Please read below; important article from Indiana Foster Care & Adoption Association!
SAVE INDIANA a minimum of $83,000 a year FOR EACH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD that WILL GET Adopted ... IF YOU HELP BY SAYING ... PLEASE FUND INDIANA STATE ADOPTION SUBSIDY!
Members of General Indiana Assembly, Please scroll down in the email.
(This section for Child Advocates: After Reading this, go to the bottom of this email to find ALL of your Indiana General Assembly Members, House & Senate, EMAIL ADRESSES. Simply Copy their email addresses, hit Forwad & Paste their email address into the 'To' section. Within the New Email, be sure to remove the forwarding info. at the top. Then, Send the email to let them know that we will not be satisfied with anything less than the fulfillment of promises to Fund Indiana State Adoption Subsidy because there actually is adequate funding when $104 million dollars was returned to the "surplus" from the Indiana Department of Children's Services! Not to mention, the $320 million that was recently discovered!)
DEAR,
Terri J. Austin (Anderson), Jeb Bardon (Indianapolis), John Bartlett (Indianapolis), Kreg Battles (Vincennes), Pat Bauer (South Bend), Charlie Brown (Gary), Mara Candelaria Reardon (Munster), Dave Cheatham (North Vernon), Bill Crawford (Indianapolis), John Day (Indianapolis), Ed DeLaney (Indianapolis), Nancy Dembowski (Knox), Chet Dobis (Merrillville), Ryan Dvorak (South Bend), Craig R. Fry (Mishawaka), Phil GiaQuinta (Fort Wayne), Terry Goodin (Austin), F. Dale Grubb (Covington), Earl Harris (East Chicago), Clyde Kersey (Terre Haute), Sheila Klinker (Lafayette), Linda Lawson (Hammond), Chuck Moseley (Portage), Win Moses (Fort Wayne), David L. Niezgodski (South Bend), Scott Pelath (Michigan City), Phil Pflum (Milton), Matt Pierce (Bloomington), Gregory W. Porter (Indianapolis), Cherrish Pryor (Indianapolis), Scott Reske (Pendleton), Gail Riecken (Evansville), Vernon G. Smith (Gary), Steven R. Stemler (Jeffersonville), Dan Stevenson (Highland), Mary Ann Sullivan (Indianapolis), Vanessa Summers (Indianapolis), Dennis Tyler (Muncie), VanDenburgh (Crown Point), Peggy Welch (Bloomington), Jim Arnold (District 8), Jean Breaux (District 34), John Broden (District 10), Lindel Hume (District 48), Tim Lanane (District 25), Frank Mrvan (District 1), Lonnie M. Randolph (District 2), Earline Rogers (District 3), Vi Simpson (District 40), Tim Skinner (District 38), Karen Tallian (District 4), Greg Taylor (District 33), Richard D. Young (District 47), Ron Bacon (HD 75), Jim Baird (HD 44), Bob Behning (HD91), Bruce Borders (HD 45), Brian C. Bosma (HD 88), Tim Brown (HD 41), Woody Burton (HD 58), Bob Cherry (HD 53), Ed Clere (HD 72), Susan Crouch (HD 78), Wes Culver (HD 49), Bill Davis (HD 33), Steve Davisson (HD 73), Tom Dermody (HD 20), Dick Dodge (HD 51), Sean Eberhart (HD 57), Sue Ellspermann (HD 74), Jeff Espich (HD 82), Ralph M. Foley (HD 47), Bill Friend (HD 23), Dave Frizzell (HD 93), Randy Frye (HD 67), Doug Gutwein (HD 16), Bob Heaton (HD 46), Kathy Heuer (HD 83), Phil Hinkle (HD 92), Mike Karickhoff (HD 30), Cindy Kirchhofer (HD 89), Rebecca Kubacki (HD 22), Tom Knollman (HD 55), Eric Koch (HD 65), Don Lehe (HD 15), Matt Lehman (HD 79), Dan Leonard (HD 50), Jack Lutz (HD 35), Rich McClain (HD 24), Jud McMillin (HD 68), Wendy McNamara (HD 76), Kevin Mahan (HD 31), Mark Messmer (HD 63), Robert Morris (HD 84), Tim Neese (HD 48), Cindy Noe (HD 87), Phyllis Pond (HD 85), Rhonda Rhoads (HD 70), Kathy Richardson (HD 29), Tom Saunders (HD 54), Milo Smith (HD 59), Ed Soliday (HD 4), Mike Speedy (HD 90), Greg Steuerwald (HD 40), Jeff Thompson (HD 28), Jerry Torr (HD 39), Randy Truitt (HD 26), P. Eric Turner (HD 32), Matt Ubelhor (HD 62), Heath VanNatter (HD 38), Jackie Walorski (HD 21), Dave Wolkins (HD 18), David Yarde (HD 52), David Long (District 16), Sue Landske (District 6), Connie Lawson (District 24), Brent Steele (District 44), Mike Delph (District 29), Johnny Nugent (District 43), James Merritt, Jr. (District 31), Richard Bray (District 37), Carlin Yoder (District 31), Brandt Hershman (District 7), and Travis Holdman (District 19),
RE: SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN! $320 Million Found & $104 Million DCS returned back to the state general fund as a "surplus"? QUESTIONABLE BROKEN PROMISES!
