Bulletin for 

professionals

January 2003

Military Families 

and Adoption

What’s inside:

• The benefits of using military 

families as adoptive resources 

for children

• The challenges of working with 

military families

• How adoption opportunities 

grantees overcame challenges

• Military resources that support 

families in general and/or 

might assist families in their 

adoption pursuit

• Organizations that adoption 

workers can access or 

refer families to while 

assisting military families 

pursuing adoption

 the Benefits of using 

Military families as 

adoptive resources 

for Children

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families 

Children’s Bureau

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Children’s Bureau/ACYF

1250 Maryland Avenue, SW

Eighth Floor

Washington, DC 20024

703.385.7565 or 800.394.3366

Email: info@childwelfare.gov

www.childwelfare.gov

Several Adoption Opportunities grants (demonstration projects funded by the Children’s 

Bureau) in the early 1990s demonstrated the 

benefits of placing children with military families. They found the military to be a largely 

untapped resource for children waiting for 

families. The benefits of placing children with 
Military Families and Adoption www.childwelfare.gov

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Information Gateway. Available online at www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin.cfm.

military families include ethnic diversity, family 

structure, and the military support network for 

families and children.

• Ethnic Diversity. The diversity within 

the military exceeds that of the general 

population. (According to the 2000 

census, minorities account for approximately 29 percent of the total U.S. 

population.1

) The U.S. Department of 

Defense’s 2005 Demographics Report

(http://cs.itc.dod.mil/files/content/

AllPublic/Workspaces/DoDITC-CS-Public/

PDF/MHF/QOL%20Resources/Reports/

2006%20Demographics%20Report.pdf) 

shows more than one-third of the active 

duty military identify themselves as African 

American, Hispanic, American Indian, 

Alaska Native, or Asian-Pacific Islander. 

Given the overrepresentation of minority 

children in the child welfare system and the 

recruitment provisions of the Multiethnic 

Placement Act (MEPA) (www.acf.hhs.gov/

programs/cb/pubs/mepa94/index.htm), 

the military would appear to be a good 

resource for waiting children. 

• Family Structure. The structure often 

found in military families can benefit children who have not had much structure in 

their lives or those with ADD, ADHD, and 

Attachment Disorder.

• Military Support Network. Military installations have a built-in support network 

for military families. Family benefits are 

available from Adoption Reimbursement, 

Exceptional Family Member Programs, 

and the New Parent Support Programs on 

many installations.

	 U.S.	Census	Bureau,	Statistical	Abstract	of	the	United	States,	

200	(No.	5.	Resident	Population	by	Hispanic	Origin	Status,	

980	to	2000,	and	projections,	2005	to	2050).

Working with military families presents workers 

with some unique challenges:

• Possibility of transfer and/or deployment. 

• Increased likelihood of overseas 

assignment.

• Increased involvement of the Interstate 

Compact on the Placement of Children.

• Preconceived ideas about military 

families and lack of knowledge of 

available resources. 

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of 

Children (ICPC) is applicable if a child travels 

from one State to another for the purposes 

of adoption. All 50 States, the District of 

Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands signed 

this agreement, which requires an application 

for approval before a child can be transferred 

into the receiving State for placement. The 

ICPC requires that parties comply with the law 

of the sending State (the State where the child 

originated) before the sending State’s ICPC 

office will approve the child’s transfer. Also, 

home studies in the receiving State cannot 

be initiated until ICPC receives the request 

from the sending State and gives permission 

to initiate the study. Officials will look at the 

State of adoption finalization to determine 

the appropriate receiving State (e.g., if a 

family is adopting a child from Kansas but is 

finalizing their adoption in Virginia, an ICPC 

referral would be necessary from Kansas to 

Virginia). The American Public Human Services 
Military Families and Adoption www.childwelfare.gov

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Information Gateway. Available online at www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin.cfm.

Association has a listing of ICPC contacts in 

each State (http://icpc.aphsa.org/states.asp). 

For military families stationed overseas, ICPC 

may not apply.

