Ky.gov
Effective: 3/19/2025

13.44 Suspension, Reduction, and Termination of Adoption Assistance

Legal Authority

Introduction

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Practice Guidance

Termination of Adoption Assistance​​

Adoption assistance may be terminated 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); 1 
      • Twenty-one (21) if the state determines that the child has a mental or physical disability that warrants continuation of assistance; or
      • Eighteen (18) to twenty-one (21) if the child who has an adoption assistance agreement on or after their sixteenth (16th) birthday no longer meets the criteria as outlined in SOP 13.46.1 Continuation of Title IV-E Adoption Assistance After Age 18​. 
    • The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS/Cabinet) determines: 
      • The adoptive parent is no longer legally responsible for the support of the child (i.e. termination of parental rights (TPR)); 
      • The child is no longer receiving any 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 adoptive parent is no longer legally responsible for the support for the child (i.e. termination of parental rights); 
    • Upon the child's death, marriage, or military service; 
    • The adoptive parent requests discontinuance of the payments;
    • 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. 
​​​Once the adoption assistance has been terminated, it may not be resumed or reinstated.  

Suspension of Adoption Assistance
  • Temporary suspension of state-funded adoption assistance may occur during periods of time in which the adopted child re-enters the custody of the Cabinet.
  • Temporary suspension includes when a youth enters post-adoption placement stabilization services (PAPSS) for state and title IV-E subsidies. The monthly maintenance payment is one dollar ($1.00) during the PAPSS placement.
​ Reduction of Adoption Assistance

  1. State and title IV-E adoption assistance shall be reduced if the adoptive parent fails to provide documentation demonstrating financial responsibility and support after the Cabinet has requested the documentation from the adoptive parent at least three (3) times. 
    1. This is applicable when the Cabinet learns that the youth may no longer be residing in the adoptive home (state and title IV-E subsidies) including periods when the youth re-enters out-of-home care (OOHC) (for title IV-E subsidies).
    2. The requests for documentation shall be made and documented via written communication to the adoptive parent.
    3. The worker uses the letter templates to mail a series of three (3) letters if needed. The first Adoption or Subsidized Permanent Custody (SPC) Subsidy Reduction Letter template is mailed and notifies the adoptive parent(s) that the subsidy will be reduced if the proper documentation is not received in forty-five (45) days.
    4. The Adoption or Subsidized Permanent Custody (SPC) Subsidy Reduction Second Letter template is mailed two (2) weeks later.
    5. The Adoption or Subsidized Permanent Custody (SPC) Subsidy Reduction Third Letter​​ template is mailed along with the DPP-154A Protection and Permanency Notice of Intended Action, making sure to provide the adoptive parent(s) with a ten (10) day notice of the reduction date established in the first letter mailed.
    6. The payment amount shall be reduced to one dollar ($1.00). 
  2. The Cabinet shall resume payments including any needed adjustments to the agreement, once the adoptive parent has provided the requested documentation demonstrating financial responsibility and support of the child. The adjusted amount should be based on the documentation provided by the adoptive parent.
  3. Any adjustments to the agreement shall require that a new adoption assistance contract be completed and signed by the adoptive parent(s) and a Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) representative.

Contingencies and Clarifications

  • The adoptive parent is responsible for promptly notifying the Cabinet of any circumstances that would cause a suspension, reduction, or termination of adoption assistance. 
  • This may include but is not limited to: ​
    • ​Any change in the nature or scope of legal, financial, or other support the adoptive parent provides for the youth (e.g., living expenses, medical needs, and/or necessary care and level of supervision); or 
    • Termination of enrollment in any school or educational program before graduation or completion of the program (if applicable to the youth’s subsidy type); and 
    • Termination of employment or participation in a program or activity designed to promote or remove barriers to employment (if applicable to the youth’s subsidy type).
​If the adoptive parent fails to notify DCBS within thirty (30) calendar days of the occurrence of the event, DCBS may require the adoptive parent to refund DCBS for any payments received for any month after the date of the occurrence.



