We're adopting from MA, but from out of state. We used a private agency in our own state, then found our kids on MA's photolisting page.
We've also been getting phone calls every other month from some DSS office asking if we're getting our foster care checks and if we have any other concerns. Once the adoption is complete, the case will be transferred to an Adoption Subsidy office and they will manage (making sure we continue to get the subsidy checks---invaluable since we have to pay for attachment therapy which isn't covered by our insurance). The post-placement supervision is handled by our county DSS office--we don't pay for that, it's paid by MA DSS through ICPC (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children). We DID have to pay for two trips to visit our kiddos and then a third to go get them, but their airfare was covered by the DSS office. It will also be paid for for the return trip to court next month to finalize. I read somewhere that MA refunds $4,000 for adoption expenses (homestudy, travel, etc.) once the adoption is complete, but our work is paying for it (plus the adoption tax credit).
I can't tell you what it's like foster-to-adopt from within MA, but the workers told us that the reason nobody adopts in MA is because those who do want to adopt are generally caucasians who want white infants, but the ones available for adoption are minority races and older than 2.
Probably for that reason, they're matching lots of out of state families with MA children and sibling groups.
P.S. Great news: MA gives their kids FREE COLLEGE TUITION to any state college around the country! We just have to write to the DSS office and request this as soon as we have the new birth certificates. Yippee!
P.P.S. Our kids were already TPRed when listed on the photolisting (but without photos for some reason?). DSS had worked for 6 months to find a MA family, but couldn't, so they opened the search nationwide and we were chosen.