As with most states, Michigan allows either married or single parents to adopt. You don't have to become a foster parent first to adopt a waiting child, although you have to foster the child in your home before the adoption becomes finalized.

The regulations and home study process are the same as with other states:

• An Application

• A thorough background check

• 
  Solid references

• Home Study

Here's the info from >Michigan DHS

Michigan's Department of Human Services (DHS) provides for public child welfare services that include children's protective services, foster care, juvenile justice and adoption. The DHS provides these services statewide to families and children. Here is a breakdown of service during the most recent completed fiscal year - FY 2004 - or the period from October 2003 through September 2004.

• Children's Protective Services
  In Michigan, the Department of Human Services is responsible for investigating reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. In 88 county and district offices, children's protective services specialists investigate reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. There were more than 135,775 referrals filed with the DHS during the 2004 fiscal year. In that year CPS specialists conducted 76,694 investigations and substantiated abuses or neglect in 17,847 cases affecting more than 30,409 children. Of referrals not investigated, 55% either did not meet the standard of child abuse or neglect or involved cases already opened or already investigated. The most predominant forms of maltreatment are physical neglect and physical abuse. The perpetrator is almost always the parent in the home (78%), the parent out of the home (11%), another relative, sibling or household member.
  Children's Protective Services Complaints Investigated

• Foster Care
  
  The Foster Care Program provides placement and supervision of children who are the responsibility of the Department of Human Services and are under the jurisdiction of the Family Court, or children whose parents have voluntarily released their parental rights. The goal is to give the child a home and a family to care for him/her until he/she is either returned to his/her birth parents or adopted. At the end of FY 2004 the abuse-neglect population totaled 19,146. Of these children, 9,699 were residing in foster homes and another 6,442 were residing with relatives. Most of the remaining children were in their home or with a legal guardian. Less than 800 children were in independent living, boarding school, runaway service or absent without legal permission (AWOLP).
  

• Adoption
  The Department of Human Services is given the charge of finding permanent homes for children who have come into the state's care. Some of these children have been abused or neglected and all of them have been removed from their home. The DHS directly and through private agencies provides adoption services to state wards for which adoption is the goal. There were 2,684 finalized adoptive placements in Michigan in FY 2004. In addition, at the end of FY 2004 Michigan was providing 23,984 "adoption subsidy" payments to families that had adopted state wards. The average subsidy payment in September 2004 totaled $682 per month. The purpose of subsidies is to assist with the costs of caring for a child with special needs. Adoption subsidy assists with payment of expenses related to caring for and raising the child. Medical subsidy assists with the costs of necessary treatment for a physical, mental, or emotional condition that existed, or the cause of which existed prior to the adoption.
  Adoptive Placements Per Year

To learn more, check these organizations:

• The Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange at www.mare.org, or call 800-589-6273 for a list of adoption agencies in your area. The MARE Web site also has information about training for potential adoptive parents who have no experience, and it has a link to biographical sketches of children available for adoption.



• There are hundreds of children in Michigan's foster care system who are available for adoption. Go to www.michigan.gov/dhs to learn how to contact local offices for more information.



Here are other helpful Web sites and phone numbers:



• www.adoptuskids.org or 888-200-4005



• www.nationaladoptionday.org



• Michigan Adoption Day is Nov. 21. For events, visit the Michigan Supreme Court Web site at courtshttp://courts.michigan.gov/supremecourt/press/michiganadoptiondayindex.htm.