When can adoption assistance payments and benefits begin in your State?
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Alabama at adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Alaska at adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments may begin after the child has been placed for adoption (which is established by filing the petition to adopt) and after the adoption assistance agreement has been signed by the adoptive parent(s) and the Adoption Subsidy supervisor.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Arkansas at adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in California when the adoption assistance payment agreement is signed by all parties. This may be prior to or at the time the adoption decree is issued by the court.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Colorado at adoption placement. The county department shall determine the child’s eligibility for adoption assistance on the State-prescribed form no later than the calendar month that the adoption petition is filed.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Connecticut after adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments may begin in Delaware after adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in the District of Columbia at adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Florida at adoption placement. Subsidy payments cannot be provided to the family until all parties have signed the adoption assistance agreement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Georgia at adoptive placement for children in permanent custody of the Department of Human Services and are made to adoptive parents who have entered into an adoption assistance agreement with the agency.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Hawaii at the signing of the adoption assistance agreement and the child’s placement into an approved adoptive home.
Adoption assistance agreements go into effect at adoption finalization or at the time the child is placed. If a child is placed out of State for adoption, adoption assistance benefits may begin as early as the time of adoptive placement.
The adoption assistance agreement shall be signed prior to the entry of the final order of adoption. The payment shall not exceed the amount the child receives in his or her current foster family upon entry of the final order of the adoption unless the child is an unlicensed relative placement. In such a case, upon entry of a final order or adoption, the adoptive family may receive the applicable licensed foster family home rate.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin for children receiving Federal adoption assistance (IV-E) at adoption placement. For children receiving state-funded (county subsidy) adoption assistance, assistance begins on the date the adoption was finalized.
Prior to adoption finalization, of other community resources are not available, adoptive parents may negotiate an adoption subsidy agreement based on the child’s special needs, the family’s circumstances, and the availability of funds.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Kansas at adoption placement, following the signing of the adoption placement agreement and prior to the finalization of adoption.
Pre-adoptive assistance begins the day the adoption placement agreement form is signed, or on a later date if the family did not request adoption assistance at that time.
Post-adoptive assistance begins the day of adoption finalization.
Adoption subsidy payments are available for an eligible child who is under the age of 18 at the time of the child's placement for adoption. Such payments may continue until the child is 18 years old. In addition, if a child is placed in another State, or if a child moves from Louisiana with his/her adopted family, the subsidy payment will continue.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Maine at adoption placement after the plan has been approved and the written agreement has been signed by the commissioner of the department or designee.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits begin in Maryland after adoption finalization. Pre-adoptive placements receive the foster care board rate payment during the pre-adoptive placement period.
Adoption subsidy benefits shall begin no earlier than the finalization of the adoption unless the department determines that an earlier start date is in the best interests of the child.
If the adoption assistance agreement is signed before the adoptive placement date, the adoption assistance payment is effective the date of the Order Placing Child After Consent. If the Adoption Assistance Agreement is signed after the adoptive placement date, but prior to or on the date of the adoption finalization, the adoption assistance payment is effective the date the adoption and guardianship assistance program manager or the department's designee signs the agreement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Minnesota after adoption finalization. The adoption assistance agreement is effective on the date the final decree of adoption is issued.
Adoption assistance payments may begin in Mississippi at adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits begin upon the signing of the adoption subsidy agreement by both the adoptive parents and the division director which occurs prior to the finalization of adoption.
After the subsidy agreement has been signed, subsidy payments and Medicaid may begin at the time of the adoptive placement or after the adoption has been finalized and central office has received a certified copy of the decree of adoption.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Nebraska at adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits begin in Nevada at adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in New Hampshire at placement.
Adoption assistance payments are made to adoptive parent(s) who have entered into a written adoption assistance agreement with the division before the finalization of the adoption.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits begin in New Mexico at adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in New York at adoption finalization for the majority of children. Payments may begin earlier if the child was placed with an approved adoptive parent or directly in the custody of a voluntary authorized agency by the birth parent(s).
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in North Carolina the month after adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in North Dakota at adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Ohio at adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Oklahoma at adoption finalization or at adoption placement, depending on circumstances. If Oklahoma foster parents who receive foster care maintenance payments fora child adopt the child, agreements are set up to begin the day of finalization and foster care payments continue until the day before finalization. In other situations, families may request payment at the time the child is placed with them for adoption.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Oregon at adoption placement. The adoption assistance agreement must be complete prior to adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits begin on the effective date of the agreement. That date may be prior to adoption finalization if the parental rights to the child have been terminated, the child is placed in the prospective adoptive home, the adoption agreement has been signed, and the adoption petition has been filed.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Rhode Island at adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in South Carolina at adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in South Dakota at adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits begin in Tennessee at adoption finalization.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Texas the first month after the month of adoption placement. Medicaid and monthly benefits may begin prior to the finalization of the adoption.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Utah at the time of the adoption placement.
Adoption assistance payments may begin when a child/youth is legally free for adoption, is living with his or her adoptive parent(s) and both the adopting parent(s) and the Commissioner have signed an agreement.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Virginia on the first calendar day of the month following the month in which all parties sign the agreement. A final order of adoption is not necessary to begin making payments or reimbursing expenses.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in West Virginia at adoption finalization.
The adoption assistance agreement is entered into shortly after adoption placement and establishes the payment level of assistance. During this period of trial placement of a State ward the payment is generated at that rate but the funds come from foster care.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Wisconsin at placement and must begin no later than finalization of the adoption.
Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Wyoming at adoption placement if certain requirements are met. The adoption assistance subsidy may commence prior to the finalization of the adoption, if the child/youth has been placed in the pre-adoptive home, the child/youth has been determined eligible for adoption assistance/subsidy, and the adoption assistance agreement (has been signed by the adoptive parent(s) and the Department of Family Services.