An Act To Provide Support for Children with Special Needs in Adoptive Families

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4038-E  is enacted to read:

§ 4038-E.  Adoption subsidy

The department may provide a subsidy for the adoption of a special needs child, as defined by section 4038-D, subsection 3. If the department provides an adoption subsidy under this section, one year from the date of the adoption and annually thereafter the department shall adjust the amount of the adoption subsidy to reflect the change in the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index. An adoption subsidy provided under this section ends when the child reaches 18 years of age or the adoption fails through disruption or dissolution. The department shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules as defined by Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

summary

This bill allows the Department of Health and Human Services to pay an adoption subsidy for a special needs child and, if there is a subsidy, provides for an annual adjustment in accordance with the change in the Consumer Price Index. The bill provides that a subsidy ends when the child reaches 18 years of age or the adoption fails through disruption or dissolution. The bill directs the department to adopt routine technical rules.