The adoption usually becomes final about six to nine months after placement. The Office of Adoptions or a licensed private agency under contract with the state will not charge a family for adoption services. As part of the home study process, prospective parents and others living in the home must get medical examinations, and they must also pay court costs to complete the adoption. But families adopting older children, siblings needing to be placed together or children with other special needs can be reimbursed for most of these expenses. Some large and small businesses also offer benefits for adoption.
Some assistance is available to help meet the expenses of caring for children with special needs.
The amount of the assistance depends on the child's needs. More money may be available to help pay for medical or psychological services. Many of the children with special needs will still be eligible for Medicaid after adoption.