California post-adoption support

Below are post-adoption support services available to families who live in California. Services may not be available in all areas and/or may be dependent upon the circumstances of the placement. Please check with your post-adoption services provider about the availability of specific post-adoption or guardianship support services for your family. You can also visit Child Welfare Information Gateway for information on Adoption and Guardianship Assistance, as well as additional information on post-adoption support.

Post-adoption/guardianship support services

In California, adoptive families have access to the following services through a post-adoption support program:

Child and youth assessments
Information (websites, fact sheets, articles, etc.)
Referral to services
Training/other development
Birth family mediation
Peer support for parents
Peer support for children/teens
Mentoring for parents
Mentoring for children/teens
Case management
Educational support
Respite care
Camps, retreats, or other events
Financial/material support
Community-based therapeutic services
In-home therapeutic services
Residential therapeutic services
Crisis intervention

The specific services available may vary by county and depend on the needs of the child and the circumstances of the placement.

Who is eligible for these services?

Families who have adopted from the state’s foster care system
Families who have adopted from another state’s foster care system
Families who have adopted internationally or privately

Who provides these services?

Post-adoption services in California are provided through each county’s Department of Health and Human Services. The county public agency may provide services directly, or may contract with a private agency to provide support services to families. Find a list of county department websites at the County Welfare Directors Association website. You can find more information about available services at the California Department of Social Services, Adoption Resources website. The California Association of Adoption Agencies also has additional information on post-adoption services.

Parent support groups

Below are support groups for adoptive, kinship, and foster families. Support groups may be offered as part of a state’s post-adoption/guardianship support program, through a statewide or regional foster or adoptive parent association, through specific agencies, or may be run independently. If we have additional information about the group’s purpose or the community served, it’s provided under the group’s contact information.

To add a group or make a suggestion, email the AdoptUSKids family support team.

Statewide association

California State Foster Parent Association

Parent groups

Adopt Salon Constellation Support Group - Los Angeles, Adoptive Parent Support Group
jeanette@yoffetherapy.com
310-351-8113
Location: Los Angeles

Adoption Connection/Jewish Family Services
families@adoptionconnection.org
Location: San Francisco

Adoption Horizons
Cindy@adoption-horizons.org
707-476-9210
Location: Eureka

Adoptive Families Support Group
661-722-4220
Location: Lancaster

Adoptive Parents & Family Support Group & Playdates
Locations: Los Angeles and Tarzana

AFTER Adoptive Parent Education #4
Location: Salinas

AFTER Adoptive Parent Education #6
Location: San Jose
Region served: Bay Area

Alternative Family Services
info@afs4kids.org
Location: Oakland

Aspiranet Foster & Family Services – Adoption Agency
familycoordinators@aspiranet.org
Location: Clovis

Bay Area Adoption Services
lisa@baas.org
Location: Mountain View

Bethany Christian Services - North
bcsmodesto@bethany.org
Location: Modesto

Capital Adoptive Families Alliance
kimbrownkimbrown@yahoo.com
Location: Granite Bay
Region served: Sacramento

Child SHARE/South Bay Parent Support Group
yashherrington@yahoo.com
Location: Hermosa Beach
Region served: Los Angeles

Children's Bureau of Southern California
RFrecruitment@all4kids.org
Location: Los Angeles

Children's System of Care - Placer County
humanservices@placer.ca.gov
Location: Auburn

Chrysalis House, Inc.
megan@chrysalishouse.com
Location: Fresno

EMQ Families First
monique.brown@emqff.org
Location: Fresno

EMQ Families First
Jennifer.diehl@emqff.org
Location: Sacramento

Extraordinary Families
info@extraordinaryfamilies.org
Location: Los Angeles

Families Adopting In Response (FAIR)
wilmachu@gmail.com
Location: Palo Alto
Region served: Bay Area

Families for Children
ffc@families4children.com
Location: Roseville

Family Connections Christian Adoptions
info@fcadoptions.org
Location: Modesto

FASD Network of Southern California
annettek@fasdsoutherncalifornia.org

Five Acres The Boys' & Girls' Aid Society of Los Angeles
mguilfoyle@5acres.org
Location: Altadena

Foster Care and Adoptive Community
Location: Chatsworth

Foster VC Kids
homeswithheartvc@ventura.org
Location: Oxnard

Fresno County Department of Social Services
Location: Fresno

Grandparents As Parents, Inc.
Location: Canoga Park
Region served: Los Angeles

Guardians of Love
info@guardiansoflove.org
Location: Los Angeles

Hand in Hand Foundation
adoptions@handinhand.us
Location: Scott’s Valley

Hannah's Children's Homes
hannahs_adoption@yahoo.com
Location: Orange

Heart to Heart Post Adoption Support and Education
hearttoheartvspc@icloud.com
916-788-0199
Location: Roseville
Region served: Sacramento

Help One Child
jholmes@helponechild.org
Location: Los Altos
Region served: Bay Area

Holy Family Services – Counseling and Adoption
info@holyfamilyservices.org
Location: Los Angeles

Inner Circle Foster Care and Adoption Services
jillr@fosterfamily.org
Location: Van Nuys

International Christian Adoptions
info@4achild.org
Location: Temecula

Jewish Family Service of Orange County
info@jfsorange.org
Location: Irvine

Kern Bridges Youth Homes
jimv@kernbridges.com
661-396-2301
Location: Bakersfield

Kids & Families Together
connect@kidsandfamilies.org
805-643-1446
Location: Ventura

Kinship Center, Member of Seneca Family of Agencies
info@kinshipcenter.org
Location: Salinas

Latino Family Institute, Inc.
mquintanilla@lfiservices.org
Location: West Covina

Life Adoption Services, Inc.
info@lifeadoption.org
Location: Tustin

Lifetime Adoption Inc.
Linda@lifetimeadoption.com
Location: New Port Richey

Lilliput Children's Services
Region served: Amador, Calaveras, Yolo, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Trinity, Del Norte, Butte, Shasta, and San Joaquin Counties

Little People of America Adoption Committee
Location: Sonoma

Making a Difference Association
makingadifference112@gmail.com
909-420-0413
Location: Colton
Region served: Los Angeles

McKinley Children's Center
Location: San Dimas

Mountain Circle Family Services, Inc.
srossington@mountaincircle.org
Location: Greenville

Olive Crest Adoption Services
info@olivecrest.org
Location: Santa Ana

Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services
dtribbey@oyhfs.org
Location: Palmdale

Pact, an Adoption Alliance
beth@pactadopt.org
Location: Emeryville

Parents Anonymous Inc.
Parentsanonymous@parentsanonymous.org
Location: Claremont

Post Adoption Center for Education and Research
Location: San Francisco

Post Adoption Services Project
Location: Eureka

RESOLVE of San Diego

San Mateo Co Adoption Education Group
rhurst@smchsa.org
650-802-7631
Location: Belmont
Region served: Bay Area