Inspired by the fundraiser/adoption thread

[ChrisnSteph]

I know a couple who used to do foster care. They got paid monthly to care for these 2 children. Then they adopted them and I assumed the money stopped because they were now their kids. But I was wrong. They continue to get over $1500 a month for these kids. Why? Why should they get anything once they've made the decision to adopt them?

Because they chose to fost/adopt and probably adopted a hard-to-place child, or a child who is considered at-risk. There is a federal program, the Adoption Assistance Program, that funds these types of adoptions. You can read about it here:
http://encyclopedia.adoption.com/entry/Adoption-Assistance-Program/19/1.html

One reason for these programs is that there are so many foster children in the system, and not enough families who want to adopt them. Many of these kids go from foster home to foster home, and never find a family. The reason for this is that often times foster children have special needs or behavior/emotional issues, born to drug addicted mothers, and are older children who are harder to place. The AAP helps subsidize families who may otherwise not be able to afford the adoption costs, or the cost of raising another child. It's sort of like an incentive to adopt. It would cost the states more to foster these children until they're 18 than to just pay what is very similar to "child support" for a forever family to raise them. Your friends did a wonderful and caring thing by fost/adopting, and I'm sure that subsidy helped make that happen. These kids aren't in the system anymore, and believe me that would cost the state more than the subsidy that they are getting every month. I'm guessing by the amount they are getting that either the children have certain medical or special needs, or are much older children, however it does vary from state to state. In California, the least monthly amount you would receive for a child under the age of 5 is $425. It goes up as the children get older, or if the child is considered medically fragile or has special needs. I wouldn't view it as a negative thing - how wonderful that our states have these programs to entice more people to adopt these poor kids. If more people adopted via the state or fost/adopt instead of opting to go private or international, there probably wouldn't be as big of a need for the AAP.

 

[mrsgus06]

We paid almost $10,000.00 for our adoption. The girls were originally my step-daughters and I adopted them after their mom passed away giving birth to her third child. I adopted all 3 girls and my husband adopted the baby. I am not sure about international adoptions, but this one took almost 3 years and two of them already belonged to my husband! This may not seem to be a long time, but we brought the youngest home when she was only 4 days old. I think it does take too long and luckily I was able to keep these children with me the whole time (baby's biological father wanted no part of raising her so it was not an issue of fighting him in court). I did not look to adopt, but I would not trade those girls for any amount of money in the world. I can't imagine knowing that there is a child thousands of miles away that belongs to me and needs my love but red tape is keeping us apart!

 

[mommaU4]

Stpehanie:
The kids did have some emotional issues. Nothing major but that might explain it.

 

[Sandy22]

They actually still have orphanages in Utah, my cousin & her DH have adopted 2 special needs children from a "home". There is very little abortion in the state and more children than can be adopted out. Last time my cousin checked there were several hundred infants available and about 600 older kids. The do not adopt to out of state families, though, unless they are Mormon. Unless the #s get real high, then they'll allow out of staters (non-mormon) to adopt.

I'm not sure if you were just referring to the state-run orphanages as not being open to out-of-state adoption, but I heard that many adoption agencies opened in Utah because of their strict adoption laws (very pro-adoptive family).

Even to the point where agencies will relocate birth mothers into Utah so that the adoption takes place under Utah law. I'm fairly certain (non-mormon) agencies are open to out-of-state and out-of-country placements.

 

[barkley]

Because they chose to fost/adopt and probably adopted a hard-to-place child, or a child who is considered at-risk. There is a federal program, the Adoption Assistance Program, that funds these types of adoptions. You can read about it here:
http://encyclopedia.adoption.com/entry/Adoption-Assistance-Program/19/1.html

