[HappyMommy106]

I was reviewing the Ohio photo listings (which are mainly kids with adoptions already in the works by the time their profile is posted...) and I came across this sibling set.

Read the description. I truly can't believe it, no subsidy or medical card for 3 AA siblings born cocaine positive. No medical card!!??

Anyone have insight on that state? Will they be able to place those children without those supports in place? Seems so hard to believe, in comparison to my own state.

Jaylin, Kaylin and Zaylin
November 2004, September 2005 and January 2007

Jaylin is a loving little boy and gets along well with everyone in his household (even though he is jealous of his siblings at times). He is a gentle child and he loves to please. Jaylin is a great helper. He is a smart boy and follow instructions well. Jaylin is a good eater and sleeps well too (about 10 hours a day). He was exposed to cocaine, nicotine and caffeine while inutero.

Kaylin has a smile that will light up a room. He is all boy and loves to play rough. He is a patient child for his age and doesn’t get frustrated or mad easily. He is a good eater also. Kaylin sleeps well as long as his brother, Jaylin, is in the room (about 10 hours a day). He enjoys being around Jaylin and tries to follow his lead. He also was exposed to cocaine inutero.

Zaylin is a loving and affectionate baby. He has adorable smile that melt any heart. He is not a moody baby at all and you can generally predict when he’s hungry, sleepy or just wants some attention. Zaylin loves to be around people. Zaylin is usually awake more than he’s sleep. He has problems communicating his needs and is easily frustrated. He too was exposed to cocaine inutero.

Foster parents report all three of the boys are a joy to be around and they get along well with others. They do get jealous of each other at times but they are well behaved.

This beautiful sibling group is looking for a dedicated family with a lot of love and ample attention to give them. This family will need to have plenty of patience and energy.

Franklin County Children Services is only considering families that are able to take the boys without subsidy or Medical card. This means that the family will receive no financial assistance.

[HappyMommy106]

here is the link
Ohio Adoption Photo Listing Information

[Chancey]

I'd just say... good luck to them in finding a placement. They will be on their caseload for a very long time, or until they provide a healthy subsidy and medical coverage.

[hesabanana]

How sad that these little guys won't be provided for!

[ranoutofnames]

We had considered adopting an older sibling group from Ohio, but when we realized there was no Medicaid or subsidy to help we looked at our personal finances and decided we couldn't take the financial risk. We have a lotta love just not a lotta money to raise additional children.

I'm not positive but I think Ohio searches for families first that will consider adopting without any assistance and if no one steps forward interested then they offer some assistance... but I could be wrong.

[kxl164]

States who utelize Title IV-E subsidy contracts are OBLIGATED to first try and find a home that will take the children without any Adoption Assistance. If they do not have a foster family who is willing to adopt and already has close ties with the children then, by law, they have to try and find an adoptive home w/o the help of adoption assistance.

After a certain period of time (differs for different areas) then they can say they complied with that statute and open up the search for adoptive families who would need an Adoption Subiisdy Agreement in place.

It is not that Ohio is being ridiculous, it is that to be in compliance with the law they have to do this First, and then explore homes who would need Adoption Assistance.

I don't know what their policy is, but I would hope that listings like this do not linger and that after a short amount of time, 1 month maybe, that the listing is changed.

A state cannot afford to be out of compliance with the federal statutes, it is too expensive for them and the federal government has been really cracking down on strict adherence to their statutes as a means of enforcing the states to follow the ASFA.

[DoYaReallyThink]

This is our state. I surely hope we are able to get the subsidy especially the medical card for whomever we adopt. So they don't have to let us receive the subsidies at all?

Fran

[HappyMommy106]

Originally Posted by kxl164

States who utelize Title IV-E subsidy contracts are OBLIGATED to first try and find a home that will take the children without any Adoption Assistance. If they do not have a foster family who is willing to adopt and already has close ties with the children then, by law, they have to try and find an adoptive home w/o the help of adoption assistance.

Lots of states have Title IV-E subsidy contracts... but they still manage to place children with Medicaid!! My state is right beside Ohio, and all children with certain characteristics automatically keep their Medicaid. In fact, my state will upfront offer the subsidy and medicaid AND college tuition to any child who is:
1) AA children over age 2
2) siblings (must be adopted as same time)
3) white chidlren over aged 7
4) "special needs" (which is open to interpretation - could be medical, could be behavioral, could be emotional)

And my state is WAY poorer than Ohio. I wonder under what circumstances they would provide Medicaid - if not for three minority children born cocaine addicted?! I am not even talking about subsidies after adopting - just Medicaid for goodness sakes! Almost all kids adopted from my state (except healthy infants) get to keep their medicaid.

Anyone here from Ohio care to comment?

[HappyMommy106]

Fran,
I am not impressed with Ohio from what I have read. If you adopt from my state, you'd get the mediaid, most likely a subsidy (if child is a minority, has sibs, or a special need), and also the child would get free in-state college tuition.
I wonder if you could adopt interstate from down my way. We have a photolisting site, PM me and I will give you the link.

