North Dakota State Adoption Assistance Program

https://www.hhs.nd.gov/cfs/adoption-program

North Dakota’s state-specific medical assistance information:
https://www.hhs.nd.gov/healthcare/medicaid

North Dakota Code 50-09-02.2, Assistance for adopted children with special needs:
http://www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/t50c09.pdf

North Dakota Code Chapter 50-28 Adoption Assistance:
http://www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/t50c28.pdf

In North Dakota a child is defined as special needs if child that has at least one of the following needs or circumstances that may be a barrier to placement or adoption without financial assistance:

• Seven years of age or older and under 18 years of age
• Member of a minority race
• Member of a sibling group being placed together for adoption
• Has a physical, mental, or emotional disability
• Is at high risk of a physical, mental, or emotional disability as diagnosed by a licensed physician

To be eligible for adoption assistance, children must be legally free for adoption (unless the child is being placed for adoption pursuant to a tribal statute allowing for a “customary” adoption) and must be in the custody of a public, private, or tribal agency prior to adoption.

Rates are negotiated based on the child’s needs. Frequently, the negotiated rate reflects the amount the child’s family received while the child was in foster care. In no case may the negotiated rate exceed the rate that was paid while the child was, or would have been, in a foster care placement. Basic foster care rates are listed below:

Adoption assistance rates may be negotiated up to the rate the child received, or would have received, in foster care, including any specialized rates. 

Adoption assistance continues until a child reaches 18. However, state-funded adoption assistance benefits may continue until the child reaches 21 if the agency determines that the adopted child is a student regularly attending a secondary, post-secondary, or vocational school and pursuing study leading to a diploma, degree, or gainful employment. Title IV-E adoption assistance may continue until the child’s 21st birthday if the adoptee has a mental or physical disability that warrants continuation of assistance.

North Dakota Post Adoption Network, a service of the AASK program, provides a variety of post adoption services to North Dakota families.  More information can be found on their web page, https://ndpostadopt.org/

North Dakota has a guardianship assistance program (GAP), to read more about it visit, https://www.hhs.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/DHS%20Legacy/brochure-fc-guardianship-assistance-programs.pdf