Provision Of
Adoption Assistance Payments
To Eligible Adoptive Families

 

PURPOSE:

To ensure that every adoptive inquirer and applicant is informed of the availability of Adoption Assistance and to provide Adoption Assistance when eligibility exists unless the adoptive parents make an informed decision to reject this assistance.

1. The Adoption Program shall provide information on Adoption Assistance to every inquirer by including written material on the Adoption Assistance program in the information packet at the time of inquiry.
2. The Adoption Program shall present information on Adoption Assistance at each informational meeting for new applicants, foster family conversions and kinship care providers.
3. If the prospective adoptive family wishes, the Adoption Program shall assist them in applying for Adoption Assistance or change the amount of Adoption Assistance they receive prior to finalization.
4. The adoption social worker shall submit the following completed forms to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) designee for every Adoption Assistance applicant immediately after the family has been approved as an adoptive resource and a child that is legally free for adoption has been selected for placement.

• CFS-72 Application and Decision (original and one copy)
• CFS-73 Child and Family Summary, accessed from the Create>CaseWork>Adoption window in WiSACWIS (original and one copy)
• CFS-74 Adoption Assistance Agreement, accessed from the Create>CaseWork> Adoption window in WiSACWIS (three originals is preferable, and original and two copies is acceptable)
• CFS-75 Payment Authorization, accessed from the Eligibility window in WiSACWIS (original and one copy)
• DES-2096 Health Insurance Information
• CFS-834 Uniform Foster Care Rate Setting form for the current rate (one copy)
• Original signed court order to place the child in out of home care (one copy)
• First and most current CFS-201 and CFS-205, Out of Home Care Reimbursement Application and Determination (one copy)

5. The DCF designee for approving Adoption Assistance will contact the adoption social worker for clarification of any information if needed. A set of signed Adoption Assistance forms will be returned to the adoption social worker within thirty (30) days indicating whether the Adoption Assistance is approved or denied. The adoption social worker shall file one copy of the signed forms in the child’s case record and provide the adoptive family with a copy of the signed CFS-72 and CFS-74 forms.
6. The adoption social worker shall inform the adoptive family of the process to request reimbursement for adoption and provide them with the reimbursement form (CFS-459). The adoption social worker must inform the family that the request for reimbursement must be submitted after the adoption is finalized.
7. If Adoption Assistance is approved, the adoption social worker shall close the out of home placement for the child in WiSACWIS and open an in home placement to document that the service of Adoption Assistance is now being provided to the adoptive family. The in home placement should be documented in WiSACWIS within one (1) working day of receiving notification that the adoptive family has been approved for Adoption Assistance. The ending date for the out of home placement should be the day prior to the date that the adoptive family signed the Adoption Assistance Agreement form. The in home placement begin date should be the date the adoptive family signed the Adoption Assistance Agreement form. The adoption social worker must properly document the appropriate supplemental points and exceptional amount, if necessary.
8. If Adoption Assistance is approved, the adoption social worker shall inform the family about efforts to assure continued Adoption Assistance, including the likelihood of receiving the child’s medical benefits from the state of residence, if the family should move or currently resides outside Wisconsin.
9. If Adoption Assistance is approved, the adoption social worker shall inform the adoptive family of the opportunity to request an adjustment in the amount of Adoption Assistance when the child has been adopted for twelve (12) months or longer and the child’s special needs have increased.
10. If Adoption Assistance is approved, the adoption social worker shall inform each prospective adoptive family applying for Adoption Assistance of the family’s continuing responsibility to report to DCF the following information:

• A change in the family’s address or new daytime telephone number;
• A change in the adopted child’s legal guardian;
• The adopted child’s entrance into military service;
• The marriage of the adopted child;
• The adopted child no longer resides in the family home;
• The death of the adopted child;
• High school completion date if it occurs after the adopted child’s 18^th birthday;
• A change in the adopted child’s health insurance coverage and benefits;
• The adopted child is no longer receiving support from the adoptive parents, and;
• The adopted child is placed in a licensed facility at public expense.

 

FORMS REFERENCED

Adoption Assistance Cover Sheet & Packet (currently available in hardcopy), includes: CFS 72, CFS 73, CFS 74, CFS 75, DES 2096, CFS 201, CFS 201a, CFS 205, CFS 834, CFS 459, Reimbursement of one time Adoption Related Expenses

Return to WiSACWIS Policies and Procedures Index Page

Return to Adoption in Wisconsin Index Page

Last Revised: June 18, 2008