Title IVe

Dear Adoption Maharishi: My Adopted Foster Children Do Not Have Medicaid, Was This a Mistake?

Submitted by Adoption_Maharishi on Thu, 05/27/2010 - 23:30

 

 

Dear Adoption Maharishi,

We provided foster care for two brothers, then adopted them when their parents’ rights were terminated. We were told that our sons would be eligible for adoption support subsidy, but not ongoing Medicaid. Now that our boys are older, they have serious mental health issues caused by early abuse, neglect, and exposure to drugs and alcohol before birth. We recently found out that a sibling, adopted by another family has Medicaid. Do you think DHS made a mistake? Is there a way for us to get Medicaid started now?

Signed,

wondering

 

Dear Wondering,

Whether or not a foster child or children are eligible for ongoing Medicaid after adoption depends on their "Title IVe" status. It seems to be a very complicated formula that no DHS worker has ever been able to completely explain, but I can give you some insight into the formula. Eligibility has to do with whether or not a parent is employed at the time the child originally enters foster care but that isn't the only factor. For example, Our daughter, adopted at 9 years old was not eligible for ongoing Medicaid after adoption because her legal guardian prior to entering foster care was employed. However, she became Title IVe eligible because she had a psychological diagnosis given during her time in foster care, because DHS ordered a psychological evaluation.

What Is Adoption Subsidy, Who Gets It, How Much, and for How Long

Submitted by JuliaFuller on Tue, 09/16/2008 - 22:06

When a person or family adopts a special needs child, older child, or sibling group from the U.S. foster care system, most may request an adoption subsidy. The definition of older child, special needs, and eligible sibling group varies from state to state while the federal government sets Title IVe definition. In some states, a three year old in foster care is automatically eligible for subsidy while in other states a single child must be at least six. Some states consider a sibling group of two children automatically eligible for support subsidy, while other states only consider larger sibling groups. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and a child with real physical special needs is usually eligible regardless of age. Children who fall under Title IVe receive part of their subsidy from the federal government. They also qualify for ongoing Medicaid coverage until their eighteenth birthday.

ACT FAST - Key Bills Pending in U.S. Congress

Submitted by JuliaFuller on Fri, 09/05/2008 - 20:58

Contact your state senator now if you have special needs children through foster care adoption, kinship care, guardianship, or tribal foster care. If you plan to adopt or parent children through any of these avenues, then contact your state senator. Send an urgent email or call by September 10. September 10 is when the Senate is scheduled to act on key child welfare legislation. NACAC (North American Council on Adoptable Children) is encouraging everyone to contact their state Senators to ask them to support S. 3038.

S. 3038 is one of the key bills pending in Congress. “Improved Adoption Incentives and Relative Guardianship Support Act” Here is what NACAC says S. 3038 will do for families parenting special needs children.

  •  reauthorize and expand the adoption incentive program

  • make all foster children with special needs eligible for federal adoption assistance (de-linking from old AFDC income standards)

  • create a federal subsidized guardianship program to support relatives who become guardians so that their kin can permanently leave care