One reason for these programs is that there are so many foster children in the system, and not enough families who want to adopt them. Many of these kids go from foster home to foster home, and never find a family. The reason for this is that often times foster children have special needs or behavior/emotional issues, born to drug addicted mothers, and are older children who are harder to place. The AAP helps subsidize families who may otherwise not be able to afford the adoption costs, or the cost of raising another child. It's sort of like an incentive to adopt. It would cost the states more to foster these children until they're 18 than to just pay what is very similar to "child support" for a forever family to raise them. Your friends did a wonderful and caring thing by fost/adopting, and I'm sure that subsidy helped make that happen. These kids aren't in the system anymore, and believe me that would cost the state more than the subsidy that they are getting every month. I'm guessing by the amount they are getting that either the children have certain medical or special needs, or are much older children, however it does vary from state to state. In California, the least monthly amount you would receive for a child under the age of 5 is $425. It goes up as the children get older, or if the child is considered medically fragile or has special needs. I wouldn't view it as a negative thing - how wonderful that our states have these programs to entice more people to adopt these poor kids. If more people adopted via the state or fost/adopt instead of opting to go private or international, there probably wouldn't be as big of a need for the AAP.

aap is a wonderful program and can make the difference between a child languishing in foster care or getting a permanant family.
i wish there were more families willing to take these kids in.

 

[kdibattista]

I'm back... with my paperwork. I will correct/add in red.

$16,000 - total agency fee $13,000 ($4k to sign, $7k program fee, $2k dossier fee)
$9,000 - country fee (Kazakhstan) $10,000
$1,500 - homestudy
$1,000 - INS paperwork
$????? - orphanage donation part of the $10,000 country fee
$????? - orphanage gifts $500
$????? - payment to drivers/translators $150 per week - approx $900 total plus customary gifts
$7,000 - travel ($2,000 airfare per person and we will be staying in country for approximately 5 weeks) conservative number
$300 - travel visa
$400 - in country travel (we travel to the city via train or small plane where the orphanage is and then back to the capital city for the week long waiting period)
$300 - medical evaluation (to have a physician specializing in international adoption look over her medical records)
$500 - child registration


It actually comes closer to $35,000 but we've already put out a little over $5,000.

Hope that helps!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I got it... come on, a girl can only misunderstand so much in one night

 

[C.Ann]

Any chance we could swing this thread back around to helping her think of ways to come up with more money that people wouldn't find offensive?

I'm a bookworm - I like the book sale idea.. Ask everyone and anyone if they have books that they no longer need or want..

HUGE garage sale - offer to help others clean out their clutter.. Some people just can't be bothered having a garage sale and would love to have the stuff off of their hands..

Sell everything and anything you can on eBay..

Make sure your Mom and Dad - or grandparents - didn't purchase savings bonds for you at some point in time and then "forget" about them..

Are you crafty? Make up some stuff and do some craft shows..

Any hidden talents that either you or your DH could turn into cash?

Do either of you have 5 hours to spare on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon? If so, see my thread on the Budget Board..

Pet sitting? House sitting? Watering plants while folks are out of town?

Don't forget - EVERY penny helps!! Also, as soon as the money comes in (no matter the amount) if you don't have to pay it back out in fees immediately, get it in one of those high-interest bearing accounts on-line - like ING or emigrant..

---------------------

Come on people - let's get creative and help her find a non-offensive way to earn money to give that child a "Mommy and Daddy"..

 

[4greatboys]

Do you scrapbook any or know anyone who does? I have been to a couple of fund raising crops. The fee to attend was around $30 and held at a local scrap store. They may donate some gift to give away during the crop and you could talk to a local restaurant to see of they would donate lunch.

 

[Cindyluwho]

I'm not sure if you were just referring to the state-run orphanages as not being open to out-of-state adoption, but I heard that many adoption agencies opened in Utah because of their strict adoption laws (very pro-adoptive family).

Even to the point where agencies will relocate birth mothers into Utah so that the adoption takes place under Utah law. I'm fairly certain (non-mormon) agencies are open to out-of-state and out-of-country placements.

Sandy, I think you're right. I think it's only the state-run orphanages that do not allow out of state/non-mormon adoptions. Adopting through an agency is much more expensive than adopting from the state. Our friends who live over the border in Gunnison, CO tried to adopt from the state of Utah but were told that it was in-state or mormon only and they didn't have the funds for a private adoption thru an agency. Sad

 

[zagafi]

Domestic adoptions for a healthy caucasian infant are just as high or higher. I believe most goes to agency fees, and legal and medical expenses.

