Permanency Services Resource Hub

A Guide for School Supports
Professionals and Community Members

Developed by Foster Adopt Minnesota on behalf of the Public Private Permanency Collaboration (PPPC) and
Permanency Support Services (PSS) agencies in Minnesota.

Funded by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).

PREFACE

When the Permanency Services Resource Hub was launched in 2024, the goal of creating a centralized resource in which to access information about the services provided by the Public Private Permanency Collaboration (PPPC) and Permanency Support Services (PSS) agencies that are available to families and professionals throughout the state was achieved. While many who have accessed the Resource Hub have since stated that it has been a helpful resource, the development team has also received a number of questions around how professionals in particular could most impactfully utilize the Resource Hub in their respective roles. This guide was developed in response to the feedback received.

Our early discussions during the development of this guide centered around our target audience for this guide. While we certainly hope this guide will be helpful for professionals and community members who are deeply entrenched within the child welfare and adoption systems—we also wanted to reach professionals and community members who don’t necessarily work within these systems, yet may encounter members of the kinship, foster, and adoption communities through their roles.

Months of envisioning, planning, and hard work went into creating the Permanency Services Resource Hub and our hope is that this guide will provide you with ideas on how you and your clients might utilize the Resource Hub, and when it may be helpful to do so.

To explore the Permanency Services Resource Hub, visit https://permanencyhubmn.org/.

 

ABOUT THE PERMANENCY SERVICES RESOURCE HUB

The Permanency Services Resource Hub is funded by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (MN DCYF) and developed by Foster Adopt Minnesota (FAM) on behalf of all Public Private Permanency Collaboration (PPPC) and Permanency Support Services (PSS) agencies in Minnesota.

Launched in 2024, the Permanency Services Resource Hub was born out of the 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 them throughout Minnesota.

Which Agencies Provide PPPC and PSS Services?

In Minnesota, there are two primary groups of agencies funded by DCYF to provide pre- and post-permanency services to children, youth, families, and professionals throughout the state. The Resource Hub is designed to raise awareness about the services provided by the PPPC 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.

Public Private Permanency Collaboration (PPPC)

The Public Private Permanency Collaboration (PPPC) is made up of six (6) private MN-based adoption agencies that are under contract with MN DCYF to provide services to children and youth in foster care who are in need of permanency, as well as to prospective kinship and adoptive families. Services include, but are not limited to—agency-specific education, home studies, licensing, and post-adoption services.

The following agencies are under contract with MN DCYF to provide services through the PPPC grant:

  • Ampersand Families
  • Children’s Home Society
  • EVOLVE Family Services
  • Lutheran Social Service
  • Nexus-Kindred Family Healing
  • North Homes Children and Family Services

Permanency Support Services (PSS)

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 DCYF to provide services through the PSS grant:

  • Adoption Medicine Clinic (AMC)
  • Ampersand Families
  • Center of Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW)
  • Children’s Home Society (CHS)
  • EVOLVE Family Services
  • Families Rising
  • Foster Adopt Minnesota (FAM)
  • Lutheran Social Service (LSS)
  • Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC)
  • Minnesota Prairie County Alliance (MNPrairie)
  • Nexus-Kindred Family Healing
  • North Homes Children and Family Services
  • Ramsey County Children and Family Services
  • The Reel Hope Project
  • Time to Heal
  • White Earth Nation

While some of the services these agencies provide are specific to certain regions—a majority of the services provided are available to children, families, and professionals throughout the state.

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.

Permanency can 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.

RESOURCE HUB SECTIONS

The Permanency Services Resource Hub features a number of different sections and tools. Highlighted below are some of the sections and the information they contain.

PATHS TO PERMANENCY

This section includes information about no-fee adoption agencies that are under contract with MN DCYF to provide services to children and youth in foster care who are in need of permanency and to prospective kinship and adoptive families. Services provided include, but are not limited to—agency-specific education, home studies, licensing, recruitment, matching, and post-permanency services.

PERMANENCY SUPPORT SERVICES

Minnesota’s Permanency Support Services (PSS) program aims to enhance access to resources for kinship, foster, and adoptive families, while reducing foster care placements and re-entries after permanency through adoption or Transfers of Permanent Legal and Physical Custody (TPLPC). The program embraces a broad definition of “permanency”, emphasizing stable, loving, and lifelong connections that support children and teens in healing and thriving after familial separation.

This section highlights the agencies contracted by MN DCYF to deliver a range of services tailored to the needs of youth and families along the permanency spectrum—ensuring local access to education, resources, and support.

FIND A SERVICE

The “Find a Service” page contains two charts, one for families and one for professionals. Each of these charts lists various services and the corresponding agencies providing that service. For example, if a family is searching for respite care services, the chart indicates Ampersand Families, Time to Heal, and White Earth Nation offer this specific service.

Users can click on an agency’s name in the chart to connect to the agency’s website.

