This brochure is designed as a quick reference to provide some basic information about the Missouri Adoption and Legal Guardianship subsidy program. Please contact your local Children’s Division office for more information.

See Missouri children available for adoption on the Internet at:

www.dss.state.mo.us/cs/adopt/plist.htm

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

Services provided on a nondiscriminatory basis

CS-350	(5/08)

MISSOURI DEPARTMNET OF SOCIAL SERVICES Children’s Division P.O. Box 88 Jefferson City, Missouri 65103

MISSOURI CHILDREN’S DIVISION

Adoption and Legal Guardianship

SUBSIDY

PROGRAM

MISSOURI SUBSIDY PROGRAM

The Goal of Adoption and

Guardianship Subsidy

In accordance with the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, the Children’s Division believes that every child has the right to a stable and permanent family. Adoption; or guardianship by a qualified relative is the desired outcome for children who cannot be reunified with their families. Subsidy services are available to support families adopting or obtaining guardianship of these children.

Qualified relatives are any grandparent, aunt, uncle, adult sibling of the child or adult first cousin of the child.

What is Subsidy?

Subsidy is a collaborative agreement between the Children’s Division and the adoptive or guardianship family to meet the needs of the child. Financial, medical, childcare and nonrecurring expenses are available to the family through subsidy. All subsidy agreements may continue until the child is age 18. In the case of adoption youth with a documented physical, dental or mental need approval may be given for services to continue to age 21 using an 18+agreement.

Child Eligibility

Children must be under the age of 18 and in the custody of the Children’s Division, Division of Youth Services, Department of Mental Health, or a licensed Child Placing Agency.

Children in the custody of the Children's Division are automatically eligible for subsidy services. In the case of children in the custody of agencies other than the Children’s Division other special needs requirements also apply as indicated in 13 CSR 40-38.

Basic Subsidy Services

If the family adopting or obtaining guardianship of a child requests assistance, the following basic services are available:

Monthly maintenance: Cash payments, which can not exceed the rate, which would have been paid if the child had remained in out of home care.

MO HealthNet: Payment for medical, dental or mental health care may be obtained through the MO HealthNet program as the primary payment or

as a supplement to the families’ private medical or dental insurance plan when available.

Child Care Payments for Children to Age 13: Available to working families.

Nonrecurring expenses: Legal

fees and expenses related to

the child’s placement

Additional services may be available based on the individual needs of the child such as: Respite; Treatment services; Crisis intervention; Rehabilitative services.

The Division cannot make payment for services that are a duplication of services provided by another resource and available to the family.