★ Licensed in Maryland since 19981,240+ children placed in forever familiesCall (410) 555-0147 — free consult
Baltimore • Annapolis • Frederick • Bethesda • Salisbury

Every Maryland child deserves family. We make it happen.

marylandadoption.org is Maryland's community-rooted adoption center for infant adoption, foster-to-adopt, older child & sibling adoption, kinship care and birth parent support. Licensed, non-profit, trauma-informed — walking with you from first call to finalization and beyond.

Begin your journey ♥ Discover our mission
✓ MD DHS Licensed Agency
✓ 27 years of service
✓ LGBTQ+ affirming
✓ Se habla español
Happy adoptive family in Maryland
👶 312 placements in 2025
★ 4.9 from 640 families
♥ Home study in 60 days
Infant Adoption ✦ Foster-to-Adopt ✦ Kinship Care ✦ Birth Parent Support ✦ Home Study ✦ Post-Adoption ✦ Sibling Groups ✦ Older Youth ✦Infant Adoption ✦ Foster-to-Adopt ✦ Kinship Care ✦ Birth Parent Support ✦ Home Study ✦ Post-Adoption ✦ Sibling Groups ✦ Older Youth ✦
0children placed in forever homes
0approved adoptive families active
0% finalization success rate
0years serving Maryland
● About us

Rooted in Maryland, built for families

Meet our team
Maryland adoptive parents holding child hands
📍 From Inner Harbor to Deep Creek Lake — we serve all 23 counties + Baltimore City. Home visits, virtual trainings, weekend support groups.
Our story since 1998

We are social workers, adoptees & birth parents ourselves

Maryland Adoption Center started as a tiny Baltimore rowhouse office with two desks and one belief: no child in Maryland should wait for family. Today we are a 40-person team of licensed social workers, attorneys, peer mentors and family navigators supporting all triad members — adoptees, birth families and adoptive parents.

  • ✓ Licensed by Maryland Department of Human Services + Hague-accredited partner network for interstate cases
  • ✓ Trauma-informed, attachment-focused preparation — TBRI®, Trust-Based Parenting, open adoption coaching
  • ✓ Full-spectrum care: options counseling, matching, legal finalization, subsidies, therapy & lifelong search support
  • ✓ Equity promise: we welcome single parents, LGBTQ+, military families at Fort Meade & Andrews, all faiths and incomes
Explore programsHow adoption works
Mother and child embracing Smiling child in Maryland park
Mission

Family for every waiting child

Over 4,000 Maryland children experience foster care yearly. 400+ wait for adoption right now — many are teens, sibling groups and children with medical needs. We recruit, prepare and stand by families brave enough to say yes.

Values

Honesty, openness, lifelong support

No pressure, no judgment. Birth parents get free independent counseling and legal advice. Adoptive families get transparent timelines, costs and risks. Adoptees get identity-affirming care forever.

Impact 2025

312 adoptions finalized

Including 89 foster-to-adopts, 64 infant placements, 112 kinship guardianships and 47 interstate ICPC cases. 94% of families still in support groups after 2 years.

● Programs

Choose your path to family

One team covers everything. Mix and match services — most families use 2-3 programs together.

Newborn adoption Maryland
Most loved

👶 Infant & Private Adoption

Open, semi-open and closed infant adoption with Maryland birth mothers. Includes profile creation, matching (avg. 4-9 months), hospital planning, birth father clearance and finalization.

$25k–$48k • grants + loans • employer benefits help

Get infant guide →
Foster family Maryland
Low cost

🏠 Foster-to-Adopt & Foster Care

Become a licensed resource family in 3-4 months. Foster teens, sibling sets and medically fragile youth. Monthly stipend $900–$1,800 + Medicaid + college tuition waiver.

Nearly $0 out-of-pocket • $2k adoption subsidy

Check eligibility →
Older child adoption
Urgent need

🌟 Older Child, Siblings & Kinship

Adopt youth 8-21, keep brothers & sisters together, or formalize kinship care for grandchildren, nieces & nephews. Extra coaching, respite, tutoring and camp scholarships.

Monthly support up to $2,200

See waiting youth (photo-list) →

🤰 Birth Parent Support — always free

24/7 options counseling, housing & medical referrals, choose-your-family videos, open adoption agreements, lifelong counseling. Text HELP to (410) 555-0199. No obligation, no cost, confidential.

