12.0 Introduction to Adoption Assistance

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(12) Adoption Assistance

Policy Title:

Introduction to Adoption Assistance

Policy Number:

12.0

Previous Policy Number(s):

109 - 109.1

Effective Date:

September 2015

Manual Transmittal:

2015-08

Codes/References

Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, Section 473(e)
Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997
Foster Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008

Discussion

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will utilize adoption assistance funding to facilitate the adoption of children with special needs who might otherwise not be adopted. The federal law requires efforts be made to place the child without adoption assistance, except when doing so is not in the child’s best interest.

Adoption assistance is provided on behalf of an eligible child to offset the costs associated with adopting and meeting the ongoing needs of the child. Adoption assistance can be provided in the form of payments, medical coverage and reimbursement of non-recurring expenses;

  1. Adoption assistance payments are monthly payments made by DFCS to the pre-adoptive family or adoptive family on behalf of an eligible child;

  2. Medical coverage is provided through Medicaid, which provides assistance with the costs associated with medical care. Medicaid is a joint federal and state health insurance program; and

  3. Non-recurring adoption assistance is a one-time payment up to $1,500 per child, which DFCS will pay to an adoptive family to assist with the reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees and other expenses directly related to the legal adoption of a child with special needs.

Adoption assistance is not intended to replace the legal responsibility of the adoptive parent(s) to support his/her child. Families are responsible for using their personal resources to help them provide for the child’s needs. These resources may be considered when determining a family’s receipt of adoption assistance.

DFCS shall be eligible for federal adoption incentive funds, if in compliance with the data requirements in section 473A(b)(2) of the Act and DFCS provides health insurance coverage to any child with special needs (as determined under section 473(c)) for whom there is in effect an adoption assistance agreement.