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Illinois Department of. Children & Family Services. Post Adoption and Guardianship Services - PDF
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1 Illinois Department of Children & Family Services Post Adoption and Guardianship Services 1
3 Post Adoption and Guardianship Services The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) realizes the valuable contribution families make in giving a child a permanent family through adoption or guardianship. This undertaking is one that will change lives forever. By making the lifelong commitment to be there for a child, adoptive and guardianship parents have ended the formal, day-to-day involvement of DCFS. That prospect can raise many emotions and perhaps even some concerns. Your family now makes the important decisions for the children now in your home. You, not a caseworker, are responsible for finding information and programs. It is important that children and families do more than survive. They should thrive. There are many resources through the department, other government agencies, and in the community that can help you meet your responsibilities. The Post Adoption and Guardianship Services booklet is designed to present families with an overview of the many services available to meet your child s ongoing needs. The first section outlines services that the department provides or funds for children previously in its care. It also includes resources outside of DCFS that you may contact for services. At the end of the booklet there is a collection of information available to all families that is not specific to adoption but may be of special interest to adoptive and guardianship families. Please keep this booklet as a handy reference. 3
4 Table of Contents Part 1: Adoption and Guardianship Subsidy and Other Financial Considerations Information on subsidies Components of the subsidy... 5 Mediation and appeals of subsidies... 6 Other financial considerations Medical card... 6 Dental/orthodontic services... 6 Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA)... 7 Federal Income Tax with adoption and guardianship... 8 Education and employment resources after adoption and guardianship... 8 Part 2: Services and Supports for Adoptive and Guardianship Families Post adoption and guardianship contacts... 9 Adoption and guardianship preservation services... 9 Respite Search and reunion services Illinois Adoption Registry Arranging future plans for your child Part 3: Resources for Training and Advocacy after Adoption and Guardianship Foster and Adoptive Parent Training Information Office of Training Information DCFS Lending Library Annual Caregivers Institutes Adoption Learning Partners Illinois Adoption Advisory Council Advocacy Office National organizations and Internet resources Part 4: Additional Family Resources Income-based services and resources Day care for children over three Kid Care health services Earned Income Tax Credit Resources for older parents Resources for individuals with disabilities
5 Part 1: Adoption and Guardianship Subsidy and Other Financial Considerations The Adoption/Guardianship Subsidy Families adopting waiting children or becoming guardians of children in the care of DCFS may receive subsidies to assist them after adoption or guardianship. Subsidy components Subsidies for eligible children may include any or all of the following: Payment for non-recurring expenses directly related to the adoption is available in an amount not to exceed $1,500 per child for the adoption and $2,000 for the guardianship. Monthly cash payments are available based on the needs of the child and the family circumstances, not to exceed the amount received in care. A Medicaid card is available to cover Medicaid-eligible services. Payment or reimbursement payment can be made for physical, emotional and mental health needs that are not covered through insurance or public resources and that resulted from a pre-existing condition. Employment-related day care payments are available for children under the age of three years, if day care is required due to the parent or guardian s employment or participation in a training program that will lead to employment. Therapeutic day care is available for children who are determined to have a disability that requires special education services through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or an Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP) and is not fundable through another source. Respite care for medically-fragile/technologydependent children may be available for children who meet the medical eligibility guidelines used by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS). If you have questions about your subsidy, contact the DCFS Adoption Support Line at ADOPT ( ) and you will be connected to the assigned adoption worker in your region. 5
6 Mediation and appeals of subsidies If you believe that your rights under an adoption assistance or subsidized guardianship agreement have been violated in some way, an Administrative Appeal may be available to you. A written appeal must be filed within 45 calendar days of the department s determination. Submit requests for an appeal to: Administrative Hearings Unit Illinois Department of Children and Family Services 406 East Monroe Street Springfield IL For additional information about the DCFS Administrative Hearing process, call if you live outside of Cook county. If you live in Cook county, call Missing subsidy checks If you have been receiving subsidy checks regularly and suddenly don t receive your monthly subsidy check, call the DCFS Payment Unit at select #2. Medical Care Payments Medical card DCFS has arrangements with the Department of Public Aid (DPA) for all foster children to receive health coverage under the Medicaid plan. That arrangement continues after adoption or guardianship of a child formerly under DCFS care as part of the subsidy. When an adoption or guardianship finalizes, a medical card is issued with the first subsidy payment. The medical card will pay for all Medicaideligible services provided by an approved Medicaid provider. Medical cards are issued once a year. If your child s medical card is ever lost, call to request a replacement. You will be given a form letter (Notice of Medicaid Coverage for DCFS Clients) which can be used until your card is replaced. Dental/Orthodontic services If you need to find a dental or orthodontia provider in your area who accepts Medicaid, contact Doral Dental and ask for member services at When given your zip code, they will locate providers near your home. 6
