[Robin61]

I quit my job so that I can be home with foster kids. All I ask is for a little help. My fd came on December 22nd. I had to buy formula for 14 days until I got a wic appointment. I have not received a subsidy check yet for her. I call and say I have not received a check and they say I will get back to you. I had to buy clothes and diapers. Has anyone had problems getting the payments started. Thanks

ROBIN

[Kate1129]

It's been a month, you should get a check soon!

Our first check always takes the longest. Most states only pay once a month, so you are alway a month behind.

[mylilangels]

we just took 3 lil ones on thurs(26th) and we won't get a check for them til march 6th..here w/ our office you have to turn in your invoices by the 20th..but yeah, our first placement took a mth to get reimbursed..you can always ask your dr. about samples of formula..my dr. is wonderful w/ that b/c we have gotten 3 newborns and he loaded by diaper bag full of formula b/c it's hard to get a wic appt here..hope it comes soon for ya..

[brl]

can you get vouchers to help? In Fl. if the child has nothing they will at least give you a voucher to get started from k-mart etc....

[mom2GRLC]

I have learned that when you get the call and you agree to take the child you make sure you tell them right away you have nothing and need stuff imediately.

Usually they would get an emergency voucher ready and pick up the bare necessities before they drop that child at my house. Other times it has taken a couple days ....or in some cases a month.

The normal subsidy doesn't come until the end of the month.....(and we don't get paid back for things we bought for the child. During that month....in addition to the subsidy. But the initial clothing voucher comes 3-3o days after the child arrived. I've even found out that if you don't have a crib or car seat etc... they will include it in the initial voucher for the child....so you don't always have to buy all this stufff out of your own pocket or with your subsidy check.

Also, just because you can't get a wic appointment right away doesn't mean you they won't give you milk. You can tell them this is a fosterchild....show them your addendum showing you as the fosterparent and they will give you emergency milk to hold you over until your appointment. You shouldn't EVER have to buy formula.....etither DHS or WIC will provide it for you. Also the doctors offices are really good about giving you a bunch of formula and since i get so many babies I ask for it everytime i go in....that way I always have it in my home....to be ready for that suprise phone call in the middle of the night.

[wrekdiver]

In our county, we do not get the first check for 6-8 weeks. then they come once a month

[redmocha]

Would any of you happen to be in Georgia (where I am)? I"m new to this. No placement yet; just researching EVERYTHING. Thanks.

[jackiesbooks]

robin - In my county, I would expect the check on the 10th to include all Jan and the few days in Dec. Not sure if your county works the same, but they are no checks cut in the middle of the month. If they do not get those few days in by the 30th, they show up on the next check.

[Kate1129]

Call the WIC people and tell them you need formula, they hand it out, if you need it.

Do contact your doctor. He can write a prescription for formula that the insurance pays too (we've had to do this before).

I'm sure there is a food shelf or something that would have some too.

Call everybody and anybody you can think of. Foster kids qualify for anything!

[leaabc123]

All counties are different. We do not get reimbursed if we need extra formula, just whatever WIC will provide. Also, if they are already on WIC and the checks are "missing" or have not gone ith the child, they do not provide new checks. We went through that with a placement before.

Some counties reimburse for things like car seats and cribs while others do not.

As others have said, the first check usually takes awhile. Then they will come in once a month.

I am curious, as you said you quit your job. Do you have a working partner in the house? As, most counties require a certain level of income so that you aren't waiting on the check for everything.

[swsoutherlands]

We ended up putting almost $200 on our credit card when we first got these kids because they came with NOTHING. We were supposed to get a week's worth of payment for the final week of November plus they agreed to reimburse some of the $200. Originally the check was supposed to arrive the beginning of December, but then they made an error with the input and had to start over again. We finally did get the payment at the end of December. We didn'gt get a full check for foster care until about two weeks ago (we've had the kids since 11/24/05). It does take a lot of time to get the subsidy process started which is really hard at the beginning when you have to buy so much. I even had clothes vouchers to use, but that wasn't enough for these kids.

On another note, the kids came with the clothes on their back and a toy each. The baby had a huge blanket too. We've asked biomom for more clothes but she's never brought any. Then sometimes she makes comments about the kids wearing new clothes at visitation. It's soooo hard to bite my tongue. Duh!! I think, of course they are new clothes-- you sent them with nothing! Usually I just smile/grimace and nod politely.