Those who want to adopt in Mississippi can contact the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) or a private child-placing agency.

MDHS and the Division of Family and Children Services have a department called the Mississippi Adoption Resource Exchange. Potential adoptive families can visit their online web site to view children waiting for adoptive homes.

Children who are adopted through MDHS will have very low adoption fees and many times the children also qualify for financial assistance that helps with the attorney fees.

Families who choose a private child-placing agency will have several required fees including: an application fee, home study fee, agency fees, attorney fees, match fees, and any other fees related to the adoption. Adopting through a private agency can get very expensive, however, many families choose agencies because they want to adopt an infant or a younger child.

The agencies may facilitate domestic adoptions within the United States and/or International Adoptions in other countries. The adoptive family will still need an international home study if planning on adopting a child from another country.

In domestic adoptions, the birth parents may decide to choose an adoptive family from several profiles of families who want to adopt. They may choose after seeing pictures or meeting the family in person.

International adoptions are when approved adoptive families are matched with a child who is an orphan of another country. The agency will help the family know what paper work is required by the country they are adopting from.

The family will need to complete all paperwork, before they can be assigned a child and get approved for a travel date to visit the child.

Back to the main Mississippi Adoption page.