CDSS Adoption Regional Offices
The California Department of Social Services' (CDSS) Adoption Services Branch (ASB) facilitates adoption of children who need permanent homes by providing direct Agency and Independent adoption services through six regional offices located throughout the State. All six offices provide Independent adoption services and five of the offices also provide Agency adoption services. Collectively, the six regional offices operate the third largest adoption agency in California.
The ASB provides Agency adoption services for counties that do not have their own public adoption services. The services focus exclusively on the placement of court involved children, the majority of whom have special needs.
In an Agency Adoption, the child is placed for adoption by either the CDSS Adoption Regional Offices, county (public) adoption agencies, or licensed private adoption agency. A birth parent's parental rights are terminated either by court action or voluntarily relinquishing their parental rights. In the majority of cases, the adoption agency is responsible for the care, custody, and adoptive planning of the child until the completion of the adoption.
The ASB also provides Independent adoption services for 55 counties. In an Independent Adoption, it is the birth parent's decision and responsibility to select the adoptive parent(s) and to place the child directly with the adoptive family.
Parents who wish to place children for adoption and people who want to adopt can get information and assistance from the CDSS Adoption Regional Offices and/or licensed public and private adoption agencies.
Regional Offices and Counties Served
Arcata (Eureka):
- Agency Adoption: Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity
- Independent Adoption: Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity
Chico:
- Agency Adoption: Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter
- Independent Adoption: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama
Fresno:
- Agency Adoption: Mono, San Benito
- Independent Adoption: Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Benito, Tulare, Tuolumne
Monterey Park (Los Angeles):
- Agency Adoption: None
- Independent Adoption: Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura
Oakland:
- Agency Adoption: Mendocino
- Independent Adoption: Contra Costa, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus
Sacramento:
- Agency Adoption: Amador, Lake, Yolo, Yuba
- Independent Adoption: Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lake, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Yuba
Delegated Counties: Alameda, Los Angeles, and San Diego. These three county child welfare service agencies provide both Agency and Independent services.