If You Adopt a Foster Child Do You Still Get Paid?

Adopting a child from foster care provides a permanent home for a child in need. Prospective adoptive parents often wonder about continued financial support after adoption. The financial landscape differs, requiring an understanding of distinct assistance types. This article explores financial support during foster care and after adoption, detailing eligibility and the application process.

Understanding Foster Care Payments and Adoption Subsidies

Financial support during foster care differs from assistance available after adoption. Foster care payments are temporary stipends covering daily expenses for a child in state custody. These payments generally cease once the child is legally adopted, as the child is no longer in state custody.

Upon adoption, a new form of financial support known as adoption assistance, or an adoption subsidy, may become available. These programs are designed to encourage the adoption of children with special needs who might otherwise remain in the foster care system, ensuring they find permanent homes. While foster care payments conclude with the finalization of adoption, eligible families may transition to receiving adoption assistance, which can offer long-term financial and medical support for the child.

Determining Eligibility for Adoption Assistance

Eligibility for adoption assistance is primarily based on the child’s circumstances and identified needs, rather than the adoptive parents’ income or financial situation. A child is typically considered to have “special needs” if they have a condition or factor that makes it difficult to place them in an adoptive home without financial aid.

Common factors that define “special needs” include the child’s age, being part of a sibling group that should not be separated, racial or ethnic background, or having physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. For federal adoption assistance under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, the child must have had parental rights terminated and been in the care and custody of a state child welfare agency. The adoption assistance agreement is typically signed and eligibility determined before the adoption is legally finalized.

Available Financial and Medical Assistance

Adoption assistance programs provide financial and medical support to adoptive families. Monthly adoption subsidy payments are a recurring form of aid, with the amount negotiated based on the child’s specific needs and state policies. These payments are intended to help cover the ongoing costs of raising the child and generally cannot exceed the amount the child would have received if they had remained in foster care.

Medical assistance is another significant benefit, as children receiving federal adoption assistance often qualify for Medicaid or equivalent state medical assistance. This coverage typically continues until the child reaches adulthood, often age 18 or 21, and is particularly important for children with ongoing medical needs. Adoptive parents may also be eligible for reimbursement of non-recurring adoption expenses. These one-time payments cover direct costs like legal fees, court costs, and agency fees. Federal guidelines allow for reimbursement up to $2,000 per child, although individual states may set their own lower limits for these expenses.

The Application Process for Adoption Subsidies

The application process for adoption assistance typically begins with the child’s caseworker or adoption agency before the adoption is legally finalized. Prospective adoptive parents complete an application form. This initial step is critical because federal requirements mandate that the adoption assistance agreement receive final approval prior to the adoption’s finalization in court.

Required documentation for the application often includes the child’s medical history, social history, psychological evaluations, and court documents related to the termination of parental rights. The child’s assigned adoption case manager is responsible for submitting these documents and the application to the relevant state agency for eligibility determination. The process often involves interviews and a review by the agency to negotiate the terms of the subsidy agreement. The adoption assistance agreement is a legally binding document outlining support terms, and it must be signed by the prospective adoptive parent(s) and the agency before the final order of adoption is issued.