[kayb]

Apparently, the Ohio legislation was smoking crack themselves when the let such policies go into effect.....How ridiculous!

[MomwithFive]

<<Lots of states have Title IV-E subsidy contracts... but they still manage to place children with Medicaid!! My state is right beside Ohio, and all children with certain characteristics automatically keep their Medicaid>>

I don't understand why children who qualify for a title iv-e subsidy are not automatically offered that? Why offer a state subsidy when the child qualifies for a title-iv? I guess I don't understand.

[ANNWILL]

I agree with all of you from Ohio. We've looked at the website too and if you notice, when you call about these kids they are already taken. Ohio is so screwed up-especially the court system here-from what they put us through and our little one. Now were are waiting for a date for an appeal-hopfully she'll come back home-to a place where she's safe and happy

[kxl164]

The law says that ALL states who use the Title-IV-E match program for Adoption Assistance funds MUST first try and place a child w/o any assistance. The needs of the child, however, are paramount so they don't have to waste efforts very long, but they HAVE to do it first, then they can open it up to all prospective families.

It only seems like Ohio is being tight-fisted because they posted it on the website. ALL states do this, some more strongly than others but they ALL do this. Sometimes it is as quick and simple as ... "Could you consider adopting this child w/o assistance?", NO, "OK then let's discuss the type of assistance you will need". Other states are more bold about or wait for longer periods of time.

States are also required to tell prospective adoptive parents about the existence of subsidies. But they try and get people to take the kids w/o it to save money. Not in any type of cruel way, but if they can get a child a good home and not have to pay assisstance money they consider that the best case senerio. The reality is that most adoptive parents can't do this and that is why adoption assistance was created in the first place, but the Federal government requires that states at least try.

Most children adopted from foster care receive assistance of some sort, (including children from OHIO) some qualify for Title-IV-E and get more but ALL states are required by law to try and find adoptive parents who will take the children w/o Assistance first, it is nothing more than the first step in a process.

It is simply the policy that came down from the FEDERAL level. The ones who give Ohio 60% of the funds for Adoption Assistance payments and Medicaid REQUIRE they do this, ALL STATES are required to do this. Ohio simply puts it out there for everyone to see, not all other states post it on a website, but ALL states are required to do this.

[Kay-Ray1]

If the boys are adopted would the parents insurance cover their medical or would it be considered pre-existing??? I have no clue how that would work.

I feel bad for those boys.

[missw005]

First of all, the boys are no longer available. Ohio just takes forever to take them off the website. Ridiculous.

Second, I am one of the families that was being considered for the boys. I had talked to their worker before as I had been considered for another one of her kids a few months before, and she knew my situation (I can't add kids to my health insurance, and in fact am about to lose it, but luckily my sons have their own through Title IV-E).
I told her of my great desire to be considered for the boys, but just couldn't do it without the medicaid at the least - let alone the subsidy.
She did put in my homestudy, in fact I made it to the last several families that were being considered but wasn't the final family chosen, and said that they'd obviously prefer to find a family that would adopt them WITHOUT medicaid/subsidy but that they were truly looking for the best family for the boys, regardless.
Whether that's actually true or not, I don't know..............I certainly wonder if that's the reason why my family wasn't chosen...........and I guess I'll always wonder.

But I agree that I had the same reaction when they appeared on OAPL (Ohio's photolisting website) and I saw the "no medicaid/subsidy" statement. What the heck????? With their KNOWN history/issues - not even mentioning the unknown - and they're trying to place them without subsidy, medical or services???? Good grief.

But they figured the boys were young and cute enough that they'd find families who WERE willing to adopt them without it.

Many folks previously in infant/domestic adoption are now adopting from foster care/special needs when they get tired of waiting - and these folks are happily willing to adopt without assistance of any sort.
Now I've seen several babies on Ohio's photolistings that they've advertised "no medicaid/subsidy", which I feel is a direct result of those folks.

Needless to say, I've applied for some of those kids too - Lord knows I've dreamed of adopting a baby for so long!!!! (but I can't afford domestic adoption fees) But as an adoptive parent of boys with very similar issues - drug addiction/exposure, neglect, etc. - I also know what I'm getting into, and how expensive the services, meds, therapy, etc. they'll need actually are. So I agree, it's ridiculous, but with families out there willing to take special needs kids without medicaid/subsidy, the states are going to do everything in their power not to spend an extra dime on these kids.

It's maddening, disgusting, and just plain wrong.

However, as foster parents from all over the U.S., we've all seen the huge differences from state to state in daily rates, daycare expenses, formula/diapers, respite rates, clothing allowances, etc. to know that every state is out for itself - and that the kids' needs are NOT the priority.

(I'll get off my soapbox now. )

Sandy