Please read this entire insert of information from the Indiana Foster Care & Adoption Association and SAVE INDIANA a minimum of $83,000 a year FOR EACH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD that is Adopted! PLEASE FUND INDIANA STATE ADOPTION SUBSIDY!
The following is the insert from IFCAA:
Fund State Adoption Subsidy
With the news of the state’s surplus, adoptive parents of special needs children are asking “How big does the surplus have to be for there to be enough funding available to pay state adoption subsidies?” In the last two years, over 500 special needs children were adopted out of Indiana’s foster care system. The state had promised these adoptive parents that as soon as money was available in the budget, they would be given financial support in the form of subsidies.
These children often have serious disabilities with regard to their behavioral, emotional, and physical functions. Financial subsidies are needed to supplement a family for medical care, counseling or therapy, medical equipment, tutoring, and other supports necessary to the raising of a special needs child.
When a child is adopted, there is an adoption agreement which is signed by the state and by the new parents of that child. In the current agreement, the state has said that there is currently no funding available for such subsidies but that if funding becomes available at a later date, the parents will begin to receive subsidy payments. These children are placed on a State Adoption Subsidy Waiting List. The adoptive child has already been determined eligible for State Adoption Subsidy, but no payments are received by the parents until such a “later date” as funding is available.
Many families question why $104 million that the Department of Child Services returned back to the state general fund as a “surplus” in their budget wasn’t allocated to the State Adoption Subsidy payments that they had been promised. Additionally, it is disappointing to know that Indiana is the only state in the U.S. that has a waiting list for subsidy payments when parents don’t qualify for federal subsidy programs.
When a child with special needs is placed with new parents, the parents assume all responsibility for the child’s future well being as well as any liabilities associated with the child’s disorder. This can be financially burdening for the average adoptive parent because most adoptive and foster care parents are no different than the average reader of this publication. An adoptive parent doesn’t adopt a special needs child because they have extra funds to take care of the child. They adopt a special needs child because they feel compassion toward him or her and they have the willingness to take care of that child’s needs.
Despite the extraordinary financial burden, adoptive parents don’t expect full compensation for the requirements of their special needs child. They simply want the state to honor the commitment they made to do their part and help out. Without this subsidy, some parents may be unable to keep up with all the requirements of a special needs child. Many consequences can come from not having enough resources available to take care of a special needs child.Special needs children are not children that are doomed due to their disabilities. A special needs child can often lead a fulfilling and rewarding life if given the proper care by a loving, nurturing family. Unfortunately, however, many special needs children are tumbled through the system and continue to be a burden on society as an adult due to not having sufficient care as a child.
Many loving, caring, supportive families that would like to adopt a child with special needs cannot because they simply can’t afford it. Offering subsidy payments to these parents would encourage more families to adopt these children, thus lifting the financial burden from the state. According to the North American Council on Adoptable Children, it costs anywhere from $90,000 to $250,000 a year, on average, to take care of a special needs child through the foster care system. That cost is paid entirely by the taxpayers. The maximum subsidy payments offered are less than $7,000 a year for the adoptive parents of a special needs child. Based on these numbers, the government would save a minimum of $83,000 a year per child that is adopted, and that is only if the maximum subsidy payments are made. In many cases, the subsidy offered is much less than that, once the parent has reached the top of the subsidy waiting list.
In summary, offering subsidy payments to the adoptive parents of a special needs child is the right thing to do because it saves tax dollars which can be allocated elsewhere, it encourages more homes to take in special needs children, and it ensures the proper care that a special needs child deserves.
If you understand and empathize with these struggling parents and children, sign the Fund State Adoption Subsidy petition so that we can present it to the General Assembly this fall. Thousands of children are depending on the concerned citizens of Indiana to do something about this crisis so that they can leave foster care and begin their life with a loving home that they so deserve.
