Michigan Bars Adoption Refusal On The Basis Of Sexual Orientation

On March 22, 2019, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) agreed to bar state-funded foster care and adoption agencies from refusing adoption on the basis of sexual orientation. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, MDHHS agreed to maintain federally required non-discrimination provisions in its foster care and adoption contracts with agencies that have accepted a referral for a particular child or individual. And, MDHHS agreed to enforce the non-discrimination provisions, up to and including termination, if a state-contracted private provider organization discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersexual, or asexual individuals . . .