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Adoption Assistance

Assistance in the form of subsidies, medical coverage, and parenting support is available to parents of children adopted while in foster care. If you are caring for a relative child in foster care, you can become a permanent guardian, without going through the process of adoption through KinGAP.

Adoption Subsidies

An adoption subsidy is a monthly payment mandated by law to be made for the care, maintenance, and medical needs of a child who has been classified as handicapped or hard-to-place according to New York State law and regulations.

Eligibility

An Adoption Subsidy is:

  • Available to all eligible children until the age of 21 regardless of the adoptive parent's income.
  • Discontinued only when it is determined by a social services official that the adoptive parent is no longer legally responsible for the support of the child or that the child is no longer receiving any support from the parent.

Rates

Adoption Subsidy rates:

  • Are based on the needs of the child.
  • Can be basic, special, or exceptional depending on an individual's documented need.
  • May be affected by the age of the child, the address of the adoptive parent(s), or parent income and size of family.

Medical Assistance

  • Your adopted child may be eligible for the federal Medical Assistance Program (MAP) or for state-funded Medical Subsidy.
  • When your child reaches 18 (21 if handicapped), you will no longer receive Adoption Subsidy Medicaid payments. If medical assistance is still needed, the youth will automatically receive community Medicaid for up to 4 months. Before the expiration of the 4 months extension, MAP will send you a recertification package form.
  • Complete and return the recertification package so that a determination can be made on whether your child can continue receiving Medicaid coverage.

Recertification

ACS sends a recertification letter annually to adoptive parents and KinGAP guardians two months before their recertification is scheduled to expire. You must inform ACS if you are no longer legally responsible for providing support for any child for whom you are receiving adoption subsidy payments in your household.

If you did not receive your recertification letter, contact the Adoption/KinGAP Subsidy Information Line at 212-676-2825.

The terms under which you receive an adoption are documented in a written agreement, and can only be changed under certain conditions. You can request to make certain changes to the adoption subsidy agreement, or update your case information at any time. Some changes require a review process supported by relevant documents.

For more information on the adoption process, go to OCFS.

For help with the following:

  • Adoption Subsidy Budget Letter/Income Verification Letters
  • Non-Receipt of Lost/Stolen Adoption Subsidy Check

Call the ACS Adoption/KinGAP Subsidy Information Line at 212-676-2825.

Please have the following information on hand when you call:

  • Case number
  • Case name
  • Case address
  • Child's name

Payments

Adoption subsidy checks are mailed during the first week of each month and represent payment for the prior month.

If your check did not arrive by the 15th day of the month, contact the Adoption/KinGAP Subsidy Information Line at 212-676-2825.

When contacting ACS, staff will provide you with information about obtaining, completing, and submitting the Statement of Non-Receipt of Subsidy Check Form, if necessary.

Changes in the Status of My Child

The adoption subsidy agreement may be suspended/terminated if there is a change in the status of your adopted child. You must let us know if any of the following happens:

Direct Deposit, Change of Address, or Lost Check Affidavit Forms

You can access forms online to update your Direct Deposit information, inform ACS of your new address, or report a lost payment check. Before you can proceed you will need the following information:

  • Case Number
  • Case Type (Adoption or KinGap)
  • Case Name
  • Child's First and Last name
  • Adoption/Guardianship date

If you require help for any of the above, please call 212-676-9421.

You will also need a NYC ID. Click here, and you will be redirected to the NYC ID login page where you may login or apply for a NYC ID. Once you have logged in with your NYC ID you may start the process for obtaining the online forms.

Requesting a Subsidy Increase

I need to increase my subsidy payments because:

You may be eligible for assistance or an increase in assistance if your child:

The Medical Evaluation

The medical evaluation should be specific about child need, describing behaviors, frequency and severity of the problems, intervention requirements, testing, results, diagnosis/diagnoses (and date of diagnosis), treatment recommendations and prognosis.

The doctor's recommendation must be included on the evaluation and it must have the doctor's signature and state license number.

The evaluation must either show one of the following:

  • That the condition was pre-existing and not known to the parent or diagnosed prior to finalization of the adoption, OR
  • That it was a known condition that has now worsened and requires a higher level of care.

The evaluation must have been completed no more than one year before making the request.

Moving Out of State?

New York State Medicaid Cards are not accepted in other states. If you plan to move to another state, find out about the Medicaid policy of your new state of residence.

If your child has turned 18 and the new state has stopped the Medicaid, but your adoption subsidy agreement states that it should continue to age 21, call the Adoption/KinGAP Subsidy Information Line at 212-676-2825 and follow the prompts for out-of-state Medicaid to find out what your options are regarding New York State Medical Assistance.

We will also close your child's New York Medicaid and submit the paperwork for the Medicaid to be opened in the new state of your residence.

You will need to provide copies of the child's birth certificate, Social Security card or number and the Adoption Subsidy Agreement.

Help

Adoptive parents can reach out directly to ACS for help at any time by contacting the ACS Adoption/KinGAP Subsidy Information Line at 212-676-2825

All correspondence should be sent:

By mail:
NYC Administration for Children's Services
Adoption Subsidy Mail Center
110 William Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10038

Or fax: 347-788-4522

Changing Your Case Information