If I am interested in adopting a child from the Department of
Human Resources, how do I apply?
Call the Adoption & Foster Inquiry Hotline 1-866-4AL-KIDS. Your
questions will be answered and an information packet mailed to you. Or
you may complete the
Online Inquiry Form.
How can I find out about children currently available for
adoption?
The Department uses several recruitment tools to feature children for
whom there is no adoptive family readily available. A
Waiting
Children Newsletter is published quarterly and some of Alabama's
waiting children are featured on the following television stations: Fox
6, Birmingham, and WAAF Channel 48, Huntsville.
Clicking on the Waiting Children icon will allow you to see a photograph
and read some information about some of Alabama's children needing
adoptive parents. In addition, some of Alabama's children can also be
viewed in the Children Awaiting Placement (CAP) Book and in the
Southeastern Exchange of the U.S. (SEEUS) Book. (See
additional resources.)
How can adult adoptees get information on their adoption?
A written request must be submitted to the Office of Adoption. The
adoptee's birth name (if known), birth date and adoptive parents' names
need to be included in the written request. Requests received from
adoptees placed by another agency will be forwarded to that agency.
Adoptees can receive non-identifying information-circumstances of their
birth family that led to the adoption, history of foster care placement,
social and medical history of the birth family. Identifying
information-names of birth family members and addresses-cannot be
released in accordance with the Adoption Code without a court order.
Can a birth mother or birth father member request the Office of
Adoption locate the adoptee?
No. However, a birth mother or legal birth father may send to the Office
of Adoption a written, notarized statement giving the Department of
Human Resources permission to release identifying information to the
adoptee in the event a request is received from the adoptee.
I have just moved to Alabama with an adopted child receiving
adoption assistance that includes Medicaid. How can I get my child
certified to receive Alabama Medicaid?
If a family moves into the State of Alabama with an adopted child who
receives a special needs adoption subsidy that includes Medicaid and
needs to be certified to receive Alabama Medicaid, they need to contact
the Office of Adoption Intake Consultant at 334-242-9500. The Adoption
Intake Consultant is the State Administrator of the Interstate Compact
on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA). Alabama is a member state
and does reciprocate with ICAMA member states only.
For adopted children from other states who are IV-E eligible and for
those adopted children receiving state subsidies from ICAMA member
states moving into Alabama, the adoption assistance state must furnish
documentation on the child's eligibility and the information listed
above to Alabama SDHR Office of Adoption. The Office of Adoption will
request that Alabama Medicaid Agency certify the child(ren) for Alabama
Medicaid.
I am moving to another state with an adopted child receiving
adoption assistance that includes Medicaid. How can I get my child
certified to receive Medicaid in my new resident state?
To prevent a disruption of coverage when an adoptive family is moving to
another state with a child who receives federal subsidy or state subsidy
with Medicaid, adoptive parents should notify the Alabama State Office
of Adoption with the following information prior to the move if
possible:
Name(s) of the adoptive parent(s)
Name(s), DOB(s), SSN(s), race, and gender of the child(ren) involved
When the move will occur
The current address
The new address (if different)
Type of subsidy (State with Medicaid or Medicaid IV-E)
Whether or not the child have other third party medical coverage through
any program, organization or person
Source of other medical coverage (SSI, SSA, CHAMPUS, or Private
Insurance)
The State Office of Adoption Intake Consultant (Compact Administrator)
is responsible for initiating and processing all forms required by the
Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA).