Adoption Update

As you may have read, we are in the process of adopting Macie. The parental rights have been terminated, the parents' appeal has been completed. Macie is now free for adoption!

But here is the problem. When we first accepted Macie's foster care placement we went into this knowing that we were more than likely going to be adopting her. My parents are adopting her older sisters, and we want to keep the sibling group close together. Well when we accepted Macie we were told that she would qualify for the federal subsidy.

What is this? It's basically where the government continutes to pay 75% of Macie's foster care fee as well as provides her Medicaid coverage until she is 18 or out of school. The reasoning? It allows more adoptions to take place because it takes away the financial burden raising another child brings. Now don't get me wrong. The subsidy doesn't cover everything! It honestly doesn't cover half the costs of raising Macie.

We are NOT fostering for the money. If we were we'd be broke! I spend way more than the subsidy we receive. But the subsidy does create a safety net for us. It's nice knowing that we can provide for Macie and set aside part of the subsidy for her first car or college or both!

So here is the issue. Now that Macie is free for adoption, the county she is from is now saying that she doesn't qualify for the federal subsidy. This boggles my mind because this sibling group has SO MANY issues! We're fighting with the county over this issue. They are trying to get out of giving Macie Medicaid as well as cutting her subsidy down to 1/4 her foster care fee.

My caseworker asked me to take Macie in for a therapy appointment to see if she qualifies for services. We presented all the problems we are having with Macie and of course Macie showed her bad side to the therapist (she was being really good before we got to therapy, and she was horrible afterwards as well).

Today I got a phone call from the therapist that she had written a letter to the county caseworker. She asked me to come in to her office and pick up a copy of the letter for my records.

After seeing Macie just one time, but also receiving a ton of paperwork from my caseworker on the family history of Macie; she has already decided that Macie has Reactive Attachment Disorder from Infancy to Toddler, as well as Adjustment Disorder (temper tantrums).

Wow. I knew we have been having some major issues with Macie's temper tantrums and behaviors, but I thought it was just two year old issues. The therapist assured me this is not normal two year old behavior.

So just pray that the county will allow Macie to continue to receive her Medicaid coverage. I don't really care so much about the subsidy; but the Medicaid will be a must to allow Macie to have the best chance to overcome these issues.