Every effort is made to assure accuracy in the listing of support groups and resources. Those wishing to attend support groups should contact the agency, county or sponsoring organizations before attending.
PARENT/CAREGIVER GROUPS – Open to Adoptive, Foster & Kinship Parents & Caregivers
Children’s Home Society of Minnesota & Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota Support Groups
Find support from a community of people who can relate to your experiences. We facilitate adoption-themed groups for birth parents, adoptees and adoptive parents.
Our groups are open to all individuals, regardless of placing agency.
Learn more here
Dakota County Parent Support Group & Children of Adoptive Families
Dakota County Parent Support Group & Children of Adoptive Families, monthly or bi-monthly. For more information, please call Ann at 952-891-7415 or ann.dempsey@co.dakota.mn.us Â
Families Rising MN
Families Rising of Minnesota provides support for adoptive, foster and kinship parents and caregivers and adoptees in the Metro and Greater Minnesota.
Learn more hereÂ
Main Street Family Services Adoptive, Foster & Kinship Family Group
Based in Elk River, Main Street Family Services is dedicated to helping families become the best they can be! They offer a variety of services including trainings, attachment based, trauma informed parent education, and parent support groups, amongst others. For more information, 763-595-1420
Learn more here
Olmsted County Adoptive Parent Support Group
Olmsted County sponsors a parent-led adoption support group. The group is open to the public and is tailored to meet the support and educational needs of foster parents, those families considering adoption, or those families who have adopted privately, publicly, domestically, or internationally.
For more information, please contact 507-328-6432Â
PACT for Families
PACT serves adoptive, foster, and kinship families in Kandiyohi, Meeker, McLeod, Renville, and Yellow Medicine Counties.
Learn more here
Patiently Waiting Adoption Family Support Group
Patiently Waiting was established to provide encouragement, education, and resources for those walking the adoption or foster care journey. This group meets in the Metro Area.Â
Learn more here
Rainbow Families Adoption Support Group
Rainbow Families offers regular, facilitated peer support groups for the LGBTQ+ family community in all its diverse forms.
Learn more here
PARENT/CAREGIVER GROUPS – Kinship (Grandparents & Other Kin)
Kinship Caregiver Support and Education Groups (LSS)
LSS Kinship Family Support Services provides education, information and compassionate support for families seeking resources in raising a relative’s or friend’s child.
Services include a kinship warmline, free webinars, links to resources and support groups.
Learn more here
PARENT/CAREGIVER GROUPS – Kinship National Resources
Generations United
Generations United, focuses on intergenerational issues including grandparents caregivers and foster grandparents.
Learn more here
PARENT/CAREGIVER GROUPS – Mental Health & Disabilities Support
Family Voices of Minnesota
Family Voices of Minnesota offers virtual or in-person parent groups, one-on-one peer support, resources and free webinars for families navigating disability services.
Learn more here
FASD Northern Minnesota Peer Support Group
For parents and other caregivers of children with known or suspected FASD.
Come for support and discussion about the joys, stresses, questions and challenges we face raising children (infant through adult) with known or suspected Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). All parents, foster parents, legal guardians and other kinship caregivers are welcome.
For questions, more information or to indicate interest, contact Mikki Anderson at mikkiha2000@yahoo.com or 218-398-0987.
Mental Health Association of Minnesota (MHAM)Â
MHAM offers a variety of peer-led mental health support groups in the Twin Cities, Duluth, and the Greater Minnesota area. Groups are open to anyone experiencing a mental health challenge. The MHAM website has many tools and resources for navigating mental health diagnoses and services.
Learn more here
NAMI Minnesota
NAMI Minnesota offers many free virtual and in-person support groups for families and adults living with mental illness. These groups are led by trained volunteers with lived experience with mental illness.
Learn more here
CHLSS Parent-Child Education & Support Groups Â
Preregistration is required prior to the first session in the series.
Children’s Home Society and Lutheran Social Service offer adoptee support groups which engage in age-appropriate discussions about diversity and culture, friendship, race, school issues, adoption and birth families. Each group is open to adopted children and their families, regardless of placing agency.
Learn more here
Families Rising of Minnesota
Families Rising of Minnesota provides support for adoptive, foster and kinship parents and caregivers and adoptees in the Metro and Greater Minnesota.
Learn more here
Adoptees MN
A peer support group for adult adoptees (age 18 and older).
While identities, affinities, and stories are unique, all share the experience of being adopted.
Meets once a month
Contact:Â adopteesmn@gmail.com
CH/LSS Adult Adoptee Support Group
A support group for adoptees ages 19 and up from all placing agencies seeking to connect and learn from each other’s shared experiences.
Meets the second Thursday of each month.
Learn more here
Concerned United Birthparents
Concerned United Birthparents, a monthly support group for birth family members and adult adoptees
Learn more here
Reuniting Minnesota
Reuniting Minnesota, an interactive e-mail group providing support, advice and, in situations where adoptees no longer live in Minnesota or near the area of their birth or adoption, assistance to adoptees in searching for birth family
Email:Â reunitingminnesota@gmail.com
Facebook group page:Â https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReunitingMinnesota/
Bellis(Stronger Together Support Group)
Bellis hosts weekly gathering for mothers who have experienced termination or transfer of parental rights – or similar. Participants bring a full spectrum of circumstances. Their common ground is grief – and how to move ahead without parenting some or all of their children. Specifically, the groups serve women for whom the legal determination is final.
Monthly Evening of Connection meetings are hosted for all touched by adoption and foster care, with a hybrid of online and in-person options.  This wide spectrum of experiences brings a sense of commonality that is affirming and encouraging. The event is free for attendees. Please click Calendar — Bellis (mybellis.org) for the calendar and a link to the meeting
Learn more here
CHLSS-Birth Parent & Adopted Adult Support Group
Group purpose and mission:
~Attendees are birth parents and adopted adults who are not related.
~Attendees are considering search and reunion, are in reunion or  post reunion.
~Attendees may attend regardless of adoption agency used, domestic & international.
~Attendees are seeking a support group to meet other adoptees and birth parents who are supportive of one another and willing to share their reunion journey, including their successes, disappointments and joys.
Learn more here
Concerned United Birthparents
Concerned United Birthparents, a monthly support group for birth family members and adult adoptees
Learn more here
Email jritchie@fosteradoptmn.org to add or update your group info