Not always. My healthy caucasian infant adoption only cost $8500.00. We had only legal fees and agency fees.

Oh, and we only waited 5 months.

 

[budbeerlady]

I
I know a couple who used to do foster care. They got paid monthly to care for these 2 children. Then they adopted them and I assumed the money stopped because they were now their kids. But I was wrong. They continue to get over $1500 a month for these kids. Why? Why should they get anything once they've made the decision to adopt them?

I know some states pay a monthly stipend as an incentive shall it be to offset the cost of having kids. But it is for kids defined as special needs and not only for physical needs. It would offset the cost of counseling due to abuse or other issues.

 

[punkin]

Sandy, I think you're right. I think it's only the state-run orphanages that do not allow out of state/non-mormon adoptions. Adopting through an agency is much more expensive than adopting from the state. Our friends who live over the border in Gunnison, CO tried to adopt from the state of Utah but were told that it was in-state or mormon only and they didn't have the funds for a private adoption thru an agency. Sad

I'm confused. I understand the in-state only requirement for a state agency, but to allow out-of-state adoptions to mormons sounds wrong. Is that not a violation of sepearation of church and state?

 

[barkley]

just thought i'de add-anyone contemplating foreign or domestic adoption through a private agency should exhaust themselves researching it (the laws and the agencies).

we live near napa california and the f.b.i. along with local authorities have recently closed an internationl agency that operated under dozens of names throughout the world, and while they placed many (mostly russian) children the documents were forged with the assistance of high ranking russian adoptions and hospital officials (who according to the articles were convicted in russia but given only small monetary fines and have likley returned to buisness).

the newspaper articles go on to say that both u.s. and russian officials are considering a moritorium on adoptions to the u.s. at some future date due to the illegalites of the russian adoptions and some 14 or 15 documented cases within the past few years wherein russian children were placed into unsafe u.s. homes/with unsuitable parents resulting in their deaths.

it's so sad-the local news has been covering the proliferation of illegal private agencies and "adoption advisors" and how they prey on innocent prospective parents and children. they advise to REALY research an agency and look to watch-dog groups for guidance (apparantly because "bribes" are an illegal componant for the u.s. aknowledgement of the adoptions many are shifting these into "operating costs/fees" so the good thing to come out of it is that u.s. officials are planning more oversight/accountability for the private firms).

very, very sad-these "bad" groups can make it difficult for the good ones.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

Our private agency, domestic, heathly, white infant adoption was also much less than the numbers that have been mentioned recently. Although these rates are from 4 yrs ago and have probably gone up, we paid $14,520 total, and that included everything.

The agency's fee was $12,500 and included:

Homestudy and post-placement visits.
State-mandated education.
All attorney fees and court costs on both sides.
Birthparent counseling and support groups.
Outreach, advertising, operations, crisis fund...

We paid $20 out of pocket to get fingerprinted for our background check.

We paid about $2,000 to help with bmom's expenses, as she was on bed rest and couldn't work the last couple months of her pregnancy.

All in all, the biggest difference we found in prices between agencies had to do with birthparent assistance. Our agency tries to avoid having adoptive parents pay a lot of these costs, as it might cause the birthmom to feel obligated to the adoptive couple, and they want her to make her decision based on her own situation, not being influenced by money she's received from potential adoptive parents. If an expectant mom doesn't have medical insurance, they help her get on Medicaid, rather than have adoptive parents pay the medical costs, in order to keep her less dependant on them.

Besides being a nice way to keep the cost of the adoption down, dh and I really liked this, as we were very concerned about the ethics of the adoption and didn't want a baby whose mother didn't really want us to have it. (disclaimer: I'm not saying that people who pay bmom medical costs aren't concerned with ethics, just giving our own thought process.) We had heard lots of horror stories about bmoms who were pressured into placing children that they wanted to raise, and could have, and we were very concerned about birthparent counseling and not creating a feeling of obligation to us on her part.

Anyway, as far as the question:

Wouldn't it be better to lower the cost and let the kids be adopted and out of the care of the state or whoever is currently footing the bill?

