Adoption Assistance Connections to Age 21

The Adoption Assistance Connections to age 21 (AAC) program extends the adoption subsidy and Medicaid coverage from 18-21. Here is a link to eligibility requirements. It’s also important to note that, in Ohio, this support goes directly to the adoptive parent, rather than to the young person themselves.

However, the adoptees who need help the most are often those whose adoptions disrupt when they reach the age of 18 years old, and are then forced to navigate young adulthood without support. The state of New York is currently considering a bill that would have the adoption subsidy follow the child in cases of disrupted adoption; if passed, this would be the first bill of its kind in the nation.

National Research:

In 2022, USA Today released state-by-state adoption data. They found that, on average, 12 adoptions fail every day. More than 66,000 adoptees ended up in foster care between 2008-2020. Their analysis revealed that older youth, youth of color and youth with disabilities were most likely to return to foster care.

USA Today also noticed errors, omissions and discrepancies in AFCARS data. For example, in over 400,000 cases, records failed to indicate if the child or teen had previously been adopted. AFCARS data does not capture information about children or teens whose adoptions fail, but they do not end up in foster care. Rather, these young people might move in with family or friends, be privately re-adopted, return to their birth family or end up homeless. They might also end up in a for-profit residential facility; this study found that despite representing 2% of the population, adopted youth make up 25-30% of the total population in those facilities.

Likewise, when states report to AFCARS, children and teens are supposed to each have a unique identification number that stays with them over time. This can enable researchers to track if youth are adopted and then return to foster care. A 2020 study found that 16 states submit data to AFCARS in this way. Ohio is not one of them.

Best Practices:

The Dave Thomas Foundation’s adoption model is based on making sure that youth come first when it comes to adoption decisions. They firmly believe that it’s most important to listen to each youth’s experience, history and needs. Their program focuses on finding permanency for youth who are most at risk of “aging out” of foster care: older youth, sibling groups, minority groups, children who have been in foster care for a long time, and/or have experienced a previous failed adoption.

The Wendy’s Wonderful Kids model is unique in its youth-focused recruitment efforts, which focus on relationship building with the young person and diligent search for the right family. WWK recruiters have small caseloads, and are trained to focus on finding a home that would be the best fit for the unique needs of each child, teen or sibling group. WWK is the only adoption program in the nation to use this evidence-based model.

Resources:

The OHIO YAB and ACTION Ohio are currently working to map out additional resources that are available to adoptees; particularly those who lack support during young adulthood.

1.) College Adoption Grant: The College Adoption Grant provides a one-time award of $2,500 to students who were adopted anytime after January 1, 2023 and choose to attend a qualifying college or university in the state of Ohio.

2.) CCMEP: This program is available to low-income young adults ages 14 to 24. You can fill out this form to be connected with your local CCMEP program. Or you can visit your local Ohio Means Jobs Center.

3.) ETV Funds: Youth who were adopted from foster care at age 16 or older can apply for Education and Training Vouchers. This can provide up to $5,000 a year for qualified school-related expenses, such as tuition, room and board, student loan repayment, books and supplies, transportation, and/or other related expenses.

4.) FAFSA: Because of the 2007 College Cost and Reduction Act, young people can fill out the FAFSA as an independent student if they fit into ONE of the following categories:

• An orphan, in foster care, or a ward of the court at any time when the student was 13 years of age or older, OR
• An emancipated minor or is in legal guardianship as determined by the court in their state of legal residence, OR
• Verified as an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or at risk of homelessness and self-supporting

5.) Jobs Corps: This free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. This program provides free housing. The state of Ohio has three JobCorps Centers, which are located in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Dayton.

6.) Ohio Reach Emergency Funds: To be eligible for these emergency funds, the applicant must 1) have experienced foster care, kinship care, or out-of-home placement and 2) currently be enrolled in school.

7.) Ohio Reach Scholarship: To apply for this scholarship, the applicant must have been in the custody of a public children services agency for at least one day after the age of 13. The applicant can have exited the system via reunification, adoption, kinship care or emancipation.

*In Louisiana, they have established an Ira S. Tate Scholarship for adoptive children who were abandoned by their adoptive parents after reaching 18 years old. What would it take for the state of Ohio to enact something similar?