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Expenses and Financial Assistance
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Expenses
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Public agencies do not charge fees for adoption of Minnesota's
waiting children, nor do those private agencies that are part of the
Public/Private Adoption Initiative.
Other nonprofit agencies may have fixed fees or a sliding fee scale based on
family income. Public or county social service agencies do not place healthy
infants or work with families adopting internationally. For these types of
adoptions a family must work with a private agency.When adopting a child with special needs an adoptive family may qualify
for reimbursement of non-recurring expenses. Non-recurring expenses include
agency placement fees, agency fees for supervision of the adoptive
placement, court and attorney fees, and transportation and lodging costs for
the child and the adoptive family.
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Financial Assistance
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Adoption assistance (also called adoption subsidy) is a program that
makes adoption possible for children with special needs. The Department of
Human Services defines children with special needs as children who have, or
who are at high risk of having physical, emotional or behavioral
disabilities that make it difficult for them to be adopted. Children who are
siblings and who need to be placed together in the same home are also
referred to as children with special needs.Many children who receive adoption assistance have been neglected or
abused and many of them have medical issues. The
Adoption Assistance
Program reimburses families for the cost of non-medical items and
provides adoptive parents with the resources to help them get the services
and support necessary to meet their child's special needs. Families may also
receive monthly financial assistance or Medical Assistance.
The adoption assistance agreement is the legal document that describes in
detail the responsibilities of the parties involved. The adoptive parents,
the child-placing agency and a representative of the Commissioner of Human
Services sign this document. In most cases the agreement remains in effect
until the child reaches age 18.
Detailed information regarding the Adoption Assistance program is published
by the Department of Human Services.
Download it
here
or write to:
Adoption Assistance Program
MN Adoption Assistance Program
PO Box 64944
St. Paul, MN 55164-0944
651-431-4656
adoption.assistance@state.mn.us
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