It is much less expensive to adopt through the state. The state has to provide all the same services as a private agency to the adoptive family, and probably even more to the birthfamily, but the difference is that all the taxpayers are contributing to the cost. Kids available for adoption through the state are more often considered hard to place, and often need to be fostered for a time before becoming available to adopt. Even with the lower cost, many parents opt out of this method of adopting due to the greater potential to foster a child for a while, fall in love with him and have to give him back, and also due to race/age/special needs.

Oh, and on the family who continues to receive payments for the former foster kids they adopted, my understanding is that this only happens when there are special needs or other special circumstances involved. Perhaps there are some special needs that aren't apparant to those outside the family, that the family wishes to keep confidential?

 

[Sandy22]

CASI International. I adopted from them last year. They contacted me just a few weeks ago about a Native American baby they can't place. It's true, you can adopt a newborn with little to no wait time in the U.S. if you are open to race. We were moving and couldn't consider that baby and we were not on the list our homestudy has expired, but yet they reached out to us with a desperate need. They email me all the time with biracial and AA babies that need homes. The email a few weeks ago was specifically for us (instead the whole email list) because my dh is part Native American.

ZachnElli posted this on the other closed thread and I just wanted to add that this is also happening to Canadians who previously adopted in the US. Adoption agencies are calling former clients and begging them to consider adopting again because they have so many AA/biracial babies available.

 

[barkley]

i'm realy surprised anyone can adopt a u.s. child of native american heritage. generaly if the child is documented as such the tribal rights are exerted and the custody becomes the sole decision of the tribe. we've had some cases in the news in california wherein the birthmom (native american) wanted to put a child up for adoption through a private placement, and the tribal lawyers stopped the process. the children i believe had to be first offered up for adoption and declined by members of the tribe (realy sad too-cuz the tribe might be living in abject poverty but they want to the child to stay within their cultural realm of influance).

 

[RUDisney]

We became friends with a woman who adopted 2 teenage girls at the same time we adopted our kids, in 2001. She could afford their daily needs, but found it hard to come up with the traditional fees to make this happen.

Here's how she did it:

Letters to businesses (not terribly successful)
Agency waived its fees
Local Lions Club and Rotary donations.
Private donations were made to help her with govt, air, lodging, translator and orphanage fees in Russia.
What the mother could afford to pay.

The reason why she was successful in raising money to help her pay for the adoption was because she was adopting older girls. One was about ready to become non-adoptable, based on her age. She'd have been given the equivelant of $5, season-appropriate clothing, and a handshake if she wasn't adopted. Plus, the two girls were siblings. The mother was a disabled cop, who could no longer work because of the injury she received on the job. She walked with a cane, but was told to go to the hearing in Russia without it so the judge would not find her unfit. (Yes, because she limped and needed the assistance of a cane... completely different culture that would have institutionalized her instead of letting her remain in her own home.)

This is what worked for her. I'm sure she declared the adoption on her tax records and got the tax credit. All I can say is, good for her! These girls deserved a good home and an opportunity to excel in life. She gave it to them.

I see them occasionally. The girls are doing very well. Her son loves that he has 2 older sisters that he can annoy (and love.)

When I first heard that she was looking for money, I thought that if she couldn't afford it, how could she afford to raise the girls. After I got to know her, I see that things happen for a reason and that her girls are probably even luckier than my kids (since it was easier for us,) to have found her and that she fought so hard to bring them here.

 

[mickeyfan2]

In Kazakhstan the law is that the baby must have no contact with the birth family for 6 months before being able to be adopted internationally. If any member of the birth family visits the child, the 6 month period starts again. There are many families who will intentionally visit the child every 5 months so the child will not be adopted. They would rather the child be in an orphanage with bare minimun then given up to a family who would love them.

Now this is just sick. How evil is the person who would do this to an innocent child.

 

[laurie31]

Now this is just sick. How evil is the person who would do this to an innocent child.

Unfortunately, people in the US do this too I know of two kids kept in limbo for YEARS because their bio parents would make some tiny contact right before the deadline to terminate their rights, then disappear again.

One of them did it to get the SSI check.

Fortunately both of them are now in wonderful adoptive homes.

Laurie