Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC)
If you are adopting a child that lives in a different state than you, you will surely hear the term “ICPC”. What is an ICPC? The Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) is the process in which the state in which the child resides, known as the “sending state” grants permission for the adoption of a child to adoptive parents that live in a different state known as the “receiving state”. If you are adopting from your home state, the ICPC is not required.
Your agency or attorney will help you submit proper documentation such as your home study, the child’s birth information and other health information, biological information about the birth parents, and relinquishment or termination documents from the birth parents. All this information is forwarded to the ICPC office from the “sending state” for approval and then forwarding to the “receiving state”. The purpose of the ICPC is to see that each state’s laws have been complied with for a legal adoption.
Once the “sending state’s ICPC office has approved the ICPC documents, you can return to your home state with your child. Although it’s not required, it’s always wise to use an agency or adoption attorney to assist you with your ICPC. Using a professional will insure that your adoption process is handled legally and does not jeopardize your position as the adoptive parents.
Most ICPC processes take 5 to 14 business days or longer depending on the state and the current ICPC requests, so be prepared to stay for a length of time in your child’s state of birth or residence. During this time, your child will be with you. This is an excellent time for you to bond with your child and certainly check out the local scenery so you can tell your child about the place where they came from. This may also be an excellent opportunity for you to pick up a lithograph of a local historical building or a piece of art from a well-known local artist for your child.
Below is a listing of state agencies that may help you find a contact for the ICPC in the state in which your child lives.
Alabama Alabama Department of Human Resources Family Services Division, Office of Adoption 50 North Ripley Street Montgomery, AL 36130 (334) 242-9500 http://www.dhr.state.al.us/fsd/adopt.asp
Alaska Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Division of Family and Youth Services PO Box 110630, 130 Seward Street, Room 4F Juneau, AK 99811-0630 (907) 465-3191 Fax: (907) 465-3397 http://www.hss.state.ak.us/ocs/
Arkansas Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Children and Family Services P.O. Box 1437, Slot S567 Little Rock, AR 72203-1437 (501) 682-8556 Fax: (501) 682-8561 http://www.state.ar.us/dhs/chilnfam
California California Department of Social Services Children and Family Services Division 744 P Street, MS 19-78 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 657-2265 Fax: (916) 323-9266 http://www.childsworld.ca.gov
Connecticut Connecticut Department of Children and Families Office of Foster and Adoption Services 505 Hudson Street Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 550-6469 Fax: (860) 566-6726 http://www.state.ct.us/dcf
Delaware Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families Office of Case Management 1825 Faulkland Road Wilmington, DE 19805 (302) 633-2698 Fax: (302) 633-2652 http://www.state.de.us/kids/default.shtml
Florida Florida Department of Children and Families 1317 Winewood Boulevard, Building 7 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0700 Fax: (850) 487-4337
Arizona Arizona Department of Economic Security Children, Youth and Families Division 3225 North Central, 10th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85012 (602) 235-9134 Fax: (602) 351-2271
Idaho Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Division of Family and Community Services PO Box 83720, 450 West State Street Boise, ID 83720 (208) 334-5500 Fax: (208) 334-6699
Illinois Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Division of Foster Care and Permanency Services 406 East Monroe Street Springfield, IL 62701-1498 (217) 785-2680 Fax: (217) 785-2459
Indiana Indiana Division of Family and Children Bureau of Family Protection and Preservation 402 Washington Street, Room W-364 Indianapolis, IN 46201 (317) 232-4769 Fax: (317) 232-4436 http://www.state.in.us/fssa/adoption Iowa Iowa Department of Human Services Adult, Children and Family Services Hoover State Office Building, 5th Floor Des Moines, IA 50319 (515) 281-5730 Fax: (515) 281-4597 http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/dhs2005/dhs_homepage/children_family/adoption/index.html
