Adoption Subsidy
The federal Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program is intended to provide permanency for children with special needs in public foster care by requiring and assisting states in offering ongoing financial and medical assistance, also known as an adoption subsidy, to adoptive families.
Adoption subsidy programs vary significantly from state to state. Differences include the definition of special needs, eligibility requirements and basic monthly subsidy rates.
Below you will find information about subsidy in New York, as well as federal and national resources, including information about subsidy programs in all fifty states.
Recently, advocates and the media have raised concern about the adoption subsidy program. Concerns raised focus on the lack of oversight and accountability, particularly in situations where the adoptive parent has abandoned their child and/or where the parent is no longer financially responsible for the child. Media coverage and advocacy have focused on problems in New York City. The Coalition has also learned of similar issues in Erie County and, in 2015, issued a statement about the issue. To read it, click here.
New York State Subsidy Information and Resources
- New York State Adoption Subsidy Rate Information
- New York State Adoption Subsidy Agreement Forms
- Guidelines for Consideration of Foster Care and Subsidy Payments as Income
- New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Subsidy Information
- New York State Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGap) Information and Resources
- Subsidy and Referral to Support Collection: A Lawyer’s Opinion
- Incapacitated Adoptive Parents and Adoption Subsidy
- New York State Adoption Subsidy Profile (from NACAC)
- New York State OCFS Title IV-E Eligibility Manual (PDF) See Part B, page 37 (pdf)
- Administration for Children’s Services Subsidy Payment Procedures and Contact Information (New York City)
- Title 18 NYCRR Subsidy Payment Regulations
- What We Know and Don’t Know About New York Adoption Subsidies
- 2010 Coalition Workshop Presentation on Adoption Subsidy (pdf)
- The Seven Categories of “Hard to Place” Adoption Subsidies in New York
- OCFS September 2010 ADM on Pre-Finalization Subsidy Payments
- OCFS May 2009 ADM on Adoption Subsidy and Certification of Education Requirements
Federal and National Information and Resources
- North American Council on Adoptable Children Adoption Subsidy Resource Center
- Federal Child Welfare Policy Manual – Title IV-E Adoption Assistance  Policies (Section 8.2)
- State by State Subsidy Information from Child Welfare Information Gateway
- Adoption Policy Resource Center
- “Ending the Foster Care Life Sentence: The Critical need for Adoption Subsidies” (pdf)