Proposed legislation in Florida would provide financial support to adoptive families that adopt children via the foster care system.
On March 3rd, 2015, The Donaldson Adoption Institute posted information on their website about some interesting developments in Florida. Lawmakers in the state will be reviewing a bill brought to them by House Health and Human Services Chair Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford). His proposed legislation involves providing state employees with a $5,000.00 incentive to adopt a child from the state’s foster care system and $10,000.00 if they adopt a child with disabilities.
Brodeur is reporting that there are over 3,000 children available for adoption in the state of Florida, and that over 90 percent of them are considered to have special needs.
Proponents of legislation points out the it costs about $35,000.00 a year to keep a child in a group home, and over $6,000.00 per year to keep a child in foster care. The money saved would be of tremendous benefit to Florida’s the Department of Children and Families, and in the long run benefit the many children in need of permanent adoptive families.
To read the Donaldson Adoption Institute’s post on this legislation, click on the following link: PAY STATE WORKERS TO ADOPT