Arizona 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?")

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:

Six years of age or older
Racial or ethnic factors (African American, Native American, Hispanic, Asian or other heritage that may be a barrier to adoption)
Member of a sibling group to be placed together
Physical, mental or developmental disability
Emotional disturbance
High risk of physical or mental disease
High risk of developmental disability
High risk of severe emotional disturbance if removed from the care of foster parents
Any combination of the above factors

Note: Children must be legally free for adoption to be eligible for adoption assistance.

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 be a special needs child as defined above and legally free for adoption.

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

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.)

Arizona does not offer deferred adoption assistance.

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

Adoption assistance payments and benefits may begin in Arizona at adoption finalization.

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?

Parents can request a change in the adoption assistance agreement at any time. Parents are directed to contact their adoption assistance case manager to request a change and to provide documentation from appropriate professionals in support of the request for change. Requests for changes should be in writing but can be made over the phone. There is a form that can be obtained from and returned to the adoption assistance case manager. All changes must be approved by the Adoption Subsidy Review Committee. Parents have the right to appeal any agency decision they disagree with by requesting a fair hearing in writing within fifteen days of the decision. Adoption assistance agreements are reviewed annually. Contact the Arizona Foster and Adoption Offices, link: www.de.state.az.us/dcyf/adoption/information.asp. Send written requests to one of the following addresses, depending on the family’s location:

Adoption Subsidy Program, Phoenix Unit
4620 N. 16th St., Suite E219
Phoenix, Arizona 85012

Adoption Subsidy Program, Tucson Unit
6840 E. Broadway, Suite 100
Tucson, Arizona 85710

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 Arizona are administered by the Department of Economic Security and contracted through outside agencies, such as Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (ASK). Post adoption services include the following examples:

Information and education
Resource and referral
Legal resource information
Recreation
Respite
Support groups
Advocacy
Parental assistance and training

The Family Connection is a collaboration of family and child service agencies providing family support before and after adoption finalization, ask your adoption assistance worker for information. Parents can contact the Lodestar Family Connections Center, address: 2320 N. 20th Street; Phoenix, Arizona 85008 and the K.A.R.E. Family Center, address: 4710 E. 29th Street, Bldg. 7; Tucson, Arizona 85711.

Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (ASK), link: www.aask-az.org/ and Arizona’s Children Association, link: www.arizonaschildren.org/ offer adoption permanency programs and services. Arizona Foster and Adoption Offices contact link: www.de.state.az.us/dcyf/adoption/information.asp. Parents can also receive information from the state contact, Carole Linker, phone: 602.542.2359.

Many private organizations offer a variety of respite options. See the ARCH National Respite Network Respite Locator Service, search by state to locate Arizona's respite programs, link: http://www.respitelocator.org/.

Note: Not all services may be available in all cases. Contact your adoption assistance worker or post adoption services contact 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 Arizona are administered by the Department of Economic Security (DES), Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Division of Behavioral Health Services (DBHS). Public funding is through Arizona’s Medicaid program, known as the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). Mental health services include the following examples: evaluation and screening, inpatient psychiatric facility care, outpatient clinic care, behavioral health residential treatment, individual, group and family therapy, counseling, crisis intervention, behavior management, psychotropic medication, and respite.

ADHS is responsible for the provision of all publicly funded behavioral health services to citizens in Arizona (Title XIX, XXI and State-only populations). AHCCCS maintains a contractual relationship with ADHS/DBHS for provision of behavioral health services to Title XIX and Title XXI members. Behavioral health services for Title XIX (Medicaid) and KidsCare (Title XXI) eligible persons are administered through ADHS Division of Behavioral Health Services (DBHS) through subcontracts with five Regional behavioral Health Authorities (RBHA). RBHA contracts with a network of service providers to deliver a range of behavioral health services, including prevention programs, services for substance abuse, general mental health disorders, and services for children with serious emotional disturbance.

AHCCCS link: http://www.ahcccs.state.az.us/. Arizona's Behavioral Health Services links: http://www.hs.state.az.us/bhs/ and http://www.azdhs.gov/bhs/bh_topics.htm. Or phone the Department of Behavioral Health Services at 602.364.4558.

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?

Arizona provides additional adoption assistance though a Special Services Subsidy. Special Services Subsidy benefits may provide for preexisting conditions noted in the original adoption assistance agreement which cannot be met or can only be met at reduced levels by Medicaid coverage or other public or private resources. Another source of additional assistance is available through a program known as Substantial Care. This funding is available to adoptive parents who qualify as a Registered or Licensed Practical Nurse to provide care to a child who would otherwise require 24 hour nursing care in a nursing facility.

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 have the right to request a fair hearing any time DCYF denies, reduces, or terminates adoption assistance benefits. Parents are directed to contact their adoption assistance case worker to request a fair hearing. Requests must be made in writing within fifteen calendar days after the mailing of an agency decision informing parents of an action affecting their child’s adoption assistance benefits. A pre-hearing summary of the facts and grounds shall be prepared and submitted to the hearing officer not less than four days prior to the hearing. Benefits will not be reduced or terminated prior to a hearing decision, unless there is a substantial change in household eligibility. The hearing will be held at the local office or any other place mutually agreed upon by the hearing officer and the appellant. The hearing shall be scheduled not less than twenty days or more than thirty days from the date of filing for the appeal. Appellant, in lieu of appearance, may submit a written statement or be available by telephone to testify. Hearings are conducted in accordance with Arizona Administrative Code R6-5-2405. The hearing officer shall listen to both sides and a full and complete record shall be kept. All hearing decisions are final unless reconsideration is requested. An appellant may request a reconsideration of the hearing decision in writing within ten calendar days of the mailing of the decision.

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

Arizona’s general adoption link: www.de.state.az.us/dcyf/adoption/

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

Arizona's adoption assistance link is through the Arizona Revised Statutes (law) found at Title 8, Chapter One, Adoption, Article 2, Adoption Subsidies. See the following links: Article 2 - Adoption Subsidies

8-141 - Definitions; exception
8-142 - Adoption subsidy program; funding; claims; limitation
8-142.01 - Adoption subsidy program; hospital reimbursement
8-143 - Eligibility; limitation
8-144 - Subsidy agreement; duration; amount; periodic review; confidentiality
8-145 – Appeals

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

Arizona’s state-specific medical assistance link: www.ahcccs.state.az.us/default.asp

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