Providing Adoptive Parents With Information About Adoptees and Their Birth Families - Minnesota

Date: August 2020

Agency or Person Preparing the Report

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 259.43

A birth parent or an agency, if an agency placement, shall provide a prospective adoptive parent with complete, thorough, detailed, and current social and medical histories of the child being adopted, if information is known after reasonable inquiry.

Contents of Report About the Adopted Person

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 259.43

The child's social and medical histories must be provided on a form or forms prepared by the commissioner and must include background and health histories specific to the child. Applicable background and health information about the child includes the following:

  • The child's current health condition, behavior, and demeanor
  • Placement history
  • Education history
  • Sibling information
  • Birth, medical, dental, and immunization information

Redacted copies of pertinent records, assessments, and evaluations shall be attached to the child's social and medical histories.

Contents of Report About the Birth Family

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 259.43

The social and medical histories must include background and health histories specific to the child's birth parents and other birth relatives. Applicable background information about the child's birth parents and other birth relatives includes the following:

  • General background information
  • Education and employment histories
  • Physical health and mental health histories
  • Reasons for the child's placement

When the Report Is Made

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 259.43

The child's social and medical histories must be provided to the prospective adoptive family prior to adoptive placement; provided to the Department of Human Services with application for adoption assistance, if applicable; and filed with the court when the adoption petition is filed. In a direct adoptive placement, the child's social and medical histories must be filed with the court with the motion for temporary preadoptive custody.

Exceptions for Stepparent or Relative Adoptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 259.43

These requirements apply to any adoption under this chapter, except a stepparent or an adult adoption under § 259.241.

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