Eligibility

Children may receive a federal (Title IV-E) or non-federal (state) funded benefits. The county eligibility worker will make a determination based on findings established in the Foster Care (Including the ARC Funding Option), Kin-GAP, or CalWORKs case or RDSS. If the child is deemed eligible, the county will negotiate a signed AD 4320 to be executed with the adoptive parents prior to the adoption finalization. A reassessment of the child’s needs and family’s circumstances is conducted every two years from the date of the most recently signed AD 4320, but reassessments are not a requirement to continue benefits.

When the reassessment documents are not returned by the adoptive parents, benefits will continue based on the most recent AAP 2 and will continue as long as the child remains eligible for AAP benefits. The amount of financial assistance is determined by the child's special needs and the family's circumstances.

A provision of the Fostering Connection to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 allows for a child placed with a relative in a Kin-GAP arrangement to be assessed for AAP eligibility if the child is later adopted. The assessment is done exclusively by the adoption SW. When determining eligibility, the Kin-GAP payment is not considered when establishing and negotiating the AAP benefits.

Continuing FC EW Responsibilities and Documentation

Pending adoption finalization, the Pre-Adoption Social Worker (SW) will ask the assigned FC EW the amount of the current FC, ARC, or Kin-GAP benefits being paid. When requested, the FC EW must complete the Adoption Pending Finalization Rate Verification form (SCD 2446) and forward it to the requesting Adoption SW. A copy of the SCD 2446 must be sent to Imaging. Under no circumstances should the FC EW respond to a request for rate verification via email or phone without completing and sending the SCD 2446 to the person making the request.

In order to ensure the Foster Care information remains separate from the Adoption case, the following documentation must remain in the FC case file:

Federal Eligibility Certification For Adoption Assistance Program (FC 8).

Note: The Continuing FC EW completes the FC 8. The child’s adoptive name is not used on the FC 8 to ensure confidentiality. The FC 8 must be attached to the FC 3.

Determination of Federal AFDC-FC Eligibility form (FC 3/FC 3A).

Note: The above documents must be completed when requested.

Removing the Social Security Number (SSN)

When a Foster Care child/youth is being adopted, the child’s/youth’s SSN number must be removed from the CalSAWS FC case after FC is closed. For detailed instructions, refer to the Remove SSN From A Closed FC Case topic in chapter 37. This process must also be completed on open adoption cases where a new SSN card is provided by the adoptive parents with the child’s/youth’s new name, and the SSN is not on the adoption case.

Social Security Administration does not assign new SSNs for adopted children who:

Know they are adopted
Received Social Security benefits for SSI
Have worked
Are adopted by a step-parent or relative.

Validation

In order to maintain MEDS history, DHCS requires that the child’s/youth’s SSN from the foster care case be used in the adoption case when the SSN numbers are the same. The current business process is to remove the SSN from the closed foster care case and ensure that no cases associated with the child’s former identity include an SSN entry. The SSN may then be added to the AAP case once the above steps are verified and validation is complete.

The validation must include a copy of the new SSN card with the adopted child’s/youth’s new name, unless the child's name did not change.

Eligibility

Continuing FC EW Responsibilities and Documentation

Removing the Social Security Number (SSN)

Validation

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