Adoption Incentive Payments

BROWSE FEDERAL GRANTS

Adoption Incentive Payments (93.603)

Program

93.603 Adoption Incentive Payments

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Administration for Children and Families

Authorization

Social Security Act, Title IV-E, Section 473A; as amended.

Program Number

93.603

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives


To provide incentives to States to increase annually the number of foster child adoptions, special needs adoptions, and older child adoptions.

Types of Assistance

FORMULA GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

A State shall not expend an amount paid to the State under this grant except to provide to children of families any activity or service (including post-adoption services) that may be provided under Part B or E of Title IV of the Social Security Act. Amounts expended by a State in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be disregarded in determining State expenditures for purposes of Federal matching payments under Sections 423, 434, and 474 of the Social Security Act.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Applications are not required. The States, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, may receive payments. The Children's Bureau shall determine the numbers of foster child adoptions, the special needs adoptions, and the older child adoption in a State on the basis of AFCARS data as reported by each State and accepted by the Children's Bureau no later than May 15 of the fiscal year subsequent to the fiscal year in which the adoptions were finalized (i.e., the "earning year").

Beneficiary Eligibility

Beneficiaries are those children and families eligible under Title IV-B and Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, as amended.

Credentials/Documentation

The Children's bureau shall determine the numbers of foster child adoptions, the special needs adoptions, and the older child adoptions, as well as the highest ever foster child adoption rate in a State on the basis of data reported by each State to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data and accepted by the Children's Bureau no later than May 15 of the fiscal year subsequent to the fiscal year in which the adoptions were finalized (i.e., the "earning year"). OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. States are automatic applicants.

Award Procedure

Incentive payments will be issued annually, in the fiscal year subsequent to the earning year. Payment will be based on AFCARS data submitted no later than May 15 of the fiscal year following the earning year. AFCARS data must be accepted and approved by the Children's Bureau.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

AFCARS reports must be received no later than May 15 of subsequent fiscal years in order to be considered for incentive payments.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Each "earning year" (fiscal years 2008 - 2012), State adoption data received through AFCARS will be considered on its own merit.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory Formula:
Matching Requirements: The adoption incentive payment payable to a State for a fiscal year shall be equal to the sum of (a) $4,000, multiplied by the number of foster child adoptions in the State during the fiscal year which exceeds the base number of foster child adoptions for the State for the fiscal year; (b) $8,000 multiplied by the number of foster child adoptions of children age 9 or older in the State during the fiscal year in which exceeds the base number of foster child adoption of children age 9 or older for the State for the fiscal year; and (c) $4,000, multiplied by the number of special needs adoptions of children under age nine in the State during the fiscal year which exceeds the base number of special needs adoptions of children under age 9 for the State for the fiscal year, if the state receives a bonus under (a) or (b). Awards are pro-rated if insufficient funds are available to make the full awards. In addition, if funds remain available after making the above awards, a State is eligible to earn an additional incentive award by exceeding the highest ever foster child adoption rate in the State between FY 2002 and the immediately preceding fiscal year. The incentive is calculated by multiplying the State's highest ever foster child adoption rate times the number of children in foster care on the last day of the preceding fiscal year and subtracting that number from the number of foster child adoptions in the State in that fiscal year. That number is rounded to the nearest whole number and then multiplied by $1,000. There are no matching requirements for these funds.
This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Payments to a State in a fiscal year shall remain available for use by the State through the end of the succeeding fiscal year. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

States must identify in the Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP) or Annual Progress and Services Report (APSR) as applicable (due June 30 of each year), the services they have provided to children and families as a result of the expenditure of adoption incentive payments. Should more than one fiscal year's incentive funds be expended during a given reporting period, the report should reflect the services provided and identify the fiscal year's funds expended. PSC-272. No progress reports are required. Actual expenditures of incentive funds must be reported annually on Form SF- 269, Financial Status Report. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with 45 CFR 92.

Records

None.

Program Accomplishments


Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: Number of States to receive incentive awards is unknown. Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-1536-0-1-506.

Obligations

(Formula Grants) FY 08 $9,323,132; FY 09 est $36,500,000; FY 10 est $39,500,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

FY 08: For the FY 2007 earning year, 21 States earned incentive payments totaling $11.1 million, which $9.3 million paid in FY 08 and $1.8 million paid in FY 09. The awards ranged from $12,000 to $3,612,000 with an average award amount of $527,905 for qualifying States.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature


ACYF-CB-PI-04-03, issued 03/23/04; ACYF-CB-PI-08-03, issued October 3, 2008.

Related Programs


93.556 Promoting Safe and Stable Families; 93.645 Child Welfare Services_State Grants; 93.658 Foster Care_Title IV-E; 93.659 Adoption Assistance

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. ACF Children's Bureau Regional Child Welfare Program Managers.

Headquarters Office

Gail Collins Division of Program Implementation, Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, 1250 Maryland Ave, SW, 8th Floor, Washington, District of Columbia 20024 Phone: 202-205-8552

Web Site Address

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb.

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals


All State Agencies are considered if the number of adoptions exceed the baseline number of adoptions.

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Other Department of Health and Human Services Agencies
Administration for Children and Families
Administration on Aging
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Centers for Disease Control
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Food and Drug Administration
Health Resources and Services Administration
Indian Health Service
National Institutes of Health
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office of Minority Health
Office of Population Affairs
Office of the Secretary
President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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