13.44 Discontinuance of Adoption Assistance

Introduction

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Practice Guidance

​​Adoption assistance may be discontinued for any of the following reasons:

  • Federal title IV-E funded adoption assistance: 
    • At the request of the adoptive parent; 
    • When the child reaches age: 
      • Eighteen (18); or 1 
      • Twenty-one (21) if the state determines that the child has a mental or physical disability that warrants continuation of assistance; 
    • The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS/Cabinet) determines: 
      • The adoptive parent is no longer legally responsible for the support for the child (i.e. termination of parental rights); 
      • The child is no longer receiving support from the adoptive parents; 2 
      • No adoptive parent who signed the adoption assistance agreement remains living; or 
      • In the event of a new adoption assistance agreement. 
  • State funded adoption assistance: 
    • When the child reaches age eighteen (18); 
    • If the child is enrolled in school, upon high school graduation or the child's nineteenth (19th) birthday, whichever comes first; 3 
    • Upon the death of the adoptive parents; 
    • The Cabinet determines that the child is no longer receiving support from the adoptive parents; 
    • The Cabinet determines that the adoptive parent is no longer legally responsible for the support for the child (i.e. termination of parental rights); 
    • Upon the child's death, full-time employment, marriage or military service; 
    • When the child is considered an emancipated minor; 
    • In the event the state legislature fails to appropriate funds to support the adoption assistance program; or 
    • In the event of a new adoption assistance agreement. 
  • Temporary discontinuance of state funded adoption assistance may occur during periods of time in which the adopted child: 
    • Is placed in foster care; 
    • Is placed in a residential treatment facility; 
    • Is placed in a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF); 
    • Is placed in a psychiatric hospitalization exceeding thirty (30) consecutive calendar days; 
    • Is placed in a detention center outside of the home for a period of thirty (30) consecutive calendar days; or 
    • Is absent from the home for a period of thirty (30) consecutive calendar days, unless the child is absent due to medical care or school attendance. 
  • The adoptive parent is responsible for notifying the Cabinet of any circumstances that would cause a change or discontinuance.

Procedure

The Recruitment and Certification (R&C) worker:
  1. Advises the adoptive family of the discontinuance in writing using the DPP-154A Notice of Intended Action, at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the intended action; 
  2. Notes the date and reason for discontinuance; 
  3. Sends with the notice the DPP-154 Protection and Permanency Service Appeal informing the family of their right to file a service appeal as outlined in SOP 30.1 Service Appeals; 
  4. Completes a new DPP-1258 for those receiving title IV-E adoption assistance to continue to receive adoption assistance through state funds. All required parties sign the new DPP-1258; and 
  5. Submits the School Verification Form and updated DPP-1258 to billing specialist and children's benefit worker (CBW). Please refer to SOP 13.46 for additional information. ​

Footnotes

  1. The adoptive parents request that the school complete an Adoption Subsidy School Verification Form and the adoptive parent then submits the form to the R&C worker. 
  2. To determine if the adoptive family meets this criteria, at minimum the following should be considered: 
    1. Participating in the child’s treatment; 
    2. Face-to-face or SKYPE contact with the child at least monthly; 
    3. Phone calls; 
    4. Continuing to contribute to child’s daily living needs (such as personal hygiene, or school supplies); 
    5. Providing various forms of financial support such as family therapy, tuition, clothing, maintenance of special equipment in the home, or services for the child's special needs; and/or 
    6. Allowing the child to visit at home as recommended by the child’s treatment team. 
  3. The adoptive parent(s) request that the school complete a School Verification Form. The adoptive parent submits the form to the R&C worker. The R&C worker submits the School Verification Form to the billing specialist and CBW. Please refer to SOP 13.46 for additional information.​​

Revisions