The Board of Directors for Indiana Foster Care and Adoption Association.
INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY EMAIL ADDRESSES:
h36@in.gov, h25@in.gov, h95@in.gov, h64@in.gov, h6@in.gov, h3@in.gov, h12@in.gov, h69@in.gov, h98@in.gov, h100@in.gov, h86@in.gov, h17@in.gov, h13@in.gov, h8@in.gov, h5@in.gov, h80@in.gov, h66@in.gov, h42@in.gov, h2@in.gov, h43@in.gov, h27@in.gov, h1@in.gov, h10@in.gov, h81@in.gov,
h7@in.gov, h9@in.gov, h56@in.gov, h61@in.gov, h96@in.gov, h94@in.gov, h37@in.gov, h77@in.gov, h14@in.gov, h71@in.gov, h11@in.gov, h97@in.gov, h99@in.gov, h34@in.gov, h19@in.gov, h60@in.gov, s8@in.gov, s34@in.gov, s10@in.gov, s48@in.gov, s25@in.gov, s1@in.gov, s2@in.gov, s3@in.gov,
s40@in.gov, s38@in.gov, s4@in.gov, s33@in.gov, s47@in.gov, h75@in.gov, h44@in.gov, h91@in.gov, h45@in.gov, h88@in.gov, h41@in.gov, h58@in.gov, h53@in.gov, h72@in.gov, h78@in.gov, h49@in.gov, h33@in.gov, h73@in.gov, h20@in.gov, h51@in.gov, h57@in.gov, h74@in.gov, h82@in.gov, h47@in.gov,
h23@in.gov, h93@in.gov h67@in.gov, h16@in.gov, h46@in.gov, h83@in.gov, h92@in.gov, h30@in.gov, h89@in.gov, h22@in.gov, h55@in.gov, h65@in.gov, h15@in.gov, h79@in.gov, h50@in.gov, h35@in.gov, h24@in.gov, h68@in.gov, h76@in.gov, h31@in.gov, h63@in.gov, h84@in.gov, h48@in.gov, h87@in.gov,
h85@in.gov, h70@in.gov, h29@in.gov, h54@in.gov, h59@in.gov, h4@in.gov, h90@in.gov, h40@in.gov, h28@in.gov, h39@in.gov, h26@in.gov, h32@in.gov, h62@in.gov, h38@in.gov, h21@in.gov, h18@in.gov, h52@in.gov, s16@in.gov, s6@in.gov, s24@in.gov, s44@in.gov, s29@in.gov, s43@in.gov, s31@in.gov,
s37@in.gov, s7@in.gov, s19@in.gov,
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"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:4 ... God Bless You for signing the petition for these Special Needs Children! You are helping waiting kids that may have never gotten a Forever Family without YOU!...p.s. This helps you pay less in taxes now. It's much cheaper than foster care. You also save money later because they will become productive citizens with family ties, instead of a burden to society (you). Re-Post (: http://ifcaa.org/ No membership needed. Address/Email not displayed. Post Code=Zip Code ....................................................................... 48 other States HELP THEIR Special Needs Children to get ADOPTED! PLEASE VISIT http://ifcaa.org/ to sign petition. (Trouble Reading photo? click SEE MORE, scroll to bottom; Script & NEWS excerpts.) ...ARE YOU AFRAID?... Even while afraid, be a voice for kids! I shared, will you? These children want you to see it...Read the picture & When you see it.... Share it, & ....................................................................... ....................................................................... ....................................................................... ....................................................................... ....................................................................... ....................................................................... ....................................................................... ....................................................................... ....................................................................... Sign Petition. YOU ARE STRONG! YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! The Petition is by Indiana Foster Care & Adoption Association: http://ifcaa.org/ See the middle of their page says: Sign the - Fund State Adoption Subsidy - Petition Now! Type first, middle initial, last name.Email & Address NOT displayed. Post Code=Zip Code. Leaving a note is optional, but you could put, HELP THESE SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS NOW! Want to do more? Call or Email State Senator John Broden 1-800-382-9467 Email: s10@iga.in.gov WANT to see PROOF of these News stories? See both news stories in two links below, After viewing, please come back here to Share it, & Sign Petition. You're making a difference! INDIANA IS ONLY 1 OF 2 STATES NOT HELPING THESE CHILDREN: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/29775794/detail.html Indiana Finds Misplaced 320 million dollars: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/29955386/detail.