Policy Effective: November 1, 2015

A birth parent may not receive Adoption Assistance (AA) from this program for more than twelve consecutive months from the relinquishment of a child. Month 1 in the 12 month period is the month of relinquishment.

Payment for part of a month counts as a whole month. Months for which no payment was made also count toward this limit.

A birth parent must apply for AA by the end of the second month after the month of relinquishment to be found eligible for this program.

When a birth parent is determined eligible for AA and then becomes ineligible during the twelve-month limit for some other reason, eligibility for AA can be reestablished up to the twelfth month if the parent reapplies during the 12-month limit.

The months a customer receives an AA payment when open for FEP for other children in the home count toward the 36 month FEP time limit. If there are no other children in the home and the AA payment is for a household of one, the months do not count against the 36 month FEP time limit. See policy 281-1 for more information on the FEP 36 month time limit.