[bettynme]

Just looking for folks who have already been through their subsidy negotiations. What should we expect or look out for? What can and can't we negotiate with the state. He is special needs, ADHD/ODD and impulsive, he has tremendous loss, grief and anger issues. He is doing well but he requires a high level of supervision and structure to keep him safe and out of trouble. Currently he is recieving the mininmum subsidy amount and I'm wondering if that could be adjusted prior to or at finalization and how to go about requesting that. Any insight will help. I can see that he will need more intervention as he grows older and want to be prepared.

[JJemail1]

Hi Bettynme,

As a part of the adoption package compilation process, you will be offered the opportunity to have a psychological evaluation conducted on your child. The caseworker will also offer you the alternative to accept the child "as is" (essentially) without an evaluation.

In your case, since your child's special needs are psychological (in addition to physical possibly as emotional issues can be inherited) you will want to make sure to exercise your option for a psych eval. and use the results as leverage for a greater subsidy. Your caseworker will act as the liaison between you and Trenton so you will need to voice your desires to your caseworker, and I found, make sure your caseworker presents all pertinent information. (For example, our baby was medically fragile and we're a SHSP but the caseworker only noted a few of our baby's medical problems on the subsidy application. Trenton denied it. I then directed the caseworker to provide Trenton with my 60 page report, which included a detail of all dr. appts. since placement, copies of dr.'s medical findings and summaries of long term outlook....come to find out, SHSP children are automatically assigned a subsidy and our caseworker could have avoided the re-submission (and all of my extra work) had she just noted that.

All of this is to say that you might want to be your own advocate and provide a medical summary of sorts of your own to your caseworker.

Finally, remember that the subsidy is not final until you sign the agreement...so it's subject to negotiation until you're happy.

Good luck!
Jennifer

[irelady10]

So, just curious- would a drug exposed and probable aclohol exposed baby qualify for an adoption subsidy. He's too young for any issues releated to these exposures to be rearing their ugly heads.

[JJemail1]

Well, the nature of subsidized adoptions is that they are done to increase teh adoption of "hard to place" children--"hard to place" being defined as minorities over 2 years old and/or medically fragile children. As such, a medically fragile African American baby under 2 years old would be eligible--but not otherwise.

For the sake of trying, you might do some research on the substances he was exposed to and build a case for subsidy based on the potential for future residual effects of his particular exposure. However, a disclaimer is that the subsidy is reviewed every year and should the child be given a clean bill of health the subsidy will be discontinued. Nonetheless, it's certainly worth a try!

Best wishes,
Jennifer

[marcav]

Well, the nature of subsidized adoptions is that they are done to increase teh adoption of "hard to place" children--"hard to place" being defined as minorities over 2 years old and/or medically fragile children. As such, a medically fragile African American baby under 2 years old would be eligible--but not otherwise.

Jennifer, my son is AA & was drug exposed and he did get the adoption subsidy when I adopted him at 18 mos. I was suprised when they told me he'd get it, but I wasn't arguing! I think there is an option for departmental discretion. In any event, they have not reviewed his subsidy since then.

Mary

[mamala]

Actually, I think race is a "hard to place" factor even with a healthy newborn if I'm remembering right. Specifically AA.

Drug-exposure doesn't necessarily mean special needs. Believe it or not, those infants fare far better long-term than FAS babies. Unless there is serious neurological damage that is obvious within the first 6 months or so, they're not likely to have serious special needs (any moreso than the regular population--which is fraught with special needs nowadays). If you google "prognosis" and the drugs of exposure, you can find actual studies that show the long-term prognosis is normal when the child is not in the care of an addict.

There are physical indicators of FAS noticeable from infancy. If they're not there, it doesn't mean there was no exposure--it just means the exposure was less severe. Very wide-set eyes & nipples, tipped ears, non-existant upper lip and a lack of frenelum (the little trough between your nose and lips) are obvious physical indicators.

[irelady10]

I was recently given an adoption subsidy pamphlet at a foster parent's meeting, and it states: the subsidy program is in place to offer financial assistance to prospective parents who seek to adopt certain children. The factors that make you elgible for the subsidy are adopting children who (and I'm quoting staight from the pamphlet here): are older, or of a race or ethnic group for which adoptive homes are not readily available; have significant physical, intellectual, or emotional disability; need excessive medical treatment or special services; be parts of a sibling group, be over 5 years old, or living in a foster family for at least one year.

bettynme- it seems to me that your child may fit into several of the categories here.

mamala- thanks for the info about drug-exposure...I've done the research, but will have a nagging worry in the back of my mind, I think, for him; but, as far as I'm concerned, my little man is PERFECT!!! I can't believe that he would be considered hard-to-place!

[mamala]

I know what you mean. One of our former newborn placements was born positive for cocaine and methadone. I found out later she could've gone to a medically fragile home; and she went through unmedicated withdrawal with us She DID suffer some level of neurological damage that limited the use of her arms, but she's had physical therapy and now at 15 months old--she's a completely normal child. I saw her today and she's not just walking, but trying to run.

Hard to picture her being "special needs". She was an absolute dream to live with. In bed at 7pm and slept through to the morning without a peep. Predictable and happy. She's been home with mom for 6 months and is still the same.