$15.1 million settlement was approved last week between the Indiana Department of Child Services and adoptive parents who have been on the waiting list for financial support since 2009. These parents adopted foster children with special needs and have been expecting and needing state financial help for years. It was agreed in September that payments would be made retroactively to those parents who have been on the waiting list.
There are great challenges for families who adopt special needs children through the foster care system. And although the families are certainly grateful to be together and have each other, some challenges result in extreme financial burdens.
Lump sum checks will be issued to the families before Christmas, and monthly payments will continue to be made. The timing is wonderful, as November is National Adoption Month.
