Executive Summary
[ Full Report | Contents
of Full Report ]
This executive summary is available on the Internet at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/05/adoption-subsidies/execsum.htm
Printer Friendly version (in PDF format)
How to Obtain a Printed Copy
Adoption subsidies are perhaps the single-most powerful tool by which the
child welfare system can encourage adoption and support adoptive families.
Yet little is known about the factors associated with the receipt and amount
of subsidies. Data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting
System (AFCARS) offer an opportunity to examine how states use adoption subsidies
to help achieve goals of permanency and well-being for children. Of particular
interest to this study are patterns of subsidy receipt, the role of federal
support for adoption subsidies under Title IV-E, and the relationship between
adoption subsidies and adoption outcomes, including the rate of adoptions
among eligible children and the timeliness of adoption.
The goal of the analyses is to explore patterns of subsidy receipt, and how
subsidies are related to adoption outcomes such as the rate of adoptions
among eligible children and how quickly eligible children are adopted. Questions
of interest include the extent and funding of subsidies; the relationship
between childrens characteristics, foster care experiences, and subsidy
receipt and amount; and variations among states in subsidy practice.
These analyses use AFCARS data representing all adoptions during the years
FY 1999 to FY 2001, with additional data from the AFCARS foster care file
for 2001. Three types of analyses are presented:
-
Descriptive analyses of both national trends and variations among states;
-
Correlations among state-level measures, examining relationships among state
subsidy practice and adoption outcomes; and
-
Multivariate analyses addressing the relationship of child, family, and state
characteristics to subsidy receipt and subsidy amount.
At the national level, subsidy practice shows some clear patterns in relation
to characteristics of adopted children and adoptive families. However, the
variations among states are equally striking. The following key findings
represent both national patterns and variations among states:
-
Nearly all children adopted from foster care in recent years received
an adoption subsidy. Nationally, 88 percent of children adopted in FY
2001 received an adoption subsidy, with subsidy receipt ranging from 13 percent
to 100 percent across states. Nearly all adopted children (88 percent) were
identified as having special needs, such as age, that would have otherwise
precluded adoption.
-
The median monthly adoption subsidy was $444 per month. At the state
level, median subsidies ranged from $171 to $876 monthly. Although states
have the option of offering deferred payment agreements, fewer than 1 percent
of adopted children were shown as having an adoption assistance agreement
and receiving a subsidy of $0 or $1.
-
Among newly adopted children receiving subsidies, 84 percent received
federal adoption assistance through Title IV-E. States with higher rates
of IV-E eligibility provided subsidies to more children. Multivariate analyses
found associations between IV-E eligibility and subsidy receipt and amount.
States with higher federal matching rates for IV-E adoption assistance offered
lower subsidy amounts, suggesting that even augmented federal contributions
did not offset limited financial resources within these states.
-
Childrens age and special needs status influenced subsidy receipt
and amount. Older children were more likely to receive subsidies, and
to receive larger subsidies; race and ethnicity did not influence subsidies.
Among children who received a subsidy, boys received slightly higher subsidies
than did girls.
-
Pre-adoptive relationship and other characteristics of adoptive families
influenced childrens subsidies. Children adopted by foster parents
were more likely to receive subsidies than others. They also received higher
subsidies than children adopted by relatives. Children adopted by Hispanic
mothers received lower subsidies than those whose adoptive mothers were
non-Hispanic whites. Children adopted by single females received higher subsidies
than those adopted by married couples. These findings suggest the influence
of both family needs and adoptive parents ability to advocate on subsidy
decisions.
-
Analyses found some support for associations between subsidies and adoption
outcomes. State-level analyses show a significant correlation between
subsidy receipt and the percent of each states eligible children who
are adopted. Multivariate analysis found that children living in states where
the median time to adoption was longer were more likely to receive subsidies,
and received higher subsidies. Possibly, states are using subsidies strategically
to address the backlog of waiting children in foster care and meet their
adoption goals.
The limitations of the AFCARS data set suggest that more compelling analyses
may be found within state administrative databases, with greater opportunities
to compare childrens foster care and adoption experiences. However,
the comprehensive scope of AFCARS supports analyses that provide an overview
of how subsidies are used to encourage permanency for children who might
otherwise remain in foster care, as well as the diversity of practice among
states.
To obtain a printed copy of this report, send the title and your mailing
information to:
Human Services Policy, Room 404E
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Av, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Fax: (202) 690-6562
Where to?
Top of Page | Contents
Main Page of Report | Contents
of Report
Home Pages:
Human Services Policy
(HSP)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
(ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS)
Last updated: 05/24/05