSS worker in need of access to these areas, please contact info@permanencyhubmn.org to request the password. Please note that you must use a professional email and include your name, affiliation, and title when requesting this information.

Meet the Permanency Services Resource Hub Team

Christina Romo
Foster Adopt Minnesota
Post-Permanency Program Manager
Resource Hub Manager
FAM Primary Resource Hub Contact—PSS Agencies

 

Hayley Wiesman
Foster Adopt Minnesota
Information and Referral Specialist
FAM Primary Resource Hub Contact—PPAI Agencies


Jolie Ritchie
Foster Adopt Minnesota
IT Manager

Heather Van Brunt
Foster Adopt Minnesota
Permanency Services Director

 

Rachel Walstad
Foster Adopt Minnesota
Executive Director 

 

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