State provides adoption incentives
Jan. 21—ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — Ashtabula County Children Services officials are waiting for details, but are excited about potential new resources to help children be adopted.
Houses Bill 45 was passed in early January and provides funds to help famileis adopt children.
The Ohio Adoption Grant Program will provide $10,000 to any family adopting a child; $15,000 to any adopting family who was already providing foster care for the child and $20,000 to a family adopting a child with special needs.
The bill is written to allow the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services to apply for more money if it looks like the original $15 million will not be adequate to pay for the benefits during 2023.
The details are still being worked out so counties know proper procedures to handle the requests for the grants, said Ashtabula County Children Services Executive Director Tania Burnett.
"It just hear about it Wednesday," she said.
The program is expected to assist families that are moving towards adoption. Burnett said this would not affect families whose relationships with biological parents are not severed.
Burnett said the bill goes into affect in April so there is plenty of time to provide the details.
The Kinship program which is designed make it easier for families to care for the children of biological relatives. "Our 'Kinship" families have always been able to go through the adoption (option)," Burnett said.
Ashtabula County children eligible for adoption tend to average about 20 a month, Burnettsaid. She said the additional money could encourage some families to go ahead and take the full plunge instead of just being a shorter term foster care parent.
Kinship Coordinator Jasmine Hopson said another new state program is helping families keep children with relatives. She said the new state program adds a longer term monthly stipend for families in addition to a six month stipend already in place.
Burnett said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has made increasing funding to help children a major part of his policy.
Hopson said a lot of the grandparents helping their children's children are still in their 50s and working and don't have a lot of financial resources and some are still raising their own children. She said the money provided for adoption could help for child care costs and other needs for working people.
She said the new adoption possibility may make it more likely that a family would consider the idea.
Burnett said the program should ultimately help children because there will be more funding to help families. She said it might make it more likely for some foster care parents to take the next step and adopt, especially for special needs children.
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