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My wife and I are fostering a new born girl. Her 2 sisters were in another home that did not work out. They asked us if we want to adopt all 3. We told them we would love to but it was too much for us financially. We were promised subsidy for all girls. Over the past 45 days we have visited with the girls, had sleep-overs, rearranged our entire home/lives and decided we would love to keep the girls together. A week before having them move in, we are told they do not qualify. We are in love with all these girls. They are a perfect fit and already have been told they are moving in.... what options do we have??
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From the NCAC website:
1. How does New Jersey define special needs to determine eligibility?
A child with special needs is one who has at least one of the following needs or circumstances that may be a barrier to adoption without financial assistance:
A medical or dental condition that will require repeated or frequent hospitalization or treatment.
A physical disability, by reason of physical defect or deformity, whether congenital or acquired by accident, injury, or disease, that makes or may be expected to make a child totally or partially incapacitated for education or for remunerative (paid) occupation.
A substantial disfigurement, such as the loss or deformation of facial features, torso, or extremities.
A professionally diagnosed emotional, mental health, and/or behavioral problem, psychiatric disorder, serious intellectual incapacity, or brain damage that seriously affects the child's ability to relate to his or her peers or authority figures. This includes, but is not limited to, a developmental disability.
The child is one of a group of three or more siblings (including half-siblings) and it is considered necessary that the group be placed together, or the child is the third (or additional) sibling placed in the same home, even though his or her siblings do not receive adoption subsidy.
The child is one of two siblings (including half siblings), one of whom meets any other special needs criteria and it is considered most appropriate that the children be placed together, or the child is an additional sibling being placed in the same home with a sibling receiving subsidy.
The child is 10 years old or older.
The child is a member of an ethnic or minority group for whom adoptive homes are not readily available, and is age two or older.*
The child is under age 5 and is a member of an ethnic or minority group for whom adoptive homes are not readily available* and has been residing for at least one year with a resource parent(s) who is adopting the child, and adoption by this resource parent is the most appropriate plan for the child.
The child is over age five, and is being adopted by a resource parent(s) with whom he or she has resided for at least one year, and adoption by this resource parent is the most appropriate plan for the child.
Any other condition of a specific child that may be approved by the CP&P director or designee that is not contrary to federal or state statute and regulations. These conditions may include, but are not limited to:
Child is at high risk of developmental, educational, or emotional problems secondary to prenatal drug exposure.
Child has a high risk of genetic predisposition to mental illness due to parental mental health history.
Child is placed with relative or kin who will not adopt without adoption subsidy.
*For items h and i above, the availability of adoptive families for specific categories of children may change over time, and so these special needs criteria may also change.
Looking at the qualification documents, we do not think they will qualify. My thoughts are more on any legal or other options we may have. Someone working for the dept for over 20 years should have known this since the form she sent us has a last update date or 05/2009 on it, which makes me feel like we were intentionally deceived, if not misled. We are now being asked to destroy the dreams of these girls who were told they are moving in, or live a life of squalor. The entire situation has really soiled our perception of the division, which so far has been wonderful. We are hoping they pull off a miracle. The girls are so excited to move in. While we would consider downsizing our house to better meet financial needs, that is not an option right now.
Try contacting Karen Krohneman, karen.krohnemann@dcf.state.nj.us , she's pretty up high in the Subsidy Program.Explain what happened. Explain you want all three children but cannot afford to have them without the insurance and subsidy. Can't hurt!Best wishes in your journey.
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Try contacting Karen Krohneman, karen.krohnemann@dcf.state.nj.us , she's pretty up high in the Subsidy Program. She is also approachable and can be very helpful.
Explain what happened. Explain you want all three children but cannot afford to have them without the insurance and subsidy. Can't hurt!
Best wishes in your journey.
The child is one of a group of three or more siblings (including half-siblings) and it is considered necessary that the group be placed together, or the child is the third (or additional) sibling placed in the same home, even though his or her siblings do not receive adoption subsidy.
Wouldn't they qualify for a subsidy because they are a sibling groups of 3?
I wanted to reply and let you know that yes you were setup. The previous posts about contacting Karen or Fafsa is a joke. They will more than likely not respond and they will definitely not help. I just don't think you should be given false hope. You need to be ready to fight because they will circle the wagons and continue to lie. They will leave you and those children on a raft with no support. Your best bet is to contact the advocacy group in writing and be prepared to defend yourself even to them. Also send certified letters to your politicians AND to groups such as Children's Rights. You have to really be prepared to go toe to toe because frankly the agency doesn't care about your situation. They just want to close a case.In order to triumph you need to be given a realistic picture of what you are up against.
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I wanted to reply and let you know that yes you were setup. The previous posts about contacting Karen or Fafsa is a joke. They will more than likely not respond and they will definitely not help. I just don't think you should be given false hope.
You need to be ready to fight because they will circle the wagons and continue to lie. They will leave you and those children on a raft with no support. Your best bet is to contact the advocacy group in writing and be prepared to defend yourself even to them. Also send certified letters to your politicians AND to groups such as Children's Rights. You have to really be prepared to go toe to toe because frankly the agency doesn't care about your situation. They just want to close a case.
In order to triumph you need to be given a realistic picture of what you are up against.