Pursuant to Ohio Administrative Code rule 5101:2-49-05 this procedure letter transmits the Title IV-E Monthly Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum (MAASM) for all new Adoption Assistance agreements that are entered into after the effective date of July 1, 2014. The first adoption assistance statewide maximum was calculated using the state fiscal year 2013 data from the statewide automated child welfare information system (SACWIS). To calculate the MAASM, ODJFS used the total cost of all placements for children in a public and private agency foster home, including any ancillary costs (clothing, graduation expenses, child care, etc.) divided by the total number of paid placement days for children placed in these settings to arrive at a per diem. The per diem was multiplied by 365 days to arrive at an annual cost, and then divided by 12 months to arrive at the statewide maximum monthly MAASM. If the ceiling varies from state fiscal year (SFY) to SFY by more than ten per cent, the MAASM will be amended and communicated in a Family, Children and Adult Services procedure letter.

Effective July 1, 2014, the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum is $1,045.00.

Any existing monthly AA payment amount in excess of the statewide maximum, prior to July 1, 2014, shall remain in effect and shall continue to receive federal financial participation (FFP) up to the current FCM payment for a child in the same level of care.

If the Title IV-E agency that enters into the adoption assistance agreement and the adoptive parent(s) agree to an amount that exceeds the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum, the Title IV-E agency can request a waiver of the Title IV-E statewide maximum by sending the JFS 01471 "Waiver to exceed the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum" (rev.1/2014) to the email address MAASM@jfs.ohio.gov. Notification of approval or denial of the waiver request will be made within ten business days of receipt of the JFS 01471.

For any initial monthly AA agreements effective July 1, 2014, that has an approved JFS 01471, the subsidy begin date will be effective pursuant to 5101:2-49-08 of the Ohio Administrative Code. For any amended monthly AA agreements effective July 1, 2014, that has an approved JFS 01471, the effective date will be the month following the waiver approval date.

Although the MAASM is set at $1,045, no adoption assistance (AA) subsidy should exceed the foster care maintenance (FCM) amount the child would currently be receiving if he/she were in a public or private agency foster home. If the FCM amount is less than the MAASM, the monthly AA subsidy shall not exceed the FCM amount. If the FCM amount is in excess of the MAASM, and both parties agree to an AA subsidy amount higher than the MAASM and a waiver of the MAASM is submitted and approved, Federal funding is available up to the FCM amount the child would receive if he/she were currently in foster care. Any amount paid for an AA subsidy that exceeds the FCM amount the child would receive if he/she were currently in a public or private agency foster home or the MAASM where a waiver was not submitted and/or approved, shall be paid by the county using local funds.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The following chart identifies what materials should be inserted in the Family, Children and Adult Services Manual (FCASM).