Working with military families may challenge 

some workers’ beliefs or negative stereotypes 

about military families. Negative characteristics are no more common among military 

families than among the general civilian population. Each branch of the military has Family 

Advocacy Programs (www.militaryhomefront.

dod.mil/portal/page?_pageid=73,46033&_

dad=itc&_schema=PORTAL§ion_id=20.

80.500.270.0.0.0.0.0¤t_id=20.80.500

.270.500.30.0.0.0) focused primarily on prevention services, and all branches practice a 

zero tolerance policy ensuring that all allegations of child abuse and/or neglect are investigated. Social workers may wish to educate 

themselves about the unique issues in military 

families and the available support services by 

availing themselves of the resources listed in 

this bulletin. All families, military or civilian, 

should be assessed on their ability to meet a 

child’s needs.

The grantees used creativity to overcome 

potential barriers to adoption by military 

families. Examples of their creative solutions 

include:

• Training military personnel on installations 

(e.g., social workers, chaplains, etc.) to 

recruit families, complete home studies, or 

conduct post-placement follow-up visits for 

families stationed overseas. 

• Training and sensitizing civilian social 

workers to the cultural standards and 

communication styles of military personnel, 

so they could better appreciate the unique 

culture of many military families. 

• Offering flexibility in the timing of 

education and/or home study processes. 

• Providing the final court hearing 

by telephone after completing the 

post-placement services. 

Successful recruitment campaigns and adoption processes with military families are dependent on cooperative relationships between 

military services and agency personnel. 

Adoption workers need to understand and 

respect the military command structure and 

lifestyle, and military personnel need to be 

educated about the adoption process. 

Adoption Reimbursement Policy U.S. 

Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 

1341.9 (www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/

corres/html/13419.htm), issued by the DoD 

Washington Headquarters Services’ Directives 

and Record Division, is posted online. This 

instruction outlines the policy and responsibilities for the reimbursement of qualifying adoption expenses. Up to $2,000 per child (or up 
Military Families and Adoption www.childwelfare.gov

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to $5,000 per year) for qualifying expenses is 

available to military families whose adoptions 

were arranged by a qualified adoption agency. 

Benefits are paid after the adoption is complete. The National Military Family Association 

(NMFA) (www.nmfa.org/) has a factsheet, DoD 

Adoption Reimbursement Program (www.

nmfa.org/site/DocServer/DoD_Adoption_

Reimbursement_3-10-06.pdf?docID=5301), 

with further information on allowable expenses. 

A child is considered a dependent in determining travel and transportation allowances 

(Public Law No. 102-190, section 621, reference 

(d)). Check with your Judge Advocate General 

(JAG) if there is a question about this instruction as interpretation varies from installation 

to installation.

Child Development Programs are available 

at approximately 300 DoD locations, including 

800 centers and approximately 9,000 family 

child care homes. The services may include 

full day, part-day and hourly (drop-in) childcare, part-day preschool programs, beforeand after-school programs for school-aged 

children, and extended hours care, including 

nights and weekends. Not all services are 

available at all installations.

Deployment Deferment or Extension of 

Assignment are options military families 

may request if they need to remain in one 

State to finalize an adoption. According 

to DoD Instruction 1341.9 (www.dtic.mil/

whs/directives/corres/html/13419.htm), 

commanders are encouraged to approve 

requests for ordinary leave once a child 

is placed in the home of a member. The 

instruction states that single members or one

member of a military couple shall receive a 4-

month assignment and deployment deferment 

immediately following the date a child 

is placed. 

The Exceptional Family Member Program

within the military provides many services 

including assisting families who need to be stationed in areas that provide for specific medical 

or other services that might not be available 

in remote locations. It should be noted that 

the military definition of special needs is more 

narrowly defined to mean “persons with physical or mental disabilities or severe illness.” This 

differs from what adoption professionals often 

refer to as children with special needs—more 

broadly defined to include children who may 

be healthy but are older, in sibling groups, or 

members of a minority group. For additional 

information on special needs resources in the 

military, go to the National Military Family 

Association website (www.nmfa.org). 

