Adoption Assistance
The Adoption Assistance program provides financial aid to all adopted children with Special Needs to help meet the needs of the child. As defined by the State of Georgia for the purpose of adoption, children with Special Needs include those who meet one of the following criteria at the time of placement:
- African-American children one year of age and older
- Three or more brothers and sisters placed together at the same time
- Children age eight and older
- Children with documented physical, emotional or mental disabilities
- Two brothers and/or sisters, placed together at the same time and one of whom has a special need
The Adoption Assistance agreement must occur prior to finalization of the adoption. If a child is not in the permanent custody of the state, assistance might be obtained if a child meets specific title IV-E criteria. In ALL cases, it must be documented that the adoption would not be possible without assistance.
Types of Assistance
1. Monthly Adoption Assistance Benefits – help to assist adoptive parent(s) in meeting the special needs of the child.
2. Special Services Adoption Assistance - Special Services Adoption Assistance provides a time-limited or one-time special service when no other family or community resource is available. Listed below are examples of some of the types of services covered:
- Child Care: Based on need and family income. Adoptive parent must be employed full-time outside of the home.
- Respite: Provided to afford the family some down time that cares for a special needs child that may have medical/emotional/physical/mental diagnosis by a licensed medical or psychological provider. Can be approved for up to 20 hours per month/per family.
- Other Special Services: Services such as orthodontics, prosthetics, psychological counseling (not paid for by Medicaid).
- Contact your local DFCS County Office for more information.
Special Services funds are contingent upon the availability of State Funds. A family’s resources are taken into consideration when the application is made. Special Services are not provided each year for every child.
In addition, many private organizations offer a variety of respite options. See the ARCH National Respite Network Respite Locator Service, search by state to locate Georgia’s respite programs, link:http://chtop.org/ARCH/National-Respite-Locator.html
3. Legal Services - covers attorney fees, court costs and other one-time expenses directly related to the finalization of the adoption of a child with Special Needs.
4. Medicaid - available to any child who is eligible for monthly Adoption Assistance benefits.
Length of Eligibility
- For youth over age 18 who are still in high school:
- For an adopted child to be eligible for continued assistance the child must have been in the permanent custody of DFCS (Both biological parents parental rights were terminated and DFCS had sole custody of the child when the adoption occurred. The only exception to this is when the child was placed from the temporary custody of DFCS (DFCS initiated TPR) with the relative/fictive kin for the purpose of adoption. If a child does not meet either of these requirements, then the adoption assistance will end in the month of the child’s 18th birthday.
- If the child meets the eligibility requirements above, then they must document that they are in school full time (GED or Job Corp does not qualify as full time school) by providing verification on school letterhead quarterly.
- NOTE: The adoption assistance ends when:
1. The child graduates from high school (If still in school can receive adoption assistance through their graduation month)
2. The child drops out of high school (Can receive adoption assistance the month they drop out only),
3. The child turns 21 (If still in school can receive adoption assistance through their birth month)
- For youth over age 18 who are in college or technical school:
- For an adopted child to be eligible for continued assistance they must have been placed prior to July 1998 (any age) with an adoption assistance agreement. For children placed after July 1998, they must have been adopted after their 13th birthday with an adoption assistance agreement.
- The child must also have been in the permanent custody of DFCS (Both biological parents parental rights were terminated and DFCS had sole custody of the child when the adoption occurred, or was placed from the temporary custody of DFCS (DFCS initiated TPR) with the relative/fictive kin for the purpose of adoption.
- If the child meets the eligibility requirements above, then they must document that they are in school full time by providing verification on school letterhead quarterly.
- NOTE: The adoption assistance ends upon:
1. Failure to provide quarterly verification of full time enrollment
2. Child turns 21 (If still in school can receive adoption assistance through their birth month)
3. Child drops out of school (Can receive adoption assistance through the month they drop out)
For a child who is eligible to receive adoption assistance beyond age 18 based on the above listed requirements, the local County DFCS case manager is required to:
- Verify on a quarterly basis full time enrollment and attendance.
- Documentation from the school, college or technical school must be an official letterhead with signatures.
Note: When the child reaches age 21, finishes school or drops out of the educational program-which ever comes first, the adoption assistance will be terminated.
Medicaid is available for a child until age 18 or until adoption assistance benefits terminate.
Applying for Assistance
Adoption Assistance is made available by the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) through the county Department of Family and Children Services where the adoptive family resides. In the event a family from another state adopts a child in the permanent custody of DHR, the county of legal responsibility would be responsible for completing the application.
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