State Adoption Assistance Contact

Clezel Farmer
Department of Human Services (DHS)
Social Services Administration
311 W. Saratoga Street
Baltimore, MD  21201
410-767-8838 

[email protected]

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Adoption resources on the web:

https://dhs.maryland.gov/adoption/

Maryland’s state-specific medical assistance information:

https://health.maryland.gov/mmcp/Pages/home.aspx

Maryland Statute, Article – Family Law , Title 5, Subtitle 4 Adoption Subsidy Act, §5-401 to §5-412 Part I – Adoption Subsidy Act; Part II – Adoption Subsidy Program:
https://govt.westlaw.com/mdc/Browse/Home/Maryland/MarylandCodeCourtRules?guid=NAE3386E09B6B11DB9BCF9DAC28345A2A&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)

Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) COMAR 7.02.12.05 to 7.02.12.08:
https://dsd.maryland.gov/Pages/COMARSearch.aspx

Adoption Assistance Program Policy, SSA 22-07:
https://dhs.maryland.gov/documents/SSA%20Policy%20Directives/Child%20Welfare/SSA%2022-07%20CW%20Adoption-Assistance-Program.pdf

In Maryland to qualify as special needs, the child must be one for whom the local department or agency that holds guardianship has made reasonable efforts to find an adoptive family without providing the family with adoption assistance including Medical Assistance. To be a special needs child, the child must meet the criteria in 1, 2, and 3 below.

  1.   a. The child is 6 to 17-years-old;
  2. The child has a physical or emotional disability or disease;
  3. The child has an emotional disturbance;
  4. The child is a member of a sibling group;
  5. The child is recognized as being at high risk of physical or mental disease—families will receive a $0 agreement at finalization;  or
  6. The child’s race or ethnicity is considered in combination with any one of the above conditions or factors; and
  1. The child cannot or should not be returned to the home of the parents, in accordance with criteria that the Title IV-E agency (DHS) has established; and
  1. Reasonable, but unsuccessful, efforts have been made to place the child with adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance or Medical Assistance, unless such efforts are excused because of significant emotional ties between the child and their foster parent.

In Maryland the maximum monthly adoption assistance payment shall not exceed the applicable foster care board rates, which are as follows:

Age at Adoption Maximum Basic Foster Care Board Rate Maximum Intermediate Foster Care Board Rate
0-11 $887 $1,008
12-20 $902 $1,024

The exception to the above is treatment foster care families who adopt medically fragile children, as defined by statute. These families may be eligible for adoption assistance of up to $2,000 per month.

All adoption assistance amounts must be negotiated. All rate increases must be negotiated based on documented changes in the child’s (see question 21).  

Adoption subsidy will end when the youth turns 18 unless they meet criteria for continued adoption subsidy.  In all cases will adoption subsidy will not continue past the youth’s 21st birthday.  The criteria for extension varies based on funding type.  To learn more you can review the Termination criteria in the policy,

https://dhs.maryland.gov/documents/SSA%20Policy%20Directives/Child%20Welfare/SSA%2022-07%20CW%20Adoption-Assistance-Program.pdf

Post-adoption services in Maryland are administered by the Department of Human Services, Social Services Administration.  Adoptive parents should contact the adoption agency that placed the child or the local department of social services (https://dhs.maryland.gov/local-offices/) for referral to local services. DHS may make services available on request to eligible families of children adopted through the local department of social services. Adoptive families may be placed on a waiting for post-adoption services in accordance with available DHS staff resources.

Paths for Families provides free post-adoption counseling and other services for qualified families in Maryland.  To learn more about the program visit, https://pathsforfamilies.org/resource/maryland-post-adoption-counseling-program/

Maryland has a Guradianship Assistance Program provides legal stability for children who are unable to return home to their birth parents and where adoption has been ruled out as an option. The program allows relative caregivers to take full legal responsibility for children without terminating parental rights while also receiving financial support.  For more information, visit https://dhs.maryland.gov/local-offices/baltimore-city/what-is-kinship-care/adoptions-and-guardianship/

Maryland offers the Maryland Waiver, which allows foster youth and former foster youth who meet certain criteria to attend college in Maryland tuition-free.  For adoptees to be eligible, they must have been in out of home placement for a least a year on or after their 13th birthday.  To learn more about the program, visit https://mhec.maryland.gov/preparing/Pages/FinancialAid/ProgramDescriptions/prog_fostercare.aspx