7 Subsidy and Medical Coverage Payments When Moving Out of Illinois Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA) ICAMA and adoptive families Families often worry about what will happen to their child s subsidy if they move out of state. Illinois is a member of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA), which assists adoptive families moving in or out of Illinois. Moving prior to adoption finalization Your adoption worker will provide you with information about your child s medical coverage prior to the adoption. If you will be moving out of state, there are a number of options for medical care in your new state of residence. Be sure to contact your adoption worker or contact the Interstate Compact Office at to discuss these options before moving out of state. Moving after finalization If you plan an out-of-state move after the adoption is finalized, contact your adoption worker for information on the steps that will be taken to ensure that the new state has all of the necessary information. Illinois will continue to process your monthly subsidy payment and you may contact your adoption worker as needed. Your adoption worker will provide information about the options for medical coverage described above. ICAMA and subsidized guardianship families At this time there is no formalized Compact Program for guardianship families. However, there are several options available to provide medical coverage. First, if you are a relative to the child/ren under guardianship, you are encouraged to apply for medical coverage through the Medicaid program in your new state. If you are not a relative or are not eligible, there are two alternatives. You could select a medical provider who would choose to enroll in the Illinois Medicaid Program and thus be covered directly through Illinois Medicaid. Lastly, families could pay for the services and be reimbursed by DCFS at the Medicaid rate for Medicaid-eligible services or for other therapeutic services. Additionally, the child may have a pre-existing condition for which therapeutic treatment or services would be covered under the subsidy. Before accessing such services, families should seek prior approval from the adoption worker in Illinois. Guardianship families can contact the Interstate Compact Office at to discuss these options before moving out of state. Illinois will continue to process your monthly subsidy payment and you may continue to contact your adoption worker as needed. 7
8 Tax Information for Foster and Adoptive Families Since 2003, families who adopt a child with special needs from foster care can claim a federal adoption tax credit without needing to incur or document expenses. [For non-special needs adoptions (except step-parent adoptions, which do not qualify for the credit), parents can claim the credit with the same rules as below, except that they have to document qualified adoption expenses.] The amount of the credit is based on the year the adoption finalized: 2011: $13, : $11, : $10, : $13, : $11, : $10, : $12, : $10, : $10,160 To qualify for the credit without documenting expenses, families must: have adopted a child with special needs, and have a modified adjusted gross income of a certain level How much, if any, of the credit you can use is based on your income. Families with a 2010 federal modified adjusted gross income above $222,520 cannot claim the credit at all; families with 2010 incomes above $182,520 can claim partial credit. To claim the credit, complete IRS Form 8839 in addition to filing your usual IRS Form You can request the form by calling As documentation of your adoption of a child with special needs, the IRS requires a copy of your adoption decree and adoption assistance agreement. For more information, visit taxcredit/taxcredit.html, or call NACAC is not a tax professional organization and this information should not be considered to be legal or tax advice. Education and Transition Services After Adoption and Guardianship Youth in a subsidized adoption or subsidized guardianship from DCFS may access the following services as they transition to adulthood: Scholarship Program: Youth may apply to this program through which 48 scholarships are awarded statewide each year. They must be between 16 and 21 years of age at point of application. Education Training Vouchers Program: Youth adopted or moved to guardianship after their 16 th birthday may be eligible for these vouchers that assist in providing for post-secondary school expenses. Youth Housing Advocacy Program: Youth adopted or moved to guardianship after their 14 th birthday and are currently between 17½ and their 21 st birthday may access housing advocacy services. This program does not include any monetary assistance. Call for more information. 8
