INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana families who adopt or take guardianship of a child in the state’s foster care system will receive a boost in financial assistance as part of a new change to state-sponsored subsidy programs.
The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) announced the change to its existing programs, the Adoption Assistance Program and Guardianship Assistance Program, on Wednesday.
Under the updated strategy, caregivers can receive 100% of the financial support a child was entitled to while in the state’s foster care system. According to a press release, families can negotiate with DCS for financial support beyond this 100% threshold depending on the family’s or child’s circumstances. Before, families received at least 50% of a child’s eligible financial support.
DCS Director Eric Miller said in a news release there are Hoosier families who want to adopt or provide guardianship but are worried about the additional costs.
According to the DCS’s adoption statistics, there were 1,903 adoptions in Indiana in 2023, a drop from about 2,400 adoptions in 2019.
“By making assistance more readily available, we are creating more opportunities for children to find their forever home and better supporting the families who make that happen,” Miller said.
The estimated cost of this change will be $7.9 million for Fiscal Year 2025, more than 60% of which will be paid by federal resources. DCS said it will cover the remaining $3 million with existing resources and incorporate future needs into subsequent budget requests.
Read the complete Mia Hilkowitz story for the Indiana Capital Chronicle, here.
