There are 2 kinds of assistance under this program:

Nonrecurring Adoption Assistance. The parents will be paid or reimbursed for one-time reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to the legal adoption of a child with special needs that have not been reimbursed from other sources or funds. These reimbursable expenses may include the home study fees, attorney fees, replacement of the birth certificate, and travel for visits to the child (including mileage, lodging, and meals). The Federal maximum for this type of assistance is $2,000 for each adoptive placement. However, Some expenses in excess of this amount may be tax deductible.

The 2nd is the Recurring Adoption Assistance. It provides funds that may be used for any identifiable need of the child. These usually take the form of monthly payments to the parents of eligible children. The maximum payment amount may not exceed the amount that would have been paid for maintenance if the child had remained in a foster home in that State. Payments can continue until the child reaches age 18 (or until age 21 where the State determines that the child has a physical, mental, or emotional disability), and these payments continue even if the family moves to another State. While adoption assistance is not taxable, portions could be taxed if the family cannot prove that the amount spent on the child’s support was more than the amount of assistance received. Families are advised to consult a tax professional.

Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

• is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments;
• is manifested before age 22;
• is likely to continue indefinitely;
• results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:
  1. self-care
  2. receptive and expressive language
  3. learning
  4. mobility
  5. self-direction
  6. capacity for independent living
  7. economic sufficiency
• reflects the person’s need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic care, treatment, or other services which are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

Within each disability there is a range in conditions from mild to severe. Several handicapping conditions are most associated with developmental disabilities – two of which, mental retardation and cerebral palsy affect the most children with the greatest severity.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Welfare Information Gateway

Families adopting children with developmental disabilities often have different motivations from those adopting healthy infants. Couples faced with infertility, who choose adoption as an option, are looking for a healthy baby and the opportunity to create their family. However, adoptive parents seeking children with disabilities have different goals and characteristics. These adoptive parents tend to already have large families with many biological children and/or other adopted or foster children. They see themselves as successful parents equipped with the special skills necessary to parent a “challenged” child. These adoptive families also tend to have had previous experience with health care professionals, school systems and administrators that helps them to navigate systems to advocate on behalf of their children. The parents know from their personal experience that every child is different and that all children have at least one difficulty – some are just more serious than others. The motivation shifts for these families from wanting to adopt infants to form a family to providing for the quality of life for additional family members.

Families who have adopted children with developmental disabilities talk about the “incredible joy” the children bring to them. They describe them as having enriched their families in ways they could never have imagined. Parents derive tremendous satisfaction from helping their child make developmental gains and each accomplishment is a cause for celebration. However, parents must also balance the fine line between following their protective instincts and helping their child achieve greater independence.

Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services