9 Part 2: Services and Supports for Adoptive and Guardianship Families Statewide Post Adoption and Guardianship Information Post adoption and guardianship contacts For most services listed in this booklet you can contact the agencies directly at the numbers listed with the service such as Adoption and Guardianship Preservation, Respite, etc. For any of the services listed in your subsidy agreement, you must contact your adoption worker to obtain prior approval. To speak to your regional adoption worker, contact the Statewide Post Adoption Number at or Preservation Services Families created through adoption or guardianship may experience problems that require intensive services to help a family gain stability and to reduce the risk of out-of-home placement. The Adoption and Guardianship Preservation Program recognizes that families built through adoption or guardianship may have characteristics significantly different from those created through birth. This can result in unique challenges for the family. The Adoption and Guardianship Preservation Program helps families who often feel they are at the end of their rope, by offering family-centered support and services. Testimonials from families who have used preservation services reveal that these services worked, while other traditional, less intensive services they had tried, did not. DCFS contracts with agencies statewide to provide Adoption and Guardianship Preservation Services. The goals of all preservation programs are to help parents: Feel better about their ability to parent Understand adoption and guardianship and its impact on children Connect current behavior to past history Understand the child s past losses Gain skills to help their child 9
10 Each adoption preservation agency can provide services to help meet the following needs. Comprehensive assessment/crisis intervention: Preservation staff will respond by phone within 24 hours and make an in-home visit within three days. A therapist will help a family identify their own strengths, complete an assessment and develop a family treatment plan within 30 days of the referral to the program. Clinical services: The therapist will provide the clinical services in the family treatment plan. Support groups: Support groups are offered for both parents and youth at times and locations that meet the family s needs. Case management/advocacy services: The preservation agency will manage the case and the services as outlined in the family treatment plan. Children s mental health advocacy services: If a child has significant mental health needs, the program will provide or facilitate the services. Cash assistance: If a family participating in the program experiences economic hardships or require specialized services that cannot be obtained through other resources, a cash assistance payment (limited to $500 per family per fiscal year) may be provided. The key to preservation services is that they serve the whole family to keep the family together. The preservation specialists work with all members of the family, not just the child with problems, to identify ways they can work as a unit. The adoption and guardianship preservation service agencies understand the rhythms of the special families they serve and are able to respond to crisis situations. Preservation services are provided to adoptive and guardianship families by nine private child welfare agencies that serve a specific geographic area. Families that find they need intensive intervention to keep their family together can call the appropriate agency from the list on the following pages. 10
11 DCFS Cook County Regions Catholic Charities/Chicago Metropolitan Family Services/Chicago (Families in Cook County can contact either agency for service) DCFS Northern Region Children s Home & Aid Society/Rockford Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Winnebago and Whiteside Metropolitan Family Services/Wheaton Counties: DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will Lutheran Social Services/Bourbonnais Counties: Kankakee DCFS Central Region Cornerstone/Quincy Counties: Adams, Brown, Cass, Calhoun*, Greene, Hancock, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler and Scott * Families in this county are served by two agencies, according to address. Call to be referred to the appropriate agency. Lutheran Social Services/Peoria Counties: Bureau, Fulton, Henderson, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford 11
12 The Baby Fold/Bloomington and Springfield Counties: Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Edgar, Douglas, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin*, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon, Shelby and Vermilion Children s Home & Aid Society/ Granite City Counties: Calhoun*, Jersey, and Macoupin* *Families in this county are served by two agencies, according to address. Call to be referred to the appropriate agency. DCFS Southern Region Children s Home & Aid Society/ Granite City Counties: Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington Children s Home & Aid Society/Herrin Counties: Alexander, Clay, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Richland, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White and Williamson 12
13 Illinois Sites: Adoption and Guardianship Preservation Providers A Catholic Charities/Chicago, 312/ Children s Home & Aid Society/ Rockford, 815/ Childrens Home & Aid Society/ Granite City, 618/ Lutheran Social Services/Peoria, 309/ A. Lutheran Social Services/Bourbonnais, 815/ Childrens Home & Aid Society/Herrin, 618/ Metropolitan Family Servicess/Wheaton, 630/ Metropolitan Family Services/Chicago, 773/ The Baby Fold/Normal & Springfield, 309/ Cornerstone/Quincy, 217/
