| Adoption Provisions Overview |
- Adoption Relevant Sections of PL 110-351
This page of the FosteringConnections.org website provides an overview of the sections of the Fostering Connections Act that relate to adoption:
- Sec. 401 Extends/expands adoption incentives
- Sec. 402 De-links adoption assistance from Aid to Dependent Children
- Sec. 403 Requires States to inform parents of the adoption tax credit
- Summary of Adoption Provisions
This document from FosteringConnections.org summarizes the adoption provisions of the Fostering Connections Act in “plain language”. (December 2009)
| Promising Practices and Policies from States and Tribes |
- Adoption Legislation & Policies
This resource from FosteringConnections.org provides information relevant to state legislation proposed and/or enacted and policies that have been modified to incorporate adoption provisions of the Fostering Connections law. It also contains links to existing laws and policies, including federal resources:
- Texas:
- Adoption Incentive / Extended Adoption Assistance
Texas has been receiving adoption incentive funds for several years. The number of consummated adoptions has continued to grow. Assistance payments for adoption assistance or Permanency Care Assistance that continue up to time the young person turns 21 if agreements for such assistance payments were finalized after the young person turned 16, if the young adult is engaged in certain education or vocational activities.
- Additional Fostering Connections Adoption Issues
- Promotion of Adoption with Special Needs / Eligibility Issues
- Tax Credits
Fostering Connections and Adoption – General Resources
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Understanding Adoption Incentives, Adoption Assistance, and the Adoption Tax Credit
This resource is part of a series of fact sheets for States and Tribes made available by The Training and Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TTACC). These two-page briefs describe available training and technical assistance (T/TA) from the Children’s Bureau to support implementation of the Fostering Connections and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 in eight key areas. Each fact sheet offers a brief overview of the Fostering Connections Act’s provisions in the topic area, the allowable funding and costs for that area under the Act, and examples of the free training and technical assistance that the Children’s Bureau’s National Resource Centers and Implementation Centers can give States and Tribes in that area.
- FY 2010 Adoption Incentive Awards Based on FY 2009 Earning Year
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, a list of states receiving adoption incentive awards for increasing adoptions from foster care for fiscal year 2010, based on fiscal year 2009.
- Number of Children Adopted from Foster Care Increases in 2009
This brief from FosteringConnections.org focuses on foster care adoption trends following the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) and the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (FCA). (February 2011)
- Fostering Connections Through Adoptions
A Powerpoint presentation from the Fostering Connections Resource Center and the North American Council on Adoptable Children’s webinar focusing on the adoption provisions of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing adoptions Act of 2008. Q&A from the webinar is also available for download. (April 2010)
- Implementing the Adoption Assistance Provisions of the Fostering Connections Act
This issue brief from the North American Council on Adoptable Children summarizes the following: the problems of the AFC adoption assistance link; the new provision that removes the AFDC link; and what the child welfare community needs to do to take advantage of the law’s Maintenance of Effort provision (MoE), which requires states to continue their investments in child welfare services. (July 2009)
- Fostering Connections Story Project: Adoption
After speaking with state and county child welfare officials, as well as families served by the child welfare system, FosteringConnections.org documented their stories of how the Fostering Connections Act has brought positive changes about for families. Two parts are available: Part 1 & Part 2.
Adoption of Older Children
- Never Too Old: Achieving Permanency and Sustaining Connections for Older Youth in Foster Care
Despite benefits mandated by the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, many Federal and State programs fail to adequately provide for youth exiting foster care through emancipation. This report from the Evan B. Donaldson Institute provides background information and statistics on emancipation of youth from foster care, examines the social and policy context, and reviews the poor outcomes that these youth often face across different domains. It also highlights best practices and strategies by reviewing the different permanency options, including adoption, subsidized guardianship, reinstating parental rights, and helping youth make other permanent connections. The authors, Jeanne A. Howard and Stephanie Berzin, provide examples of successful permanency programs around the country and make a number of policy and practice recommendations. (July 2011)
- Successful Older Child Adoption: Lessons from the Field
This article from the Summer 2010 issue of “Adoptalk” published by the Northern American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) discusses proven strategies to increase adoptions of older youth. The article, authored by Mary Boo, describes the results of conversations with leaders in states that had particular success in increasing adoptions of older children and teens. It lists key strategies that resulted in significantly increased adoptions for the states and provides specific examples for each strategy, highlighting successful experiences of individual states. (2010)
Adoption of Children with Special Needs
- “Special Needs” Adoption: What does it Mean?
This factsheet from the Child Welfare Information Gateway presents some common questions regarding the adoption of a child or youth with special needs along with resources that will give you detailed answers. It discusses the definition of “special needs”, as well as topics of eligibility, making the decision, getting started, financial and health-care assistance, and post-adoption services. (July 2010)
- Child Welfare FAQs - Child Welfare Funding
The Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health (TA Partnership) addresses the question of the availability of financial assistance to families who adopt children with special needs.
Adoption Tax Benefits
- Federal Adoption Tax Credit Form 8839
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Form 8839 for qualified adoption expenses, which includes information about the Federal Adoption Tax Credit and the instructions needed to claim it
- Six Things to Know About the Expanded Adoption Tax Credit
IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2011-10, July 27, 2011
This factsheet from the Internal Revenue Service provides details about the necessary steps for adoptive parents to take to claim the tax credit. The factsheet also lists the forms and documentation that are required to process a claim for the credit. Links to an Adoption Benefits FAQs, the required form, and instructions are included.
- Adoption Tax Benefits
This section of the NYS Citizens’ Coalition for Children’s (NYSCCC) page provides information and a list of resources regarding adoption tax credits. (February 2012)
- In Focus: The Adoption Tax Credit
This report from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute provides an overview of the legislative history of the adoption tax credit and outlines key policy considerations. (April 2010)
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