Showing posts with label adoption assistance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adoption assistance. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
We can do BETTER for Ohio's 3,000 waiting children
"I aged out of foster care in 1989 - but it wasn't until over a decade later, in the year 2000, that my picture frame was finally filled." (At this point Lisa held up her wedding photo). "I was 27 years old when I married my husband, and finally became a legal member of a forever family.”
“Our children shouldn't have to wait that long. We can do so much better for the young people in and from foster care today. Every year, over a thousand Ohio youth "age out" of the foster care system without being connected with forever families.”
"When I married my husband, I became a stepmother to his two beautiful daughters. We've been married for ten years now, and I learn more every day about what it's like to love two children who are not biologically my daughters - but whom I love more than anything.”
"As I watch my stepdaughters enter their teenage years, and young adulthood, I know that my husband and I will be there for them no matter what. They won't face the uncertainty that I faced as a child.”
"They will know that they are loved. They will know that they are safe. They will know that they have a place to belong to.”
"If they make a mistake while budgeting in college, they won't be homeless. If the road is difficult, I won't pull over the car, and tell them to get out. They will know that, even during the hard times, my love will still be there.”
"There are more than 3,000 children in Ohio who are waiting for that kind of assurance and certainty today.”
"Right now, at this moment, is an opportunity to fill their picture frames with our love. Our consistency. Our perseverance.”
"We who are here today have the strength to love, and the confidence to let adoptees tell us their story. We can build pictures of the future, and face pictures of the past. We can open our hearts and our homes, and provide FOREVER.”
Lisa Dickson, Communications Chair of Foster Care Alumni of America's Ohio chapter, speaks from the heart at the Nov. 6th Adoption Rally “Filling Family Portraits” on the Statehouse Steps. OACCA Weekly, Nov. 9, 2009.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
40 percent cut in Ohio adoption program hurts children
Vanishing family faces. Price, Rita. Columbus Dispatch, Nov. 7, 2009.
The Ohio Statehouse steps were covered today with hundreds of photo frames -- many of them empty -- to symbolize the 3,000 Ohio children who wait for a place in a family picture. The state cut $43 million for adoption services, about 40 percent of funding.
With a few clicks of his computer mouse, Ray Lees saw the face, read the story and fell a little in love.
"He came home with us in June," said the Worthington resident and adoptive father of 14-month-old Kalis.
The Web site listing Ohio foster children in need of homes is gone now, their smiling faces replaced by a gray directory of county agencies.
State officials had touted the site as efficient and effective, one of the best ways for parents and professionals to search for waiting children.
"It listed photos and stories," said Greg Kapcar of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio. "And it's one of the casualties."
Slashing of the state budget eliminated the Adopt Ohio program and took away $43 million for adoption services -- about a 40 percent cut -- over the next two years, Kapcar said.
Money for recruiting and training parents is down, one-time assistance for adoption expenses has been cut in half, and the state has reduced its share of subsidies for families who adopt low-income or special-needs children through public systems.
Kapcar said the 3,000 Ohio children waiting to be adopted will pay a price.
He and other advocates covered the Statehouse steps yesterday with hundreds of photo frames -- many of them empty -- to symbolize the children who wait for a place in a family picture.
Christine Johnson told the crowd that she spent four years in foster care and was moved 10 times before she and her two brothers were adopted. She's now 24, but the pain still isn't gone.
"I learned that you had to start over each time with each family to try to earn their love," she said.
Declining subsidies are likely to have a chilling effect on adoption, which costs taxpayers less than foster care, said Ron Browder, executive director of the Children's Defense Fund-Ohio.
Many of the children who are adopted have expensive needs, while many of the families who take them in have incomes in the middle- to low-middle range, he said. "Why wasn't there some thought to finding ways to hold these families harmless?"
Monthly subsidies vary from less than $250 to more than $1,000 for a child with disabilities. The state has dropped its maximum contribution to $240 a month, down from $300.
The rest of the amount comes from federal or local funds, and county child-welfare agencies are struggling to make up the difference.
"Some counties are asking families to renegotiate their subsidies," Kapcar said.
State Sens. John A. Carey Jr., a Republican from Wellston, and Dale Miller, a Democrat from Cleveland, have sponsored a bill to restore about $8 million that was cut, advocates said.
Marynell Townsend, a mother of five from New Concord who adopted two children, said Ohio can't afford to go backward. Families who want to know about available children might turn to other states with better online resources, she said.
