[jbee]

we adopted our son from fostercare and get less monthly than we did having him as a foster. i just don't know how they are pushing that there are all these kids waiting for a home (like those tv commercials about teenagers, if you've seen them) and yet they don't want to help once you adopt them. why would you keep them if you lose your income? how can you afford to? honestly it would be hard for us to keep any more at this rate, although we would love to. is it like this in all the states? i was just wondering...we know a lady in our agency who was considering adopting one of her girls but can't because of the rate..the girl would be filling a spot so she couldn't bring another foster child into the home, etc.
we aren't in it for the money, but it is like having another bio child..you really need to increase your income to have more kids, you know? or am i nuts?

[buttascotchbaby]

I know what you mean! I have been recently researching adopting (through foster care) from another state. Our state doesn't have a HUGE need, not for kids in the age group that I am able to take (0-10 or so, some flexibility) and I am shocked at how little some states are willing to invest in these children! I thought we had it bad here. Our Foster Board payment is $529/month with DOC payments up to a max of $570. Once we adopt everything stays the same, just with a different name I had no idea that in many states it changes, goes down, substantially! There was a recent study done, nation wide, that showed that almost all states paid at least $100 less, per month, than what it would cost anyone to raise a bio child! How insane is that?? The FB rate in my state has not increased since 1986!! I live in Hawai'i, where our cost of living has increased exponentially! In the lst couple of years rents alone have increased by 20+%! Not to mention food, gas, etc.!

I would LOVE to be able to adopt a number of kids and I am so grateful that, at least here, I can afford to adopt the two that I am in the process of trying to, knowing that the adoption subsidy will help us until they are 18. It breaks my heart to look at kids in other states and I (realistically) have to consider whether I can afford to adopt that child or not. It is truly shameful.

[marythemom]

My children are from Nebraska, we're in Texas. Their adoption subsidies will be similar to thier 'foster care" rates, but they do definitely qualify as special needs.

The foster care rates in TX are much lower so in that respect we're glad we adopted from out of state. We don't qualify for post-adoption care services though so that's one down side. TX also pays for state college tuition - we don't qualify for that either. We did manage to negotiate NE paying for any residential treatment needed (TX would never have paid for that). In the year and a half D has been placed with us he's already been in residential treatment for 6 months. We hope he will never have to go back, but it is still a nice safety net.

Mary
mom to biokids T(9) and K(11.5)
11/06 adoptive placement of H(13) and her brother D(14.5)
3/08 finalized on H

"If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning."
-Catherine-