Adoption Agencies in Kansas

If you are a pregnant woman or birth mother please click here to see information that is geared to your needs. 

If you are an adopting family we believe you will find the information below helpful. We begin by giving you information regarding child adoption law in Kansas (some of what you can and can't do) and then provide you with information on children available for adoption in Kansas.  We then relate how we can assist you during the adoption process, and finally we provide a list of licensed Kansas adoption agencies through which you can browse for additional information.

Before starting to search for a child to adopt or an agency to assist you, it is important that you understand how the adoption laws in Kansas may affect your decisions. Making informed decisions is the best way of increasing your chances of adopting a child.  By way of example, we have listed below a few of the important parts of Kansas child adoption law including such topics as advertising, adoption expenses, and the critical issue of ending the biological parental rights (called a Consent, Relinquishment or Surrender).

Use of Advertising and Facilitators in Adoptive Placements
Use of Advertisement
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 59-2123(a)(1), (b)-(c)

No person shall advertise that such person will adopt, find an adoptive home for a child, or otherwise place a child for adoption. This provision shall not apply to a licensed child placement agency.
As used in this section, ''advertise'' means to communicate by newspaper, radio, television, handbills, placards or other print, or broadcast or electronic medium.

Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 59-2123(a)(2)-(3)

No person shall offer to adopt, find a home for, or otherwise place a child as an inducement to a woman to come to such person's maternity center during pregnancy or after delivery.

No person shall offer to adopt, find a home for, or otherwise place a child as an inducement to any parent, guardian, or custodian of a child to place such a child in such person's home, institution, or establishment.

State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Birth Parent Expenses Allowed
Citation: § 59-2121(a)

Reasonable fees for legal and other professional services
Actual expenses, including medical costs for the birth mother and the child
The birth mother's living expenses
Expenses incidental to the adoption

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Citation: § 59-2121(c)

Expenses that are clearly excessive are prohibited.
Fees for legal and professional services performed outside the State shall not exceed the customary fees for similar services performed within the State.

Allowable Payments for Arranging Adoption
Citation: § 59-2121(c)

Reasonable legal or professional fees and services, not to exceed customary fees of similar services by professionals, are permitted.
Fees for legal and professional services performed outside the State shall not exceed the customary fees for similar services performed within the State.
Knowingly and intentionally accepting clearly excessive fees is a felony.

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child
Citation: § 59-2121(a)

Except as authorized by law, no person shall request or receive any consideration in connection with an adoption.

Accounting of Expenses Required by Court
Citation: § 59-2121(b)

A detailed accounting of all disbursements made shall accompany the petition for adoption.
The court has the power to review and disapprove any payments deemed unreasonable.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 59-2129; 59-2136(d)

Consent to an independent adoption shall be given by:
The living parents of the child
One of the parents of the child, if the other's consent is found unnecessary under § 59-2136
The legal guardian of the child, if both parents are dead or if their consent is found to be unnecessary
The court entering an order under section 65
The judge of any court having jurisdiction over the child pursuant to the code for care of children, if parental rights have not been terminated
Consent to an agency adoption shall be given by the authorized representative of the agency having authority to consent to the adoption of the child.

In a stepparent adoption, if a mother consents to the adoption of a child who has a presumed father or a father for whom the child is a legitimate child, the consent of such father must be given to the adoption unless such father has failed or refused to assume the duties of a parent for 2 consecutive years immediately prior to the filing of the adoption petition or is incapable of giving such consent.

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 59-2129

Consent to adoption shall be given by the child sought to be adopted if the child is over age 14 and of sound intellect.

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 59-2136(h)

If a mother desires to consent to the adoption of her child, a petition shall be filed in the district court to terminate the parental rights of the father, unless the father's relationship to the child has been previously terminated or determined not to exist by a court.

The court may terminate the father’s parental rights upon a finding, by clear and convincing evidence, of any of the following:

The father abandoned or neglected the child after having knowledge of the child's birth.
The father is unfit as a parent or incapable of giving consent.
The father has made no reasonable efforts to support or communicate with the child.
The father, after having knowledge of the pregnancy, failed without reasonable cause to provide support for the mother during the 6 months prior to the child's birth.
The father abandoned the mother after having knowledge of the pregnancy.
The birth of the child was the result of rape of the mother.
The father has failed or refused to assume the duties of a parent for 2 consecutive years immediately prior to the filing of the petition.
In making a finding whether parental rights shall be terminated, the court may:

Consider and weigh the best interest of the child
Disregard incidental visitations, contacts, communications, or contributions
As far as is applicable, the provisions also apply to the mother.