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCRIPT: Lower case typing is the Indiana boy, CAPS IS THE OHIO CASEWORKER TALKING: I tried to stop him. I ran a long way… I HEARD YOU WERE SCARED AND HE’S STRONGER… I just needed a bite to eat & shoes… IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT, KIDS SHOULD HAVE WHAT THEY NEED!… Where will I go?… I’LL FIND YOU A FAMILY THAT WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER!… He said that he loved me… THIS LOVE WILL BE DIFFERENT… Will this love feed me and help my feet?… SURE IT WILL! AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT FROM INDIANA... Why?... THEY HAVE KIDS WAITING & THEY FOUND EXTRA MONEY. Extra money?... JUST TO HELP THESE SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS WOULD COST $20 MILLION! ... That's a lot, how much did they find?... $320 MILLION... That still leaves $300 million for other things!... ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS SIGN A PETITION, BUT SOME INDIANA ADULTS ARE AFRAID!... me too!!! ... P.S. THIS IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN FOSTER CARE & THEY'LL BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS, & NOT A BURDEN TO SOCIETY, YOU! (: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS EXCERPTS: State Sen. John Broden, D-South Bend, "There's a moral obligation here. We should not be trying to balance our state budget on the backs of abused and neglected children," Broden said. State lawmakers estimate the subsidy would cost the state between $5 million and $7 million a year. INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana has a dubious distinction when it comes to helping children get adopted as one of two states that doesn't provide a monthly per diem to adopted parents. Individual counties used to provide the subsidy, but the state took over the child welfare system and money was no longer appropriated. (In other words, in my own words, Indiana used to allow individual counties to keep these promises to these children, but when the State took over, they turned their backs on these children, and are still holding onto 320 million dollars that would be enough to help ALL these children til they were 18 and still have some left over! But they won't listen & That's NOT fine! Just use at least 20 million of it to help for 4 years, save back the rest of 'your surplus', and re-visit this decision again in 4 years! Pretty Please! It's not for these kids to have extras! It's so these kids can have their BASIC NEEDS MET!) -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- h36@in.gov, h25@in.gov, h95@in.gov, h64@in.gov, h6@in.gov, h3@in.gov, h12@in.gov, h69@in.gov, h98@in.gov, h100@in.gov, h86@in.gov, h17@in.gov, h13@in.gov, h8@in.gov, h5@in.gov, h80@in.gov, h66@in.gov, h42@in.gov, h2@in.gov, h43@in.gov, h27@in.gov, h1@in.gov, h10@in.gov, h81@in.gov, h7@in.gov, h9@in.gov, h56@in.gov, h61@in.gov, h96@in.gov, h94@in.gov, h37@in.gov, h77@in.gov, h14@in.gov, h71@in.gov, h11@in.gov, h97@in.gov, h99@in.gov, h34@in.gov, h19@in.gov, h60@in.gov, s8@in.gov, s34@in.gov, s10@in.gov, s48@in.gov, s25@in.gov, s1@in.gov, s2@in.gov, s3@in.gov, s40@in.gov, s38@in.gov, s4@in.gov, s33@in.gov, s47@in.gov, h75@in.gov, h44@in.gov, h91@in.gov, h45@in.gov, h88@in.gov, h41@in.gov, h58@in.gov, h53@in.gov, h72@in.gov, h78@in.gov, h49@in.gov, h33@in.gov, h73@in.gov, h20@in.gov, h51@in.gov, h57@in.gov, h74@in.gov, h82@in.gov, h47@in.gov, h23@in.gov, h93@in.gov, h67@in.gov, h16@in.gov, h46@in.gov, h83@in.gov, h92@in.gov, h30@in.gov, h89@in.gov, h22@in.gov, h55@in.gov, h65@in.gov, h15@in.gov, h79@in.gov, h50@in.gov, h35@in.gov, h24@in.gov, h68@in.gov, h76@in.gov, h31@in.gov, h63@in.gov, h84@in.gov, h48@in.gov, h87@in.gov, h85@in.gov, h70@in.gov, h29@in.gov, h54@in.gov, h59@in.gov, h4@in.gov, h90@in.gov, h40@in.gov, h28@in.gov, h39@in.gov, h26@in.gov, h32@in.gov, h62@in.gov, h38@in.gov, h21@in.gov, h18@in.gov, h52@in.gov, s16@in.gov, s6@in.gov, s24@in.gov, s44@in.gov, s29@in.gov, s43@in.gov, s31@in.gov, s37@in.gov, s7@in.gov, s19@in.gov,
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