Utah State Adoption Assistance Program

http://www.utahadopt.org

Utah’s state-specific medical assistance information: 
https://medicaid.utah.gov/

Utah’s adoption assistance information: 
http://www.utahadopt.org
Choose Financial Assistance after clicking Building Your Family

Utah Rules R512-43, Adoption Assistance:
https://adminrules.utah.gov/public/rule/R512-43/Current%20Rules?

In Utah a child is determined to have special needs if he or she has at least one of the following needs or circumstances that may be a barrier to placement or adoption without financial assistance:

• Five years of age or older
• Member of a sibling group placed together for adoption
• Physical, emotional, or mental disability
• At risk to develop a physical, emotional, or mental disability due to specific identified in the child’s or birth parents’ health and social histories. (qualifies for $0 agreement with Medicaid at time of finalization)

The adoption assistance rate is based on child’s level of need, which is determined by the regional adoption assistance committee. For children who are considered Level 1 the adoption assistance rate is up to 40 percent of the Level 3 foster care rate. For Level 2 the rate is between 20 to 70 percent of the Level 3 foster care rate, and for Level 3 the rate is between 50 and 100 percent of the Level 3 foster care rate.

To find more details on how a child’s needs are assigned into levels one through three, you can check Utah’s Administrative Rule R512-43-5, found here https://adminrules.utah.gov/public/rule/R512-43/Current%20Rules?

Typically adoption assistance and benefits continue only until the child reaches age 18. Monthly assistance may continue until the child is 21 years old if the regional adoption assistance committee has determined that the youth has a mental or physical disability that warrants continuing assistance. 

Hourly in-home respite care is available to families who adopt from DCFS, and is provided through contracted private community agencies throughout the state. Adoptive parents must pay a co-pay of $5 per hour (regardless of the number of children in the home). DCFS Post Adoption Specialists may be able to arrange for longer respite care stays depending on the adoptive family’s situation and available options in the community. The availability of respite care differs considerably throughout the state.

Residential treatment is available on a limited basis.  Adoptive parents must contact their local DCFS post adoption worker to help assess the child’s needs and what DCFS contracted providers can meet the need.  Medicaid pays the direct mental health treatment costs and the parents pay the room and board costs.  Room and board costs may be paid with the monthly subsidy and additional out-of-pocket funds.  The parents and post adoptive worker may also apply for state supplemental funding to cover additional costs.

Utah may provide time-limited funding for extraordinary, infrequent, or uncommon documented needs not covered by monthly adoption assistance or Medicaid. The funding is provided through state-funded Supplemental Adoption Assistance Agreements that are for 2 to 6 months. Requests are reviewed by a statewide Supplemental Adoption Assistance Committee.

Utah contracts with Raise the Future for many post adoption services visit, https://www.utahadopt.org/support-resources

The Utah Foster Care Foundation has developed support group clusters throughout the state that include foster and adoptive parents, https://utahfostercare.org/foster-parent-resources/support-groups/.

Utah has a guardianship subsidy.  For more information for on Kinship Caregivers and various permanency options, visit https://dcfs.utah.gov/services/foster-care/kinship-care/

In Utah, a taxpayer may claim a $1,000 refundable credit for adopting a child or children, who are adopted and who are determined to have special needs and meet certain criteria.  For more details review the Special Needs Adoption Credit in Utah TC-40 instructions.