HHS Awards $35 Million for Increasing Adoptions

Oct 05, 2009

On September 14, 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it has awarded a total of $35 million to 38 states and Puerto Rico for increasing the number of children adopted from foster care for fiscal year 2008, the first year for which the enhanced adoption incentive under the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act were available.

The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act renewed the Adoption Incentive Grant Program for an additional five years and updated the baseline year on which incentive payments are based to FY 2007. The act also doubles the incentive payments for adoptions of children with special needs and older children adoptions, and gives states 24 months to use the adoption incentive payments. The act also permits, if funds are available, states to receive an additional payment if the state's adoption rate exceeds its highest recorded foster child adoption rate since 2002.