When Consent Can Be Executed
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 59-2114; 59-2116

A consent or relinquishment may not be given by the mother or accepted until 12 hours after the birth of a child. Any consent or relinquishment given by the mother before 12 hours after the birth of a child is voidable, prior to the final decree of adoption.

Consent in all cases shall have been executed not more than 6 months prior to the date the petition for adoption is filed.

Revocation of Consent
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 59-2114

A consent is final when executed, unless the consenting party, prior to final decree of adoption, alleges and proves by clear and convincing evidence that the consent was not freely and voluntarily given. The burden of proving the consent was not freely and voluntarily given shall rest with the consenting party.

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: § 59-2136

Notice of termination proceeding is given to every person identified as the father or possible father.
The court will determine if any man has formally or informally acknowledged or declared possible paternity.
If the putative father fails to appear, or if appearing, fails to claim custodial rights, parental rights shall be terminated.

Please visit adoption law in Kansas for more details.

Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, Kansas had 1,956 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 37 were under the age of 1 year, and 536 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Kansas public child welfare agencies was only 653, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all Kansas adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time). 

Remember that while you may be a resident of Kansas, you are not limited to adopting a child from Kansas.  You can adopt a child born in Kansas, a child born in any other U.S. state, or even a foreign born child.  What is important for you to understand is that infants and children are available for adoption in Kansas, in each of the other the 49 states, and in many foreign countries. 

Yes, we can help you and so can any licensed child adoption agency (we have listed several below).  By way of introduction to Adoption Services, Inc, I will relate to you a little about myself and our child adoption agency.

Almost 40 years ago I (Dr. Vince Berger) began working as a psychologist with pregnant teens in the Pittsburgh city school system. It was very challenging because in those days there were very few services for these young women, society was not yet accepting of unmarried and/or pregnant teens, and the word "adoption" was hardly ever used.

I loved the work I was doing and knowing that I was personally able to help so many of the pregnant women I was working with. But something was missing - I did not feel I was helping people enough. So, I set out to provide the personal and professional care that a birth mother and adopting family need and deserve in the adoption process.

I started a full service, non-profit adoption agency. Not just any agency, but one that was, and still is, dedicated to helping birth parents and adopting families receive the best and most comprehensive of adoption related services. Over the past 20 years, my staff and I have helped over 9,000 adopting families, birth parents, their babies and children.

I love helping people. I work 6 days a week and answer calls at all hours. The hours I put in are long but never hard, since I find so much joy and strength in helping others.

My goal continues to be to help you. Accordingly, in addition to the website you are on now and the Adoption Services website, we created Adopting Family Resources and International Adoption Help as well as Child Adoption Laws and Child Adoption Resources and Pregnancy And Children to give you a information and help.

I hope that you will call me or my staff so we can help you in the adoption process. However, if you don't want to call us, then please review the agencies listed here and give one of them a call. Do not give up until you get the help and attention you need and deserve.

Thank you for letting us help, and good luck.

Dr. Berger
and the staff of Adoption Services

Adoption Centre of Kansas, Inc.
1831 Woodrow Avenue
Wichita, KS 67203
Phone: (316) 265-5289
Fax: (316) 265-3953
Toll-Free: (800) 804-3632

Adoption and Beyond, Inc.
16236 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, KS 66085
Phone: (913) 381-6919
Fax: (913) 381-6909

Adoption of Babies and Children, Inc. (ABC Adoption)
9230 Pflumm Road
Lenexa, KS 66215
Phone: (913) 894-2223
Fax: (913) 894-2839
Toll-Free: (800) 406-2909

American Adoptions
9101 West 110th Street
Suite 200
Overland Park, KS 66210
Fax: (913) 383-1615
Toll-Free: (800) 236-7846

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Salina
PO Box 1366
Salina, KS 67401
Phone: (785) 825-0208
Fax: (785) 826-9708
Toll-Free: (888) 468-6909

Catholic Community Services
2220 Central Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66102
Phone: (913) 621-1504
Fax: (913) 621-4507

Christian Family Services of the Midwest, Inc.
10500 Barkley
Suite 216
Overland Park, KS 66212
Phone: (913) 383-3337
Fax: (913) 381-2547

KVC Behavioral HealthCare, Inc. (KVC)
21350 West 153rd Street
Olathe, KS 66061
Phone: (913) 322-4900
Fax: (913) 621-5730
Toll-Free: (888) 655-5500

Sunflower Family Services
1503 Vine Street
Suite E
Hays, KS 67601
Phone: (913) 625-4600
Toll-Free: (800) 555-4614