OK. I just want to address a serious misunderstanding that I've seen perpetuated on these boards NUMEROUS times - namely that facilitator expenses don't qualify for military reimbursement. This is simply not true. DH and I used a facilitator and had our expenses reimbursed after an initial denial. Here's the deal...
In general:
Adoptions that qualify for reimbursement include adoptions by a married couple and by a single person, adoptions of a child under 18 years of age, intercountry adoptions, and adoptions of children with special reimbursement include those arranged by a qualified adoption agency is an agency described at enclosure E2., definition E2.1.4.
On first glance you might think this prohibits indy adoptions from being reimbursed.
But don't give up so easily!! Read E2 and E2.1.4.
Qualifying adoptions agencies are:
E2.1.4.1.1. - State or a local government agencies that have the responsibility under state or local law for child placement through adoption;
E2.1.4.1.2. - Nonprofit and voluntary adoption agencies authorized by state or local law to place children for adoption; or
...and this is where indy adoption fits...
E2.1.4.1.3. - Any other source authorized by a State to provide adoption placement if the adoption is supervised by a court under State or local law.
Here's where the military attorneys get hung up...
They ASSUME everyone who files a claim does so because their agency qualifies under E2.1.4.1.1. or E2.1.4.1.2. Unless you specifically tell them that you are claiming the reimbursement under E2.1.4.1.3. and provide the documentation to support that, your claim will be denied.
So, here's what to do. Send a letter with your request for reimbursement package that specifically says:- Your adoption was accomplished pursuant to E2.1.4.1.3., and
- That your facilitator was not the "placement agent" for your adoption, the attorney (or other designated person) was the designated placement agent. Your attorney should be able to provide documentation of this since a guardian must be appointed by the court pending finalization - this also shows the ongoing court supervision.
Doing this is like speaking the magic words in front of a spell-bound door! As long as you can show that the adoption was accomplished legally with ongoing court supervision pending finalization and that an attorney (or other person authorized by state law) was the placement agent, you should be fine.
You DON'T have to use a full-service agency to receive the military's reimburesement. You DO have to do your homework and make sure you and your attorney maintain good records.
This is the link to the exact Navy instruction (OPNAV Instruction 1754.4) and the DOD instruction that governs ALL the branches:
http://neds.daps.dla.mil/Directives/1754_4.pdf and
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/c...93/i13419p.pdf.
Good luck to all! I hope this helps!