📋 Home Study in 60 days

MD-compliant home studies for private, foster and interstate adoption. Background checks, SAFE interviews, fire inspection prep, 27-hr PRIDE training (evenings + weekends, virtual).

💛 Post-Adoption for life

Attachment therapy, search & reunion, birth family mediation, school advocacy, respite nights, teen adoptee club in Baltimore & Silver Spring. Alumni picnic every fall at Sandy Point.

● How it works

From first call to forever in 5 steps

Typical foster adoption: 8-14 months. Infant adoption: 9-18 months. We handle paperwork, court and chaos.

Free 20-min consult
01

Dream & Discover

Attend orientation (Tue Zoom or Sat in-person). Share your story. No commitment.

02

Train & Home Study

PRIDE classes + 3-4 home visits. We prep your house, heart and documents.

03

Match & Meet

Profiles, calls, pre-placement visits, respite weekends. Child-led pacing.

04

Place & Support

Supervisory period 6 months. 24/7 on-call worker + therapy + stipend.

05

Finalize & Celebrate

Court in Baltimore, Towson or Rockville. New birth certificate + subsidy + party!

Costs? Honest numbers, no surprises.

Foster adoption: $0–$2,500 (reimbursed). Kinship: $0–$1,200. Infant private: $25k–$48k itemized. Home study alone: $1,800–$2,400. We help with MD adoption tax credit, military reimbursement ($2k), employer benefits and 12 grant applications.

🎁 Fall 2026 special: Free home study review + $500 matching credit for families who attend September orientation in Baltimore or Frederick.

Claim spot →
● Stories

Loved in Baltimore, Bel Air & beyond

★★★★★

“After 3 years of infertility, our son Elijah came home from Anne Arundel in 7 months. Open adoption with his birth mom Jasmine — we text weekly. The team held us through everything.”

— Priya & Mark, Adoptive parents, Columbia
★★★★★

“As a single dad fostering teens, I was terrified. My worker Deja showed up at 11pm when my 15-year-old ran. Two years later, I adopted him and his sister. Best chaos ever.”

— Darnell W., Foster-to-adopt dad, Baltimore City
★★★★★

“I placed my daughter at 19. They never judged me. I picked her parents, I get photos monthly, I finished nursing school. They still invite me to birth-mom brunch.”

— Kayla, Birth mother, Hagerstown
● Journal & News

Fresh news for Maryland families

Laws, subsidies, waiting youth spotlights, events in Annapolis & Silver Spring, and real how-to guides.

Get newsletter

No news yet — check back soon

We publish monthly adoption guides, law updates and family stories. Meanwhile, join our September orientation.

● FAQ

Questions? Answered honestly.

Still unsure? Call (410) 555-0147 Mon–Sat 8am–8pm or walk into our Baltimore office at 123 N Charles St. Free parking, toys for kids, coffee for grown-ups.

Family walking in Maryland

Any adult 21+ who passes background checks and home study. You can be single, married, divorced, LGBTQ+, renter or homeowner, any income if you can meet a child's needs. Felony history reviewed case-by-case after 5+ years.

Home study 2-3 months. Foster matching 2-8 months after approval. Infant matching 4-12 months. Finalization hearing 6 months after placement. We give you a personal timeline at orientation.

Yes — 80% of our infant adoptions have some openness: photos, calls, visits. Maryland allows enforceable post-adoption contact agreements. We mediate and coach both sides.

Foster adopters get monthly payments until 21, Medicaid, daycare vouchers and in-state tuition waiver. Private adopters can claim federal tax credit up to $15,950 + MD deduction. Military families get $2k reimbursement per child.

Yes — all 23 counties + DC border. Virtual trainings statewide, home visits from offices in Baltimore, Rockville and Salisbury. Interstate ICPC to VA, PA, DE, DC in 2-4 weeks.

💌 Free • Confidential • No pressure

Ready to grow your family the Maryland way?

Fill the form — a real family navigator (not a bot) replies within 1 business day. Or call (410) 555-0147. Birth parents: text HELP to (410) 555-0199 anytime.

  • ✓ Orientation: Sept 23 Baltimore + Sept 27 Frederick + Weekly Zoom
  • ✓ Address: 123 N Charles St, Suite 400, Baltimore, MD 21201
  • ✓ Hours: Mon–Sat 8am–8pm, Sun by appointment
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