Free International Adoption Seminar:

Waiting Family / Parent Education Meetings:
These meetings are for FTIA families who are in the adoption process or have completed their adoption. In addition to the topic presented, there are breakout meetings by country where you will meet others in your area who are adopting from the same country and receive the latest country update from an FTIA team member.

Special Events:

HOW TO GET HELP WITH ADOPTION EXPENSES

Adoption Expense Reimbursement:  Ohio

In many states, including Ohio, you may be able to qualify for federal aid for your adoption expenses.  Currently, a $2,000 reimbursement is available for the adoption of children who meet the government’s definition of special needs children.  This is coordinated at the county level, generally by your local county Job & Family Services.  Your child may qualify even if he or she was not a “waiting child” or “special needs child” according to international standards.  You may also qualify even if you don’t have financial need.  The State of Ohio has very particular rules for applying for this money, though.  Each Ohio County seems to have its own criteria for approval, but appeal to the state level is available. Timing is critical and it is possible that some of the county paperwork will have to be handled while you are in the foreign country adopting your child. 

Ask your Ohio social worker (the one who does your home study or the head of the agency who does your home study) for assistance.  They may or may not be aware of the reimbursement as it applies to international adoptions.  If they are, they should be a good resource for you.  If not, they should at least be able to get you in touch with the right department at your local county Job and Family Services agency (“JFS”).  Either way, don’t expect them to do the work for you. You should make contact with your local JFS personally.

Note:  FTIA desires to help all of its families as much as possible.  FTIA’s Ohio Administrator will be up to date on state laws, but may not have information on how each county administers this subsidy.  It is each family’s responsibility to ensure that you are following the procedure in a manner that your individual county will accept.  FTIA’s Ohio Administrator can be helpful in  providing assistance with state and county forms. 

Ohio Procedure to Get Your Reimbursement: 

     While you are waiting for referral:

1. Call and obtain an application form (JFS 01421 “Application for Reimbursement of Nonrecurring Adoption Expenses”) from your local county “Jobs and Family Services” (“JFS”).  (See links below for this form and for the county offices.  Note:  Persistence may be necessary to talk to a live person at your JFS agency.)

 

As soon as you receive your referral:

2. Complete the JFS form.  Ask the county JFS agency personnel or your FTIA Ohio Administrator for instructions, OR, if that is not possible, follow these guidelines:
   1. leave case # blank
   2. for expected finalization date give a conservative guess (sooner than later)
   3. on Section II fill in your own information
   4. on Section III include both foreign and American name of child
   5. on Section IV
      1. Under A write “Surrender, Relinquishment or Abandonment Decree will be provided before adoption finalization”
      2. Under B write “See attached child referral social/medial information from international agency”
      3. Under C write “No families were available and willing to take this child in (name of country)”
   6. Sign and leave rest of the form blank

3. Mail the form with a complete set of documents listed below to the address listed in Section I of the form.  Keep a copy handy.
1. Enclose a copy of your signed home study
2. Enclose a copy of all social/medical information on the child

4. Call JFS agency in one or two weeks.  Check to see that they have the form and if they need more information.  Give them your travel dates if you have them.

5. Write down the phone number and fax number for the County Jobs and Family Services (JFS) contact person.  Put these numbers with your passport.

6. Ask your FTIA coordinator if the relinquishment or abandonment decree will be available prior to travel.   If so, send it to the JFS contact person when you get it.  (If not, you will need to fax this from the country while you are there but BEFORE the finalization.  See #8 below.) 
7. About two-three weeks before you travel call the JFS contact person and let them know your itinerary.  Make sure that your approval is ready except for the documents that will come from you while in the foreign country, if applicable.  Remember:  The approval must be granted prior to the finalization of the adoption – and this typically occurs while you are in the foreign country.  (If for any reason the approval is not granted or promised prior to travel, do not stop.  Find out what you can do beforehand.  But even if there is nothing that you can do beforehand, continue with the following steps to secure your right to appeal later.)
8. While in the foreign country, if necessary:  Fax to your JFS contact person a copy of your child’s relinquishment or abandonment decree prior to the adoption finalization proceeding (your FTIA in-country staff should be able to help you with this).   This may be a very close time frame, depending on your itinerary.  Talk about it with your coordinator in the foreign country.  Be sure to have the JFS fax number ready.
9. After you return with your child, file a copy of the adoption decree and expense report with the county JFS.   You must show $2000 of un-reimbursed expenses to get the full reimbursement.  Note:  You may not claim these same expenses on your tax return; nor may you claim these same expenses for other sources of reimbursement (e.g., from your employer).
10. If your application is denied, you have a right to appeal.  Your appeal will not work unless you have followed the protocol exactly.  So stick to it.
11. Remember that the local JFS standards do vary and apparently there are some Ohio counties that have not accepted any applications for reimbursement for expenses related to foreign-born orphans.   There is even language on the Ohio JFS website that discourages submitting applications for an international adoptee.  The standards for determining special needs may vary as well.  Finally, the rules for applications change frequently.   It is best to contact your local JFS early in the process (no later than one week after referral) and make sure you understand the procedure and requirements.  When in doubt, file everything according to this plan to preserve your right to an appeal.
12. Appeal:  You may do this on your own or hire an attorney familiar with county adoption law.
13. Letting Go:  Not everyone will qualify for the reimbursement, particularly those who adopt children who are determined to have no special need.  If you have taken every step and still do not qualify, let go gracefully and be thankful for the great blessing of having adopted such a wonderful child into your family. 

Resources:

Site for obtaining Ohio JFS forms:      http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/forms/inter.asp
(Enter form number that is given above.)

Directory of all county JFS agencies:  http://jfs.ohio.gov/county/cntydir.stm
(These are general numbers.  You will need some persistence in bigger counties to get through to the right department, or our FTIA Ohio Administrator may be able to help you.)

Law:  The rules are listed at “Ohio Administrative Code Section:  5101:2-47-44  Adoption assistance: Reimbursement of nonrecurring adoption expense. For a child with special needs.” (You may conduct a search for this section by going to:  http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com/oh/lpExt.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&cp=OAC.)