Procedure

The Recruitment and Certification (R&C) worker:
  1. Advises the adoptive family of the suspension, reduction, or termination of adoption assistance 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 suspension, reduction, or termination; 
  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 G2.1 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 the billing specialist and children's benefit worker (CBW). Please refer to SOP 13.46 Continuation of Adoption Assistance After Age 18​ for additional information. ​

Footnotes

  1. The adoptive parents request that the authorized representation designated on the required form complete an Adoption Subsidy School Verification Form which the adoptive parent then submits to the R&C worker. 
  2. To determine if the adoptive family meets these criteria, at minimum the following should be considered: 
    1. Participating in the child’s treatment; 
    2. Supporting the child's permanency goal of reunification;
    3. Face-to-face or SKYPE contact with the child at least monthly; 
    4. Phone calls; 
    5. Continuing to contribute to the child’s daily living needs (such as personal hygiene, or school supplies); 
    6. 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 
    7. Allowing the child to visit at home as recommended by the child’s treatment team. 
  3. The adoptive parent(s) request that the authorized individual designated on the required form 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.​​

Documents

Revisions

​3/19/2025

Termination of Adoption Assistance
Adoption assistance may be terminated discontinued for any of the following reasons:

  • The Cabinet determines that the child is no longer receiving support from the adoptive parents; 
  • Upon the child's death, full-time employment, marriage or military service; 
  • When the child is considered an emancipated minor; ​
  • The adoptive parent requests discontinuance of the payments;

Once the adoption assistance has been terminated, it may not be resumed or reinstated.  

Suspension of Adoption Assistance
  • Temporary suspension discontinuance of state-funded adoption assistance may occur during periods of time in which the adopted child re-enters the custody of the Cabinet.
  • Temporary suspension includes when a youth enters post-adoption placement stabilization services (PAPSS) for state and title IV-E subsidies. The monthly maintenance payment is one dollar ($1.00) during the PAPSS placement. 
    • 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. 
Reduction of Adoption Assistance

  1. State and title IV-E adoption assistance shall be reduced if the adoptive parent fails to provide documentation demonstrating financial responsibility and support after the Cabinet has requested the documentation from the adoptive parent at least three (3) times. 
    1. This is applicable when the Cabinet learns that the youth may no longer be residing in the adoptive home (state and title IV-E subsidies) including periods when the youth re-enters out-of-home care (OOHC) (for title IV-E subsidies).
    2. The requests for documentation shall be made and documented via written communication to the adoptive parent.
    3. The worker uses the letter templates to mail a series of three (3) letters if needed. The first letter template is mailed and notifies the adoptive parent(s) that the subsidy will be reduced if the proper documentation is not received in forty-five (45) days.
    4. The second (2nd) letter template is mailed two (2) weeks later.
    5. The third (3rd) letter template is mailed along with the DPP-154A Protection and Permanency Notice of Intended Action, making sure to provide the adoptive parent(s) with a ten (10) day notice of the reduction date established in the first letter mailed.
    6. The payment amount shall be reduced to one dollar ($1.00). 
  2. The Cabinet shall resume payments including any needed adjustments to the agreement, once the adoptive parent has provided the requested documentation demonstrating financial responsibility and support of the child. The adjusted amount should be based on the documentation provided by the adoptive parent.
  3. Any adjustments to the agreement shall require that a new adoption assistance contract be completed and signed by the adoptive parent(s) and a Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) representative.
The adoptive parent is responsible for promptly notifying the Cabinet of any circumstances that would cause a suspension, reduction or termination of adoption assistance. change or discontinuance.

Contingencies and Clarifications

  • The adoptive parent is responsible for promptly notifying the Cabinet of any circumstances that would cause a suspension, reduction, or termination of adoption assistance. 
  • This may include but is not limited to: ​
    • ​Any change in the nature or scope of legal, financial, or other support the adoptive parent provides for the youth (e.g., living expenses, medical needs, and/or necessary care and level of supervision); or 
    • Termination of enrollment in any school or educational program before graduation or completion of the program (if applicable to the youth’s subsidy type); and 
    • Termination of employment or participation in a program or activity designed to promote or remove barriers to employment (if applicable to the youth’s subsidy type).
​If the adoptive parent fails to notify DCBS within thirty (30) calendar days of the occurrence of the event, DCBS may require the adoptive parent to refund DCBS for any payments received for any month after the date of the occurrence.


  1. Advises the adoptive family of the suspension, reduction, or termination of adoption assistance 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 suspension, reduction, or termination; discontinuance; ​
​Footnotes​
  1. The adoptive parents request that the authorized representation designated on the required form complete an Adoption Subsidy School Verification Form, which the adoptive parent then submits to the R&C worker. 
​​​B.  Supporting the child's permanency goal of reunification;​

    3.  The adoptive parent(s) request that the authorized individual designated on the required form school complete a School Verification Form.