14 Preservation Services (continued) Adoption and Guardianship Respite Program Respite Services are available through purchase of service contracts between DCFS and licensed child welfare agencies in Illinois. These services are available to children who were former wards of DCFS who were adopted or who were in a subsidized guardianship placement. Respite Services are defined as short-term, temporary care provided for children accepted for service to give some relief to the adoption or guardianship family. Respite components may include any or all of the following: hourly in-home, out-of-home and overnight respite care; and specialized camp experiences. The respite care may be regularly scheduled or may be requested on an emergency basis. An initial assessment is completed on the family and child to develop a service plan which will offer the appropriate type of respite for that family. Services may be provided up to one year. There is no cost for participation in this respite program. Agency Respite Service Providers DCFS Cook County Regions Catholic Charities Chicago West Lake Street Chicago, IL Serves Cook County Healthy Families Chicago S. Marshall, 2nd Floor Chicago, IL Serves Cook County Metropolitan Family Services South Western Avenue Blue Island, IL Serves CookCounty 14
15 DCFS Northern Region CHASI, Rockford nd Avenue Rockford, IL Serves Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Winnebago and Whiteside counties Metropolitan Family Services E. Willow Wheaton, IL Serves DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties Lutheran Social Services/Bradley Serves Kankakee county DCFS Central Region Baby Fold Oglesby 5220 S. 6th St. Normal, IL Springfield, IL Serves Champaign, Christian, Clark, Cumberland, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon, Shelby and Vermilion counties Cornerstone Vermont Quincy, IL Serves Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Hancock, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler and Scott counties Family Core E. Forrest Hill Avenue Peoria, IL Serves Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties One Hope United - Hudelson Monroe Avenue Charleston, IL Serves Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Douglas, Edgar, Shelby and Moultrie counties 15
16 Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Rohmann Peoria, IL Serves Bureau, Fulton, Henderson, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties Project Success of Vermillion County, Inc N. Walnut St. Danville, IL Serves: Vermilion county DCFS Southern Region CHASI, Granite City Johnson Road Granite City, IL Serves Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington counties CHASI, Herrin Lou Ann Drive Herrin, IL Serves Alexander, Clay, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Richland, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White and Williamson counties 16
17 Search and Reunion Services Some adopted people feel a strong need for more information about their family of origin or eventually may decide to search for them. The decision to search is a complicated one, and the search itself can be a roller coaster of feelings, fears and hopes. Adoptees and birth family members whose adoption was handled by DCFS can request search and reunion service. Midwest Adoption Center (MAC) delivers this service for the department throughout the state of Illinois. There is no fee for search service through the DCFS program. For information on search and reunion services contact MAC using the information below. Individuals who were not adopted but had been under the guardianship of DCFS may also request information from closed files and/or search services through this program. Midwest Adoption Center DCFS Post-Adoption Program 2720 S. River Rd., Suite 50 Des Plaines, IL Website: Adoption Registry The Illinois Adoption Registry provides a way for certain individuals involved in an adoption in Illinois to locate other people involved in the adoption. Persons who were adopted or surrendered for adoption, their birth parents, birth siblings, adoptive parents and legal guardians of an adopted person may file their consent to exchange information with others involved in the adoption. If done in compliance with the law, information may be exchanged without the need for a court order. Confidential facts may be released to registrants only after at least two parties to the adoption have filed their consent to exchange the specified information. The following individuals may register: Birth parents Adopted or surrendered person, 21 years of age or older Siblings, only if the common birth parent(s) is deceased, 21 years of age and older Adoptive parents of adopted individuals under age 21 Legal guardians of adopted or surrendered persons 17
18 The Adoption Registry also includes a Medical Exchange. The Medical Information Exchange Questionnaire asks questions about diseases or conditions that medical professionals believe may be inherited or have a genetic link, this is, illnesses that run in families. These diseases and conditions are of interest to other biological family members and their physicians because knowing about them may alert the family members and physicians to watch more carefully for certain signs and symptoms and to take preventive action. Medical History can be exchanged confidentially without revealing identities. No identity will be exchanged unless all parties agree. For more information about the Adoption Registry, contact: Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records, 605 W. Jefferson St., Springfield IL , or (toll-free). Arranging Future Plans for Your Child Families are often concerned about planning for an adopted or guardianship child in their care in the event something unforeseen occurs. There are a number of options available to assist you in future planning for your child. Your attorney can assist you with the legal requirements for the options listed below. Standby Adoption Standby adoption is a court-approved arrangement that provides for a future adoption of your child if needed. Standby adoption allows you to ask the court to appoint a person or persons as standby adoptive parent(s) of your child, and that person stands by until needed. The standby adoptive parent doesn t take custody of your child until the adoption becomes final, when a) you decide that you want the adoption to be final or b) upon your death. In the meantime, you retain all of your rights as a parent, and custody of your child. 18
