Q: What is the Adoption Assistance Program?
A: The Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) is a federal and state program run separately through each California County's Social Services Department. Initially set up to help families adopt children out of the foster care system, the program’s purpose was to offer financial assistance to adoptive families to make it possible for more children to be adopted. In the recent past AAP has been broadened to include children who are adopted through licensed private agencies such as Adoption Connection.
Q: When do children qualify?
A: Newborn open adoptions, where adopting parents and birthmothers match before birth, do not lend themselves easily to the AAP requirements. However, there are some cases where a family may meet the criteria. The most important and often most ambiguous criteria is, "Was this child at risk of becoming a dependent of the court (i.e. – taken into foster care)?" For newborn adoptions this means that the birthparent(s) were unable to parent (because of drug use, mental illness, age, poverty) and at least some of the following criteria were met: there was no pre-natal care, the child is a member of a sibling group that should remain together, the birthfather is unknown, the child has a medical/physical disability or the child is eligible for SSI.
Q: Are there different types of AAP?
A: Yes, there are two kinds of AAP – deferred, which means you have no special medical needs now but may in the future and initial, which means that there are current pressing financial needs, usually due to medical costs. Deferred is generally appropriate when the birthmother's mental health history, lack of pre-natal care or drug use may affect a child in the future, but is unknown at the time of placement.
Q: How does a family go about applying, and when?
A: Once the child is placed with the adoptive family and birthparent rights have been terminated Adoption Connection will send the adoptive family a letter describing AAP. If a family would like to apply, then forms will be sent and the agency will initiate the application.
Q: Are there any restrictions?
A: Children adopted internationally or through independent domestic adoptions are not eligible. Also, AAP must be approved before an adoption can be finalized. This can sometimes delay the finalization.
Q: Why do some families get approved while others do not?
A: Every California county can legally make its own determination about who qualifies for AAP and who does not. The only over-arching criteria for all counties is a child who gets SSI because of a medical or developmental disability. Those children can get AAP regardless of the county.
Q: What are some things to consider?
A: AAP takes time and paperwork. Adoptive parents whose situation meets the criteria of a child who might have entered the foster care system – i.e., adverse parental background, other children in foster care, a CPS referral at birth (among others) – but who is currently healthy – should consider applying for deferred AAP. If your child has a medical problem at birth, you may be eligible for SSI. Any medical condition that is a result of drug use, lack of pre-natal care, family history, etc., on the part of the birthmother may be eligible for initial AAP. Again, every county assesses eligibility differently and there are no guarantees of assistance. If a family is turned down, there is an appeals process.
If you have specific questions about the AAP program, contact Randie Bencanann, LCSW at Adoption Connection or your county’s Department of Social Services.
©2007. Adoption Connection. All Rights Reserved.
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