Post Adoption Support & Services
Post adoption services are offered to parents who adopt children in care to ensure services, such as medical and mental health services, continue after a child is adopted. Most post adoptive services and benefits expire once the child turns 18.
For more information about post adoption services, in Broward County, contact ChildNet's Post Adoption Specialist, Stan Rappaport, by e-mail at srappaport@childnet.us or by phone at (954) 234-1571 and in Palm Beach County, contact Children's Home Society's Adoption Social Worker, Abigail Buteau, by e-mail at abigail.buteau@chsfl.org or by phone at 561.868.4376.
Medical and mental health services, including individual and family therapy and psychiatric services, are provided through Medicaid and local network providers. Adopted youth are eligible for Medicaid. Youth from the dependency system adopted after age 16 and meet the Independent Living Post Secondary Education Support Services (PESS) requirements can qualify for extended Medicaid and financial assistance.
2015 Medicaid Expanded Eligibility Law for Adoptive Children
During the 2015 legislative session, Medicaid law was changed to expand eligibility for the existing Sunshine Child Welfare Specialty Plan to include children who have been adopted. This means you will receive or may already have received a letter outlining the opportunity for you to choose the Sunshine Child Welfare Specialty Plan from the Agency for Healthcare Administration (the agency that administers Medicaid in the state of Florida). The Child Welfare Specialty plan currently delivers Medicaid services to over 23,000 children in the state and the Child Welfare Community Based Care Lead Agency in your area is involved in this plan.
To learn more, contact ChildNet's Support Services Supervisor by phone at 954.414.6000 ext. 3606 or by e-mail at LMarsh@ChildNet.us.
Children adopted through ChildNet are eligible to receive a tuition waiver to attend public, in-state colleges, universities and technical schools. Only children adopted through the dependency court system within the State of Florida are eligible for the tuition waiver. The waiver is valid until the youth reaches his or her 28th birthday.
Kids In Distress Post Adoptive Support Group meets the fourth Wednesday of every month, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in Broward County. Contact Alaina McCoy at 954.390.7654 for more information about joining a support group. Babysitting is offered for both group meetings.
Parent-2-Parent Support Group in South Broward. This new adoptive support group is sponsored by the Foster Care and Adoption Community Solutions in Broward County for adoptive, foster parents and relative caregivers. Contact Rosa Gordon by phone at (954) 439-8832 or email at Rosa@FABFamilyz.org for more information about meeting dates and times.
Broward County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association (FAPA) holds a support group on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm at Plantation Community Church, 6501 W. Broward Blvd. Visit the website or contact Tina Severance-Fonte by phone at 954.804.9220 for more information.
