Comments to Federal Agencies Regarding Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program’s Suspension And Termination Policies

SUMMARY

In response to a request for comments by the US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, the Council on Children recommended that improvements be made in the process under which adoptive parents who are no longer caring for the child have their adoption subsidies eliminated and provided to the person who assumes care for the child. Currently, in New York, there is no mechanism requiring an adoptive parent to respond to requirements or notices to provide information on the status of the child, which leads to difficulty in terminating the subsidies. The Council recommends that a mandatory conference be held between the appropriate government agency and the adoptive parent to investigate situations where it appears the child has left the adoptive parent’s care, and that procedures be put in place to allow suspension or termination of subsidy payments to that individual, after due process is followed. The Council also recommends that the subsidy attach to the child rather than to the adoptive parent, to better assure the child gets adequate care.