Oakland Regional Office of the Department of Social Services, Adoptions Services Branch

Background

EAS 35325
Public and licensed private adoption agencies, as well as independent adoptions, must cooperate with county adoption agencies to determine eligibility and benefits through the California Regional Department of Social Services (RDSS). The RDSS has the authority to administer the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) and provides adoption services for counties that do not have their own public adoption services. The department is responsible for determining AAP eligibility, negotiating rates, signing agreements, conducting reassessments/redeterminations, and maintaining the confidential AAP service files. The RDSS operates similarly to the county's pre- and post-adoption social worker unit. The branch does not pay AAP benefits but forwards payment requests to the county with payment responsibility. The county with the payment responsibility must also provide Medi-Cal benefits.

Note: The physical location of the RDSS is Department of Social Services, Adoption Services Bureau, 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1204, Oakland, CA 94512 (510) 622-2650.

The County With Payment Responsibility

If the child has been voluntarily relinquished for adoption to a California licensed public or private adoption agency and placed with a California prospective adoptive family, the financially responsible county is the birth parent's county of residence at the time of relinquishment. The prospective adoptive parents shall submit the AAP application and supporting documentation to the county or RDSS office representing their county of residence.
If a child is relinquished to a private adoption agency in another state and placed with a prospective adoptive family in California, the prospective adoptive family's county of residence is financially responsible. The prospective adoptive parents shall submit the completed application and supporting documentation to the county or RDSS office.
If a child is relinquished to a private adoption agency in California and placed with a prospective adoptive family in another state, the public child welfare agency in the adoptive parents' state of residence is responsible for determining the child's eligibility and for all AAP payments.

IMPORTANT: Once established, the county of responsibility will remain unchanged for the duration of the AAP payments for the child.

When the RDSS requests AAP benefits to Santa Clara County, the following documents are sent to Foster Care Eligibility (FCE):
• Letter informing FCE of the adoption request.
• Federal Eligibility Certification for Adoption Assistance Program form (FC 8) to be signed and dated by the FC EW and returned to the RDSS. Upon receipt of the FC 8, RDSS will provide FCE with the Eligibility Certification Adoption Assistance Program form (AAP 4).
When the child/youth is receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, a copy of the MEDS screen is forwarded to RDSS.
The RDSS may include the Nonrecurring Adoption Expense Agreement form (AAP 8). This document may be completed during the initial adoption process or after the adoption has been finalized.

Nonrecurring Adoption Expense

EAS 35352
RDSS applicants are also eligible for one-time, non-recurring adoption expenses, which are limited to a maximum of $400 per child or youth. The RDSS must submit an Adoption Assistance Program Nonrecurring Adoption Expense Agreement form (AAP 8) along with receipts or canceled checks when requesting payment.
This one-time benefit can be paid regardless of whether the AAP case is established and does not affect the AAP negotiated rate. The adoption does not have to be finalized for this reimbursement. The only eligibility criteria for payment are that the child must meet the AAP three-part special needs determination and citizenship requirement. The adoptive parents have two years from the date of the final decree of adoption to request reimbursement.

Workflow

1.   RDSS sends a request letter to the FCE Administrative Services Officer (ASO) (via email or mail) along with the AAP 8 form.
2.   FC Clerical creates a CalSAWS case and assigns Intake Triage a task to process the nonrecurring expense.
3.   Triage prepares the DFCS Request RDSS Adoption Expenses form (SCD 2380) with the Intake Supervisor’s name and forwards it to the DFCS Post-Adoption Supervisor.
4.   The Post-Adoption Supervisor forwards the SCD 2380 to the DFCS Program Manager for approval and signature. The completed form is then sent to Financial Management Services (FMS) for payment.

Negotiated Rates

The RDSS must negotiate the benefits amount based on the child’s needs and provide the Payment Instructions Adoption Assistance Program form (AAP 2) to FCE. The payment follows the same payment rules as county-initiated adoptions, including the annual California Necessities Index (CNI). The Adoption Assistance Program Notice of Action form (NA 791) and all client correspondence are sent to the adoptive parents, and copies are forwarded to the RDSS office.
FCE will open an AAP and Medi-Cal case based on the AAP 2, AAP 4, FC 8 and any additional documents provided by the RDSS. All documents received from the RDSS will be sent to Imaging and retained in the AAP eligibility case file.
FCE is not required to communicate with adoptive parents. All service-related questions, except those related to Medi-Cal coverage, must be referred to RDSS.

Recertification/Reassessment

Recertification for RDSS cases is the responsibility of the RDSS office. FCE will only the following to the adoptive parents:
•   Adoption Assistance Program Reassessment Notice form (SCD 2256)
•   Reassessment Information – Adoption Assistance Program form (AAP 3)
•   Social Security Administration Referral Notice form (MC 194) (if no SSN)
•   Adoption Assistance Program Agreement form (AD 4320)
•   Direct Deposit Enrollment Form (SCD 1948 AAP)
If new instructions are not received from the RDSS office, payments will continue until the child or youth is no longer eligible for benefits.