Adoption FAQs

  • People of any race, any ethnicity, any religion or no religious preference, any sexual orientation or identity.
  • People who rent or own their own homes.
  • People with high or low incomes, but who have financial responsibility and sound management of his or her finances.
  • People with or without children.
  • People who are married or single.
  • People over age 21; however, all applicants must be at least ten years older than the person being adopted. (NAC 127.235)
A consent for adoption by a married spouse of an adopting parent will need to be signed by the non-adopting spouse. Your adoption specialist will assist with this process.
It is required pursuit to NAC 127.235.
The Post Adoption Contact Agreement is a legally binding agreement between adoptive parents and biological parents with the intent to preserve contact. The Agreement is in effect after the adoption finalizes and must be deemed in the child’s best interest. Please work with your attorney to ensure all parties' best interest are represented.

The adoption subsidy program is provided to families that adopt special needs children as defined by NRS 127.008 from Washoe County Human Services. The adoption subsidy benefits stop when your adopted child turns 18.

Unfortunately, there is no way WCSHA can extend the adoption subsidy for your child turning 18. The adoption subsidy, financial and medical stop when a child turns 18 years of age and Washoe County Human Services does not have the ability to extend the benefits. The Nevada Revised Statute does not allow us to extend the benefits: NRS 127.186 (6). All financial assistance provided under this section ceases immediately when the child attains majority, becomes self-supporting, is emancipated or dies, whichever occurs first.

WCHSA provides a non-recurring legal fee reimbursement not to exceed $500.00. The adoptive family will pay the $500.00 dollars to retain the attorney and after the adoption finalizes this money is reimbursed to the family in the first adoption subsidy check following the adoption.
Sibling contact agreements are required for children being adopted who have another sibling in foster care that is not being adopted by the same family. Talk with your adoption specialist about how your family may be impacted by a sibling contact agreement.
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