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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-410" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Adoption Subsidy Act">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before a final decree of adoption is passed, the local department and a prospective adoptive parent of an eligible child shall make a written agreement regarding the subsidy.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In the case of an eligible child who has special circumstances that existed before the adoption but were not detected until after the adoption, the agreement shall be made promptly after the local department approves the application for a subsidy.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A subsidy may commence either at the time of the placement for adoption or at an appropriate time after the passage of the adoption decree.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The nature, amount, and duration of the subsidy shall be determined by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the needs of the eligible child because of the eligible child’s special circumstances; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the availability of other resources to meet the eligible child’s needs.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The subsidy may be for a limited or a long period of time.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The subsidy shall be in an amount that is not more than:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the allowable amount for a child under foster family care in this State, or if placement is in another state, the allowable amount for a child under foster family care in that state, whichever is higher;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>in the case of a medically fragile child living in a treatment foster care home, $2,000 per month; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>if the subsidy is for a special service, a reasonable fee for that service.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If, under a subsidy agreement, the subsidy does not terminate in the first year after the final decree of adoption is passed, the subsidy is subject to annual reapplication, reevaluation, and reapproval by the local department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A subsidy agreement shall include a notice of the annual reapplication requirement.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
