Lawyer for Adoption SJ

I was just going to post with this same question except that I live in Essex County. I seem to recall a thread where this topic was discussed, but don't know when. I just met with my adoption case worker and asked him about daycare subsidy, but he said that would be discontinued after adoption. He said that I would be given an 800 number for funding resources for daycare whatever that means. If your kids are special needs they would be elegible for increased subsidy, but I got the impression that daycare is an entirely different pot of money.

i am in essex county also, when my son was adopted he was 2 years old and they agreed without reservation to continue to pay for daycare. the money does come from a seperate program but its handled by the same people, its just a paperwork thing.

When did you adopt? I just went over the NJ State Subsidy Profile and the part about daycare is vague, stating that "Day care may be available." What the heck does that mean??? I have a call into the adoption unit to try to get some information, but I guess that's why you need a good lawyer. The subsidy profile states that children over age 2 within difficult to place ethnic groups also qualifies as special needs. Could that have something to do with it? I had also been told previously by a licensing sw that adopted foster children are entitled to free college tuition at any college in NJ, and that adoptive parents are even entitled to low interest home loans! I have not heard this from any other source. Could this be misinformation, or is it just a case of NJ keeping its entitlements close to the vest?:mad: Mary

i adopted nov 2005 and yes he was AA two year old so maybe that had sometihng to do with it. also i never dealt with the adoption unit the same dyfs cw that had his case handled it all the way to adoption. as for college i believe i read that they are entitled to free college if their adoption occured after their 13th or 14 b'day but it did not apply to children adopted as toddlers because i remember thinking my son was not eligible. i have not heard anything about home loans but i would love info on free or low cost home improvment loans if you hear of anything. jean

Our intake counselor told us two weeks ago that the college was paid for if the children were adopted (edit) from the state system. (She knew we were only taking hisp/cauc kids, 0-6 yo). I even asked her that if we moved, or the child wanted to go out of state for college, was that covered, and she said she'd have to look it up because she didn't know. in regards to day care, we were given the list of kids that were covered (sibs, 8 and older, AA, medical special needs) but she was very vague on how to get the money, how much was there, and so on. she did say that the state used to stop the daycare money once the adoption went through, no matter what the circumstances, but that it has changed it's policy. i am meeting with the SW for the first time tonight (completely beside myself with fear) and if things go well, i'll try to get some more information.

:banana: Okay, so I spoke with a representative from FAFS who told me that if my fs is receiving a subsidy and medicaid post adoption than he is elegible for day care subsidy. He is sending me information on this. There was legislation authorizing this I think in January of 2005 but it remains a gray area in DYFS (his words, don't know why.) He said that DYFS will provide me with a list of lawyers, but to call him so that we can "discuss" the selection. He is also sending me information on the mortgage program and says it is for 1st time mortgage applicants, but must be done prior to adoption. Again, most cw's are not familiar with this because it is a separate agency from DYFS. Unfortunately, he did say that college tuition was free only for those adopted age 12 and over. Hope this helps. Mary