19 Standby Guardianship A standby guardianship is a legal arrangement approved by a judge that provides for future care for your child, but only if it is needed. It allows you to appoint someone as legal guardian of your child, but that person stands by until needed. In other words, the standby guardian does not take custody of your children immediately, but only at some point in the future when you are no longer able to take care of your children yourself. Short-Term Guardianship A short-term guardianship is a private legal arrangement between you and the person you want to take care of your child. A short-term guardian is not a permanent arrangement. The person that you appoint as short-term guardian will only have authority to act as guardian for as long as 365 days. It is very useful if you are going to be hospitalized, or are entering a residential program or facility where you will need to be without your children. Notifying Adoption Staff *Please note that you will need to advise your regional adoption staff of any standby or short-term arrangements that you are contemplating. Eligibility for a subsidy in a subsequent adoption or guardianship must be determined by adoption staff and a new subsidy document must be signed prior to the finalization of a new adoption or guardianship. 19
20 Part 3: Resources for Training and Advocacy after Adoption and Guardianship DCFS Foster and Adoptive Parent Training Information All Statewide DCFS Foster and Adoptive Parent Training is scheduled and coordinated by the DCFS Office of Training in Springfield. Contact the Office of Training s Registration Unit at to register to attend the Caregivers Institutes, to register for classes, track training credit and have questions answered. Office of Training Information Foster, adoptive and guardianship families can take the six-hour Educational Advocacy in-service training. This training is available to everyone who would like to register. The training includes a variety of topics including: How to be an effective advocate for your child Be informed of services available in your district Know your and your child s rights Participate in meetings to determine eligibility and in IEP meetings Special Education of Children in Foster Care Understanding Childhood Trauma & the Implications for Education DCFS Lending Library The DCFS Foster and Adoptive Parent Lending Library can be used as a convenient alternative for obtaining approved training credit for license renewal. The Lending Library catalog highlights books, audio cassettes and videos in many categories for further education on specific topics for self-directed training in parenting and family life. The Foster/Adoptive Parent Lending Library Catalog is available through the Office of Training in Springfield. You may contact DCFS at or
21 to request a copy of the Lending Library Catalog. All items are available to borrow for free and are mailed to the requesting family with a postage paid return envelope enclosed. Any resource available to be borrowed has been previewed by foster, adoptive or guardianship families and recommended by them to be included in the library. Annual Caregivers Institutes Each year the department sponsors Institutes for foster, adoptive and guardianship families. The Caregivers Institutes are an excellent way to stay updated in department practice, learn about parenting techniques and network with other families. Contact the Office of Foster Parent Support Services at for more information. Adoption Learning Partners AdoptionLearningPartners.org offers courses and webinars that give parents tools they can use immediately at home. The courses offer advice on: what children need to know, what words to use to explain adoption, how to help your child, coping with grief and loss, forming identity in the teenage years, disciplining an adopted child and advocating for your child. Many courses are FREE to DCFS families and training credits are available. During registration make sure to choose Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as your agency. Courses never expire and are in your account forever. Registration takes a few minutes; information lasts a lifetime! Courses include: Let s Talk Adoption: Tools to make talking about adoption part of your family s everyday life. FREE to DCFS Families Lifebooks: Learn to create and use a lifebook to tell your child s story before and after adoption. FREE to DCFS Families Tough Starts Matter Series: Four courses to help you understand and manage the impact a difficult beginning has on your child. For more information, visit call , or The Illinois Adoption Advisory Council 21
22 The Council began in November 2000 and was created to guide the department in several areas: assisting the department with finding new homes for waiting children, supporting families and children in the adoption process, and supporting these families after they adopt. The Adoption Council s membership includes adoptive parents, adoptees, and other experts that are from all parts of Illinois. Advocacy Office for Children and Families DCFS established The Advocacy Office for Children and Families to receive and respond to concerns presented to DCFS regarding the child welfare system in Illinois. Advocacy Office staff function as advocates on behalf of the best interest of the child, providing assistance in seeking resolution to a problem when the caller has not been able, or does not know how, to find a satisfactory resolution. The Advocacy Office accepts concerns by phone, electronic mail, letters, or in person. Anyone can call the Advocacy Office and speak with an Advocate. The Advocacy Office has a statewide toll-free number ( ) that may be used to present issues or obtain information about child welfare services from DCFS or its agents. 22