Kansas Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Children and Family Policy Division 915 SW Harrison, 5th Floor Topeka, KS 66612 (785) 296-4648
Maine Maine Department of Human Services Bureau of Child and Family Services 221 State Street Augusta, ME 04333-0011 (207) 287-5060 Fax: (207) 287-5282 http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/howtoadopt.htm
Maryland Maryland Department of Human Resources Social Services Administration 311 West Saratoga Street Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 767-7506 Fax: (410) 333-0922
Michigan Michigan Family Independence Agency Child and Family Services Administration P. O. Box 30037 Lansing, MI 48909 (517) 335-6158 Fax: (517) 373-6177
Mississippi Mississippi Department of Human Services Division of Family and Children Services 750 North State Street Jackson, MS 39202 (601) 359-4998 Fax: (601) 359-4978
Missouri Missouri Department of Social Services Division of Family Services PO Box 88, 615 Howerton Court Jefferson City, MO 65103 (573) 526-5533 http://www.dss.state.mo.us/dfs/icam.htm
Montana Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Child and Family Services Division P.O. Box 8005 Helena, MT 59604-8005 (406) 444-5917 Fax: (406) 444-5956
New Hampshire New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth, and Families 129 Pleasant Street Concord, NH 03301 (603) 271-4708 Fax: (603) 271-4729 http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/FCADOPTION/default.htm
New Jersey New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Youth and Family Services Capital Center, 7th Floor SE, 50 East State Street Trenton, NJ 08625 (609) 292-0010 http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/adoption/adopt.html
New Mexico New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department PO Drawer 5160 Santa Fe, NM 87502-5160 (505) 827-8457 Fax: (505) 827-8433
North Dakota North Dakota Department of Human Services 600 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck, ND 58505 (701) 328-4152 Fax: (701) 328-2359 http://www.state.nd.us/humanservices
Ohio Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Office for Children and Families 65 East State Street, 5th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 466-4258 Fax: (614) 466-0164 http://www.state.oh.us/odjfs
Oklahoma Oklahoma Department of Human Services PO Box 25352, 2400 North Lincoln Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73125 (405) 521-3646 Fax: (405) 522-2433
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Office of Children, Youth, and Families Harrisburg State Hospital, Building 53, 2nd Floor Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675 (717) 772-5506 Fax: (717) 772-6857
South Dakota South Dakota Department of Social Services Child Protection Services Kneip Building, 700 Governors Drive Pierre, SD 57501-2291 (605) 773-3227 Fax: (605) 773-6834 http://www.state.sd.us/social/cps/interstate.htm
Utah Utah State Division of Child and Family Services Division of Children and Family Services 120 North, 200 West, PO Box 45500 Salt Lake City, UT 84145-7107 (801) 538-4100 Fax: (801) 539-3993 http://www.dcfs.utah.gov/adoption.htm
Vermont Vermont Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services 103 South Main Street, Osgood III Waterbury, VT 05671-2401 (802) 241-2141 http://www.projectfamilyvt.org/
Washington Washington Department of Social and Health Services Children's Administration PO Box 45711 Olympia, WA 98504-5710 (360) 902-7984 Fax: (360) 902-7903
West Virginia West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Office of Social Services 350 Capitol Street, Room 691 Charleston, WV 25301-3704 (304) 558-1260 Fax: (304) 558-4563 http://www.wvdhhr.org/oss/adoption/
Wisconsin Wisconsin Division of Children and Family Services Office of Children and Family Services PO Box 8916 Madison, WI 53708-8916 (608) 267-2079 Fax: (608) 264-6750
Wyoming Wyoming Department of Family Services 2300 Capitol Avenue, Hathaway Building Cheyenne, WY 82002-0490 (307) 777-3570 Fax: (307) 777-774
Virgin Islands Program Development & Evaluation Virgin Islands Department of Human Services 1303 Hospital Building A, Knud Hansen Complex Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, VI 00802 (340) 774-0930 Fax: (340) 774-3466
District of Columbia Department of Human Services District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency 609 H Street NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 698-4637 Fax: (202) 727-6881
New York New York Department of Family Assistance Office of Children and Family Services 40 North Pearl Street, Riverview Center, 6th Floor Albany, NY 12243 (518) 474-9406 Fax: (518) 486-6326