Current Federal, State and County Shares of Adoption Assistance Payments
Moving Ahead
Federal Financial Participation (FFP) rates for Title IV-E Adoption Assistance are set each year on October 1, the beginning of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY). As we have discussed, the Federal Financial Participation Rate changes only slightly from year to year. In Ohio, the FFP has ranged from the low to mid 60% of all Title IV-E Adoption Assistance payments.
Ohio’s base FFP rate for Title IV-E foster care maintenance and Title IV-E Adoption Assistance payments for Federal Fiscal Year 2024 (October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024) is 64.30%. Covid era enhanced funding is still being phased out, however, and will continue to supplement FFP by 1.5% until December 31, 2023. Adding the enhance rate of 1.5%, FFP breaks down as follows:
October through December 2023 – FFP 65.80% Non-Federal Share 34.20%
January through September 2024 – FFP 64.30%. Non-Federal Share 35.70%
Remember that the state will continue to pay the non-federal share of the first $350 of a monthly adoption assistance payment. Let’s look at some examples of monthly adoption assistance payments and the federal, state and county share for each payment.
Adoption Assistance Payments: October 1 - December 31, 2023
AA Federal State County
$350 $230.30 $119.70 $0
$500 $329.00 $119.70 $51.30
$750 $494.25 $119.70 $136.18
$1,000 $658.00 $119.70 $222.30
$1,500 $987.00 $119.70 $393.30
January 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024
AA Federal State County
$350 $225.05 $124.95 $0
$500 $321.50 $124.95 $53.55
$750 $482.25 $124.95 $142.8
$1,000 $643.00 $124.95 $232.05
$1,500 $964.50 $124.95 $410.55
A Few Thoughts
The Adoption Assistance Negotiation Process Work Group continues to explore policies and procedures for “strengthening and “standardizing” the negotiation of adoption assistance agreements in Ohio. Considering the inconsistencies of Ohio’s county based child welfare system, you can imagine all of the issues that have surfaced. The participants are sincere and operating in good faith.
In the meantime,
Informed negotiation is worth the effort and aggravation. Patient negotiation and use of the mediation process often results in fairer levels of support.
An proposal for a monthly adoption assistance payment of $350 a month should be viewed as an invitation to negotiate an agreement that best reflects your child’s needs and family circumstances, not as a final destination,
Adoptive parents intuitively approach the responsibility of negotiating adoption assistance from the standpoint of integrating their child into a permanent family. Given our situation, what amount of supplemental support will enable to sustain a nurturing home for this child where all her needs are addressed? Be confident that this is the path to take.