Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order on Friday to launch the Ohio Adoption Grant Program, which provides up to $20,000 to parents adopting a child.
DeWine signed the Ohio Adoption Grant Program as part of House Bill (HB) 45 into law in January. It gives parents a grant to adopt children under the age of 18. It includes privately planned adoptions and adoptions made through a public children services agency, including adoptions made by foster parents and family members. It excludes adoptions conducted by a stepparent.
According to the Ohio Department of Foster, Adoption, and Kinship Care, in Ohio, the cost of adopting a child can vary greatly depending on the type of adoption and the type of agency selected. While adopting a child from foster care can be relatively inexpensive, adopting through a private agency can range from $10,000 to $50,000.
DeWine said that the Ohio Adoption Grant Program will help offset some of the cost and encourage more families to consider growing their family through adoption.
“Every child deserves a safe, permanent, loving home. Whether you’re adopting from the foster care system, or through private adoption, the Ohio Adoption Grant will help offset the cost of growing your family,” DeWine said.
According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, Ohio’s current adoption tax credit is greater than $1,500, or an individual’s adoption-related expenses up to $10,000, for each adoption.
The grant program offers three tiers of one-time payments and replaces the current state adoption tax credit. Any individual adopting a youth is to receive $10,000 except a stepparent, a parent who was a foster caregiver (including kinship caregivers) who cared for the child before adoption is to receive $15,000, and a family that adopts a child with special needs, as determined by a qualified professional is to receive $20,000.
“While the $10,000 grant is available for most adoptions, additional dollars are available for foster caregivers who adopt a child they are caring for, as well as for instances where the child has a special need,” Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Director Matt Damschroder said.
According to Damschroder, more than 3,000 youth in foster care are waiting for adoption, and this grant will help support those welcoming in a new member of their family.
As part of the Governor’s Children’s Initiative to enhance Ohio’s children’s services system, DeWine established the Children’s Services Transformation Advisory Council soon after entering office. The council issued 37 suggestions that take into account the need to increase the number of potential adoptive families to remove obstacles to permanency.
According to DeWine, all 37 recommendations have now either been adopted completely or are in the process of adoption.
“This grant will provide needed resources for families looking to grow their family through adoption. Our goal is to make Ohio the best state to start and raise a family,” DeWine said.
Any individual in Ohio is eligible to apply for the Ohio Adoption Grant if they adopted a child under 18 years old on or after January 1st, they apply less than one year after the adoption became final, and they live in the state of Ohio at the time of the application.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Mike DeWine” by Mike DeWine. Background Photo “Parents and Child” by Alberto Casetta.