"We're a technological society. There are wonderful families in Ohio who are going to adopt. We want them to know about our children here."
The Ohio Statehouse steps were covered today with hundreds of photo frames -- many of them empty -- to symbolize the 3,000 Ohio children who wait for a place in a family picture. The state cut $43 million for adoption services, about 40 percent of funding.
With a few clicks of his computer mouse, Ray Lees saw the face, read the story and fell a little in love.
"He came home with us in June," said the Worthington resident and adoptive father of 14-month-old Kalis.
The Web site listing Ohio foster children in need of homes is gone now, their smiling faces replaced by a gray directory of county agencies.
State officials had touted the site as efficient and effective, one of the best ways for parents and professionals to search for waiting children.
"It listed photos and stories," said Greg Kapcar of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio. "And it's one of the casualties."
Slashing of the state budget eliminated the Adopt Ohio program and took away $43 million for adoption services -- about a 40 percent cut -- over the next two years, Kapcar said.
Money for recruiting and training parents is down, one-time assistance for adoption expenses has been cut in half, and the state has reduced its share of subsidies for families who adopt low-income or special-needs children through public systems.
Kapcar said the 3,000 Ohio children waiting to be adopted will pay a price.
He and other advocates covered the Statehouse steps yesterday with hundreds of photo frames -- many of them empty -- to symbolize the children who wait for a place in a family picture.
Christine Johnson told the crowd that she spent four years in foster care and was moved 10 times before she and her two brothers were adopted. She's now 24, but the pain still isn't gone.
"I learned that you had to start over each time with each family to try to earn their love," she said.
Declining subsidies are likely to have a chilling effect on adoption, which costs taxpayers less than foster care, said Ron Browder, executive director of the Children's Defense Fund-Ohio.
Many of the children who are adopted have expensive needs, while many of the families who take them in have incomes in the middle- to low-middle range, he said. "Why wasn't there some thought to finding ways to hold these families harmless?"
Monthly subsidies vary from less than $250 to more than $1,000 for a child with disabilities. The state has dropped its maximum contribution to $240 a month, down from $300.
The rest of the amount comes from federal or local funds, and county child-welfare agencies are struggling to make up the difference.
"Some counties are asking families to renegotiate their subsidies," Kapcar said.
State Sens. John A. Carey Jr., a Republican from Wellston, and Dale Miller, a Democrat from Cleveland, have sponsored a bill to restore about $8 million that was cut, advocates said.
Marynell Townsend, a mother of five from New Concord who adopted two children, said Ohio can't afford to go backward. Families who want to know about available children might turn to other states with better online resources, she said.
"We're a technological society. There are wonderful families in Ohio who are going to adopt. We want them to know about our children here."
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Governor Strickland's Executive Orders to cut state adoption assistance program
Executive Orders Implement Cuts in Adoption Assistance, Child Care
Hannah News
Gov. Ted Strickland this week issued two Executive Orders (EOs) implementing cuts to the state's adoption assistance programs and child care program that were included in HB1, the FY10-11 budget. The first, EO 2009-15S, which was effective Monday, Aug. 10, addresses reductions in certain adoption expenses while EO 2009-16S, which was effective Wednesday, Aug. 12, deals with the publicly funded child care program. Both put into immediate effect revised rules reducing expenditures in these areas for 90 days. This gives the Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) time to pursue revised rules through the normal rule-making process. Both executive orders are posted on www.hannah.com
The adoption changes center on ODJFS appropriation line item 600-528 Adoption Services which, according to Crystal Ward Allen, executive director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO), covers expenditures in four major areas:
- The Post Adoption Special Services Subsidy (PASSS). Funding and eligibility criteria for this program, which offers eligible families up to $10,000 a year to help pay for the treatment of a physical, developmental, mental or emotional conditions, has been kept the same as in FY09 by ODJFS.
- The State Adoption Maintenance Subsidy (SAMS) program. This is a state program for adoptive children who are not eligible for the federal Title IV-E program but who have special needs. This covers approximately 7 to 8 percent of the special needs adoptions - children who by 2018, Allen explained, will be covered under the federal program.
- State match for the federal Title IV -E. Title IV-E program covers 92 to 93 percent of the special needs adoptive children; it is a federal, state and locally funded program. The feds share in the cost at the same rate as the state's Medicaid reimbursement which is currently at an uncharacteristically high 68.34 percent due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Normally, according to Allen, the federal reimbursement is between 60 and 62 percent.
