Under current state law, if you adopt a child through DHS or another state approved group, you may receive financial assistance for that child's college if your family income is not over 50 thousand dollars a year.
House bill 2446 would increase family income limits, hopefully encouraging more families, with biological children, to also adopt waiting children. College isn't cheap these days, and it is a major consideration for many families deciding on whether to adopt.
DHS Programs Administrator, Amy White, believes passage of this bill could really help more children find permanent homes and help adoptive parents with the financial burden.
"This is one of the ways of addressing the needs, how am I going to pay for my child's education? And, since this bill supports them and changes the eligibility for them, for that, that's one less worry for an adoptive parent when they're adopting a child," she says.
Here's what the proposed amendment would do.
If you adopt a child between birth to 12 years old, through DHS or an approved group, your family income can be up to 250 thousand dollars a year to qualify for assistance. If you adopt a child between 13 and 17 years of age, there is no limit on family income.
By amending the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Act, it's hoped that more families will be able to adopt waiting children which removes them from DHS custody into loving permanent homes.
"It's actually a benefit to taxpayers cause children are going to permanent homes and are not part of the Department of Human Service's population. And, it's wonderful for our children and youth to find the families that will care for them and provide the love that they need," White says.
And, as most college financial assistance requires, the children would have to meet certain criteria such as grade point average, required courses and complying with behavioral guidelines.
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