Family Service Centers located on every 

major military installation can provide military 

families with information regarding adoption 

reimbursement and other familial benefits. 

Medical Care is available to military families 

at military treatment facilities, and health 

care benefits are provided under TRICARE 

in civilian medical facilities if access to care 

is not available at an installation. TRICARE 

is the military medical benefits program that 

replaced CHAMPUS. An adopted child, including a child placed in the home of a service 

member by a placement agency, is eligible 

for benefits after the child is enrolled in the 

Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting 

System (DEERS)—phone: (800) 538-9552. 

The patient affairs personnel at a specific 

medical treatment facility may have information. Specific information on access and 

eligibility is available on the TRICARE website 

at www.tricare.osd.mil or by calling the DoD 

Worldwide Tricare Information Center at 

888.363.2273.
Military Families and Adoption www.childwelfare.gov

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Information Gateway. Available online at www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin.cfm.

Family Advocacy Program provides individual 

and family counseling services for military families. Most of the programs are geared toward 

prevention and the development of a healthier 

lifestyle. The New Parent Support Programs 

available at some military installations are one 

component of the Family Advocacy Program. 

These programs are available to all families 

(birth or adoptive) with children ages 3 or 

under. The Department of Defense Instruction 

No. 6400-05 (www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/

corres/pdf/i640005_122005/i640005p.pdf) 

provides more information. 

Tax Benefits for Adoption (www.irs.gov/tax 

topics/tc607.html) is information on the adoption tax credit. A tax benefit of up to $10,000 is 

available for all adoptive families. While military 

families do not qualify for services under the 

Family Medical Leave Act, they do qualify for 

this tax benefit.

American Academy of Adoption Attorneys 

(AAAA)

P.O. Box 33053 

Washington, DC 20033

Phone: 202.832.2222

Website: www.adoptionattorneys.org/

AAAA is a national association of attorneys 

who practice, or have otherwise distinguished 

themselves, in the field of adoption law. 

AAAA’s work includes promoting the reform of 

adoption laws and disseminating information 

on ethical adoption practices. 

The Adoption Exchange 

14232 East Evans Avenue 

Aurora, CO 80014

Phone: 303.755.4756

Phone: 800.451.5246

Website: www.adoptex.org/ 

The Adoption Exchange and VIDA (Voice for 

International Development and Adoption) 

collaborated on a project to make adoption 

easier for families living abroad. Their booklet 

Global Connections: A Passport Home—

Adoption for U.S. Citizens Living Abroad can 

be obtained free of charge by calling The 

Adoption Exchange. This program is designed 

for families stationed overseas.

The Adoption Exchange Association

8015 Corporate Drive, Suite C 

Baltimore, MD 21236

Phone: 888.200.4005

Website: www.adoptuskids.org/ 

A collaboration funded by the Children’s 

Bureau and managed by The Adoption 

Exchange Association administers 

AdoptUsKids, the national online photolisting service that provides pictures and brief 

descriptions of children waiting for families 

and a registry of waiting families. 

American Public Human Services Association 

(APHSA)

Association of Administrators of the 

Interstate Compact on Adoption and 

Medical Assistance (AAICAMA) 

810 First Street, NE, Suite 500 

Washington, DC 20002-4267

Phone: 202.682.0100

Fax: 202.289.6555

Website: http://aaicama.aphsa.org/who.

html 
Military Families and Adoption www.childwelfare.gov

 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin.cfm.

AAICAMA is recognized as the definitive 

source of technical and legal assistance, training, and information for adoption professionals on issues related to adoption in both interstate and intrastate situations. This website 

provides contact information on adoption subsidies in each State that is currently a member 

of the compact (as of July 2002). Since this 

is a national umbrella organization, they do 

not work directly with families or workers; 

however, States that have signed on to this 

agreement are listed on their website. 

