Alaska State Adoption Subsidy Profile

1. What specific factors or conditions does your State consider to determine that a child cannot be placed with adoptive parents without providing financial assistance? ("What is your State definition of special needs?")

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A child with special needs is defined as a child that has at least one of the following needs or circumstances that may be a barrier to placement or adoption without financial assistance:

Eight years of age or older
Racial or ethnic factors (any child of color)
Member of a sibling group of two or more children
Physical or mental disability
Emotional disturbance
A recognized high risk of physical or mental disease
Any combination of the above factors or conditions

2. What are the eligibility criteria for your State-funded adoption assistance program?

In order to be eligible for state-funded adoption assistance a child must meet be a special needs child as defined above and in the custody of the state of Alaska/Office of Children’s Services.

3. What is the maximum amount a family may receive in non-recurring adoption expenses from your State? (Adoptive parents can receive reimbursement of certain approved, "one-time" adoption expenses incurred in the process of finalizing a special needs adoption.)

$2,000.00 per child, per placement

4. Does your State enter into deferred adoption assistance agreements? (In some States, adoptive parents can enter into an agreement in which they choose to defer the receipt of a Medicaid card, the monthly monetary payment, or both and can elect to receive the Medicaid card and/or monetary payment at another time.)

Alaska offers deferred adoption assistance agreements.

5. When may adoption assistance payments and benefits begin in your State?

Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Alaska at adoption placement.

6. How are changes made to the adoption assistance agreement in your State?

When can a parent request a change in the adoption assistance agreement?
How does a parent request a change in the adoption assistance agreement?
What if a parent does not receive the change they request in the adoption assistance agreement?

Alaska permits changes to the adoption assistance agreement when the change will best meet the special needs of the child. All changes to the child’s adoption assistance agreement are based on a child’s current, individualized needs so conditions for change will therefore vary from child to child. Requests for change in the adoption assistance agreement must be made in writing and must include supporting documents demonstrating the need for change in the agreement. Alaska will consider any documentation that supports the family’s request for a change in assistance. Information in medical/mental health/school reports and other documentation from the family, current service providers, and other resources are evaluated to determine if a change in the assistance amount is warranted. Final changes are negotiated between OCS and the family and require the family’s concurrence. The address and phone number to contact for requesting amendments the adoption assistance agreement are located on what are known as “adoption assistance warrants” that adoption assistance families receive each month. Contact the OCS Adoption Staff at:

Department of Heath and Social Services
Office of Children’s Services
P.O. Box 110630
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0630

Families have the right to request a reconsideration and/or appeal of the decision received in response to their request for change to the agreement. This request for reconsideration can take the form of a fair hearing. See Question #10 for more information on the fair hearing process in Alaska.

7. What types of post adoption services are available in your State and how do you find out more about them?

Post-adoption services in Alaska are administered by DHHS, OCS and provided by contract through private agencies or independently through private and parent organizations. Post adoption services include the following examples:

Information and referral
Counseling services
Case management
Support groups
Crisis intervention services
Respite

Families who are a part of Alaska's adoption assistance program are referred to a private agency when the families enter into an adoption assistance agreement with the state. The Alaska Adoption Support Center (AASC) is available to provide post adoption and adoption preservation services. AASC has offices in Fairbanks and Anchorage that families can access for in-person assistance. Contact the Support Center at 800.478.7307. Many private organizations offer a variety of respite options. See the ARCH National Respite Network Respite Locator Service, search by state to locate Alaska's respite programs, link http://www.respitelocator.org/.

The Alaska Center for Resource Families (ACRF), a project of Northwest Resource Associates funded by the State of Alaska, DHSS, Office of Children's Services, offers a central location for post adoption and state contact information. Contact the ACRF link: www.acrf.org or phone: 800.478.7307 Northern Region and Statewide; 866.478.7307 South-Central Region.

Note: Not all services may be available in all cases. Contact your adoption assistance worker or post adoption services specialist for information regarding process, eligibility, availability, and duration of services.

8. What mental health services are provided by your State?

Public mental health services for children in Alaska are administered by Health and Social Services, Behavioral Health, and include the following examples: individual, group and family therapy; home-based therapy; case management; residential services; activity therapy; family and community education; and day treatment.

Alaska’s mental health information link: http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dbh/, behavioral health link: http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dbh/mh/default.htm and link to services for severely emotionally disturbed youth: http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dbh/mh/severe.htm.

Note: Not all services may be available in all cases. Contact your adoption assistance worker or medical assistance specialist for information regarding process, eligibility, availability, and duration of services.

9. Does your State provide additional finances or services for medical or therapeutic needs not covered under your State medical plan to children receiving adoption assistance?

Alaska OCS makes all efforts to grant requests for additional services on a case-by-case basis when the need of the child or the circumstances of the family is well documented. Parents are directed to contact Suzanne Maxson at 907.465.3631 for more information.

Note: Not all services may be available in all cases. Contact your adoption assistance worker for information regarding process, eligibility, availability, and duration of services.

10. What is your State's process for applying for a fair hearing? (A fair hearing is a legal, administrative procedure that provides a forum to address disagreements with agency decisions.)

Adoptive parents may request a fair hearing when there is disagreement with a decision regarding their child’s adoption assistance benefits. Requests must be in writing to the Office of Children's Services Adoptions Program in Juneau, address below. A Grievance Procedure Form is available from an OCS Supervisor or through the OCS Publications page link: http://hss.state.ak.us/ocs/Publications/default.htm. See the OCS grievance resolution procedure webpage for a complete description of the application and process for fair hearing, link: http://hss.state.ak.us/ocs/Publications/grievance_procedure.htm. Send requests for fair hearing to:

Department of Heath and Social Services
Office of Children’s Services
Adoptions Program
PO Box 110630
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0630

Note: The fair hearing process with the Office of Children's Services is currently under revision.

11. What is your State Web address for general adoption information?

Alaska’s general adoption link: http://health.hss.state.ak.us/ocs/Adoptions/WhatIsAdoption.htm.

12. What is your State Web address for adoption assistance information?

Alaska’s adoption assistance link: http://hss.state.ak.us/ocs/Adoptions/WhatAreSubsidies.htm

13. What is your State Web address for State-specific medical assistance information for children?

Alaska’s state-specific medical assistance link: http://hss.state.ak.us/dhcs/Medicaid/default.htm

Credits: Child Welfare Information Gateway (http://www.childwelfare.gov)