- Non-Recurring Adoption Expenses. This state/federal program provides a one-time payment for non-ongoing expenses. The cap on this payment had been $2,000; it now goes to $1,000. The federal government covers 50 percent of the amount.
According to the emergency rules, the state's portion for both SAMS and Title IV-E drops from $300/month to $240/month per child beginning with the September payment. This presents a problem for the counties, Allen said, explaining that the average subsidy amount is approximately $550/month. In addition, federal requirements, backed by a couple of court decisions, preclude reducing the IV-E subsidy based on lack of state funds. Allen estimated counties face an $8 million funding gap, which she said they are in the process of "trying to determine how to manage ....
"Some counties have resources and can increase their local share." Others may have to renegotiate the subsidy amount with each of the affected families or adjust other programs. The following summarizes the funding for this line item:
Adoption Services FY09 FY10 FY11
State $43.7 million $22.8 million $24.1 million
Federal 42.8 million 49.3 million 46.3 million
TOTAL $86.5 million $72.2 million $70.4 million
Allen said her association is supporting SB155, sponsored by Sens. John Carey (R-Wellston) and Dale Miller (D-Cleveland), which "makes a slight change to Ohio's tax code" and designates the resulting funds for adoptions and Disability Medical Assistance. She expressed the hope that the bill will be incorporated into the budget correction bill which may done as early as the end of September.
Hannah News
Gov. Ted Strickland this week issued two Executive Orders (EOs) implementing cuts to the state's adoption assistance programs and child care program that were included in HB1, the FY10-11 budget. The first, EO 2009-15S, which was effective Monday, Aug. 10, addresses reductions in certain adoption expenses while EO 2009-16S, which was effective Wednesday, Aug. 12, deals with the publicly funded child care program. Both put into immediate effect revised rules reducing expenditures in these areas for 90 days. This gives the Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) time to pursue revised rules through the normal rule-making process. Both executive orders are posted on www.hannah.com
The adoption changes center on ODJFS appropriation line item 600-528 Adoption Services which, according to Crystal Ward Allen, executive director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO), covers expenditures in four major areas:
- The Post Adoption Special Services Subsidy (PASSS). Funding and eligibility criteria for this program, which offers eligible families up to $10,000 a year to help pay for the treatment of a physical, developmental, mental or emotional conditions, has been kept the same as in FY09 by ODJFS.
- The State Adoption Maintenance Subsidy (SAMS) program. This is a state program for adoptive children who are not eligible for the federal Title IV-E program but who have special needs. This covers approximately 7 to 8 percent of the special needs adoptions - children who by 2018, Allen explained, will be covered under the federal program.
- State match for the federal Title IV -E. Title IV-E program covers 92 to 93 percent of the special needs adoptive children; it is a federal, state and locally funded program. The feds share in the cost at the same rate as the state's Medicaid reimbursement which is currently at an uncharacteristically high 68.34 percent due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Normally, according to Allen, the federal reimbursement is between 60 and 62 percent.
- Non-Recurring Adoption Expenses. This state/federal program provides a one-time payment for non-ongoing expenses. The cap on this payment had been $2,000; it now goes to $1,000. The federal government covers 50 percent of the amount.
According to the emergency rules, the state's portion for both SAMS and Title IV-E drops from $300/month to $240/month per child beginning with the September payment. This presents a problem for the counties, Allen said, explaining that the average subsidy amount is approximately $550/month. In addition, federal requirements, backed by a couple of court decisions, preclude reducing the IV-E subsidy based on lack of state funds. Allen estimated counties face an $8 million funding gap, which she said they are in the process of "trying to determine how to manage ....
"Some counties have resources and can increase their local share." Others may have to renegotiate the subsidy amount with each of the affected families or adjust other programs. The following summarizes the funding for this line item:
Adoption Services FY09 FY10 FY11
State $43.7 million $22.8 million $24.1 million
Federal 42.8 million 49.3 million 46.3 million
TOTAL $86.5 million $72.2 million $70.4 million
Allen said her association is supporting SB155, sponsored by Sens. John Carey (R-Wellston) and Dale Miller (D-Cleveland), which "makes a slight change to Ohio's tax code" and designates the resulting funds for adoptions and Disability Medical Assistance. She expressed the hope that the bill will be incorporated into the budget correction bill which may done as early as the end of September.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