Department of State 

Office of Children’s Issues 

2201 C Street, NW 

SA-22, Room 2100 

Washington, DC 20520-4818

Phone: 202.736.7000

Fax: 202.312.9743

Auto Fax: 202.647.3000

Website: www.travel.state.gov/family/

adoption/info/info_458.html

The Office of Children’s Issues formulates, 

develops, and coordinates policies and programs and provides direction to Foreign 

Service posts on international adoption. 

Workers can refer families to this website, 

which has a helpful booklet on adoption and 

specific information regarding adoption in 

more than 60 countries. 

Interstate Compact on the Placement of 

Children (ICPC)

810 First Street, NE, Suite 500 

Washington, DC 20002-4267

Phone: 202.682.0100

Fax: 202.289.6555

Website: http://icpc.aphsa.org/states.asp 

ICPC is a membership organization that does 

not work directly with families. Workers can go 

to this website to obtain the name and contact 

information of the compact administrators 

who facilitate activities and placements under 

ICPC in their State. 

International Social Service (ISS) 

American Branch, Inc.

700 Light Street 

Baltimore, MD 21230-3850

Phone: 410.230.2734

Fax: 410.230.2741

E-mail: jselinske@lirs.org 

Website: www.iss-usa.org/ 

ISS is an international network of professional 

social workers in 146 countries around the 

world. It is a nonsectarian, nonprofit international social work agency that expedites communication among social service agencies in 

different countries in order to resolve sociolegal problems of individuals and families. While 

ISS social workers do not always work directly 

with overseas families, this agency coordinates 

identifying and communicating with an agency 

in another country. Professionals or families 

can check to see if ISS can directly serve a 

family in a particular country.

National Military Family Association (NMFA)

2500 North Van Dorn Street, Suite 102 

Alexandria, VA 22302-1601

Phone: 703.931.6632

Fax: 703.931.4600

Website: www.nmfa.org/ 

NMFA is the only national organization dedicated to identifying and resolving issues of 

concern to military families. Their mission is 

to serve the families of the seven uniformed 

services through education, information, and 

advocacy. They offer information on benefits 

for adoption reimbursement and health care, 

but not on placement. 
Military Families and Adoption www.childwelfare.gov

 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin.cfm.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(USCIS)

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530-0001

Phone: 800.375.5283

Website: www.uscis.gov/

The USCIS (formerly INS) is a Federal agency 

within the U.S. Department of Justice that 

administers the nation’s immigration laws. 

Their website provides a list of USCIS offices, 

online forms, and answers to frequently asked 

questions regarding adoption.

The Adoption Exchange, Voice for International Development and Adoption (VIDA) and Dave 

Thomas Foundation for Adoption (2000) Global Connections: A Passport Home—Adoption for 

U.S. Citizens Living Abroad. 

American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law (1996) Recruitment of Military Families 

for the Adoption of Special Needs Children: Final Evaluation Report. Contact: Bo Chipman 

919.932.5385.

Cobbs, J. and Lewis, L. (1995) Evaluation Report: Military Family Recruitment Project October 

1992- September 1995. Richmond, VA: Virginia Department of Social Services. 

DoD Instruction, Number 1341.9 (July 29, 1993) DoD Adoption Reimbursement Policy. 

(Administrative Reissuance Incorporating Change 1, August 4, 1997).

Humerickhouse, S. (1995) You Can Adopt! A Guide for Military Families With Emphasis on Waiting 

Children. Washington, DC: Administered by the Children’s Bureau Administration on Children, 

Youth, and Families Department of Health and Human Services. Funded by the Adoption 

Opportunities Act of 1987, Grant # 90 CO 0706. (Provided through a grant to the Adoption 

Exchange Association.)

McDermott, M. (1993) “The Case for Independent Adoption,” The Future of Children Volume 3, 

Number 1, Spring 1993, The Center for the Future of Children, The David and Lucile Parkard 

Foundation.

Velen, M. (1995) Military Family Recruitment: Quarterly Performance Report. AZ Children’s 

Home Association. Adoption Opportunities Grant # 90-CO-0602101. Contact: Marcie Velen 

602.622.7611. Principal Investigator: Fred Chaffee 602.622.7611.