FOR PROFESSIONALS

This section of the Resource Hub offers a curated collection of tools, guides, and resources designed to support professionals working with kinship, foster, and adoption communities in Minnesota. While not exhaustive, the resources are regularly updated and include materials that may not be directly tied to PPPC or PSS agencies. Some areas of the site are password-protected, and intended for specific workers. See below for more information.

Resources within this section are categorized by several key areas, including Minnesota-specific contacts and forms, recruitment and family finding, diagnosis-specific and medical resources, disability services, mental health and crisis support, school-related tools, training opportunities, and guidance for working with diverse populations. It also includes national resources that may be beneficial.

Additionally, the Post Search Information portion of this page offers resources, information, and FAQ’s related to the post-search process and post-search related records.

PASSWORD-PROTECTED SECTIONS

The Resource Hub contains two sections that are password-protected and only accessible to DCYF, County, PPPC, and PSS workers. Due to the nature of the information being shared, access to this section requires verification via email and role identification.

One section contains information and links specific to referring a MN child or teen for recruitment services. Through this section, workers can learn about the child-specific recruitment services available—including Meet the Kids (Minnesota Live, All About Me, print media), Minnesota Heart Gallery, and The Reel Hope Project. Workers can also access direct links to PPPC agency Child-Specific (or Child-Focused) Recruitment referral forms.

Additionally, there is a Professional Calendar that contains information on professionals-only upcoming trainings, regional meetings, and more. This calendar is password-protected due to the fact that these meetings are not open to the public and some of the information shared may contain identifying information about children and youth in need of permanency and families who are hoping to adopt.

RESOURCES

This section of the hub primarily features national organizations, additional resources, services, and lived experience perspectives that may be helpful for all individuals, families, and professionals. Some Minnesota-based organizations have been included as well—particularly those providing training and other resources that are not necessarily specific to a geographic region.

FAMILY CALENDAR

The Family Calendar section highlights upcoming events, both virtual and in person, for youth and families in Minnesota’s foster care, adoption, and kinship communities. It features workshops, training sessions, support groups, and family-friendly activities like camps and picnics, with details on dates, formats, and registration.

CONTACT US FORM

The Contact Us form serves as an avenue through which families and professionals can connect with the Resource Hub team (Foster Adopt MN staff) to ask questions, request resources, connect with service providers, and more.

The Permanency Services Resource Hub is not a crisis resource, and requests submitted will be responded to within 2-3 business days.

Also included on this page is an Overview and Confidentiality Statement containing a summary of the support provided through the Permanency Services Resource Hub, confidentiality parameters, mandated reporting requirements, and what you are agreeing to when providing information and submitting the form to the Resource Hub team.

SCHOOL SUPPORTS

The school supports category includes professionals who serve children and families within educational settings, supporting stability, development, and access to appropriate services. These professionals often play a key role in identifying and addressing the educational and behavioral needs of youth impacted by trauma, placement changes, and system involvement. These professionals can utilize the Resource Hub to locate tools, supports, and referrals that are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and tailored to the educational needs of students in kinship, foster, or adoptive placements.

While not an exhaustive list, these are some of the numerous professionals and community members identified as belonging within this category.

  • School Social Workers
  • Special Education (SPED) Staff
  • General Education Teachers
  • Educational Supports Advocates
  • Early Childhood Professionals
  • School Nurses
  • School Counselors
  • Principals or School Administrators
  • Professors or Educator Trainers

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An 8-year-old student has navigated some significant transitions as they recently entered foster care and transferred into a new elementary school. The child’s team, which consists of a school social worker, the classroom teacher, the school counselor and the child’s foster care provider, meet to discuss how best to support the student’s transition. The foster care provider reports that the child is experiencing sleep difficulties and heightened anxiety, which are beginning to affect attendance and classroom behavior. The school staff want to ensure educational stability while coordinating with county workers and service providers.

During the meeting, many resources were shared, and the team identified several first steps to support this student and foster care provider:

  • The school social worker, uses the Find A Service page to help the foster care provider identify trauma-focused mental health providers in the area. They coordinate with the child’s county worker to access these services.
  • The foster care provider explores the Family Calendar to find upcoming webinars on trauma-informed parenting and a local caregiver support group.
  • The school social worker reviews the Permanency Support Services section to recommend agencies to help facilitate parent coaching and advocacy support for navigating special education services.
  • The classroom teacher explores national toolkits available on the Resources tab for shared strategies to support children in foster care in school settings.
  • The school counselor utilizes the For Professionals section to integrate resources into curriculum when working with children involved in foster care.

By the end of the meeting, the team had created a coordinated plan to address both the student’s immediate needs in the classroom and the caregiver’s need for longer-term educational and community supports.

CONTACT US

If you would like to contact the Permanency Services Resource Hub Team, please complete the Contact Us Form on the Resource Hub or email us at info@permanencyhubmn.org.

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