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Home > Postadoption Services: A Bulletin for Professionals > How Are Postadoption Services Funded?
Postadoption Services
Bulletin for Professionals
Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway
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| Year Published: 2005 |
7. How Are Postadoption Services Funded?
Funding for postadoption services comes from a variety of sources, and each State funds these services somewhat differently. While there are few Federal funds earmarked specifically for adoption and postadoption services, many States blend an array of existing Federal and State revenue sources for other child welfare services to help pay for postadoption services.
In the Casey Center for Effective Child Welfare Practice white paper Creative Strategies for Financing Post-Adoptive Services (2003a), authors identify and describe a number of potential Federal funding streams for postadoption services, including:
- Title IV-E: Adoption Assistance, Administration, Training
- Title IV-B, part 1 - Child Welfare Services
- Title IV-B, part 2 - Promoting Safe & Stable Families Program
- Adoption Incentive Funding
- Title XIX - Medicaid
- Title XX - Social Services Block Grant
- TANF/EA- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families/Emergency Assistance
- Adoption Opportunities, Discretionary Grants & Field Initiated Demonstration Grants
In addition to using the typical child welfare funding sources listed above, child welfare agencies or States may also be able to collaborate with other State agencies or private service providers to access other Federal funding sources. Each of the following acts and/or programs are potential Federal funding sources:
- Child Health Act
- Title II of the Keeping Families and Children Safe Act (formerly CAPTA)
- Foster Care Independence Act
- Mental Health Service Block Grant
- Substance Abuse Block Grant
- Title V of the Social Security Act (Maternal and Child Health)
- Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
- Temporary Child Care for Children with Disabilities and Crisis Nursery Act of 1986
- State Respite Coalitions
States must decide which "mix" of funding streams works best for them and the adopted children they serve. It is more likely that funds will be spent on postadoption services in a State if there is a well-considered postadoption services plan in place prior to the funding becoming available. While individual agencies or adoption professionals are not able to
access Federal funding streams themselves, they may work with their State Adoption Specialist to develop a comprehensive postadoption services plan for their State.
Below are just a few examples of how States have funded postadoption services:
- From June 2000 to December 2004, 13 private agencies in New York received postadoption services funded through TANF funds. For more information about this program, read Strengthening and Preserving Adoptive Families: A Study of TANF-Funded Post Adoptive Services in New York State, available on the New York State Citizens' Coalition for Children website at http://www.nysccc.org/Post%20Adoption%20Services/TANFAveryPASrpt.pdf.)
- Arizona and Georgia have used a combination of State general funds, Title IV-B, Adoption Incentive, and other funds to provide respite care to adoptive families.
- Vermont uses a consortium of agencies and funds its postadoption services through Title IV-B, part 2 funds.
- Michigan also uses Title IV-B, part 2 funds to fund its postadoption services through regional resource centers administered by the Department of Human Services, contracted agencies, and parent organizations.
- Maine provides funding for postadoption services through targeted case management.
- Massachusetts funds postadoption services through State funds.
More information on postadoption services funding, including 10 specific strategies for
States and agencies, can be found in the 2003 Casey white paper Creative Strategies for
Financing Post-Adoption Services, available
online at www.caseyfamilyservices.org/casey_pafinancing_sum.html.
This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.
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