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September 10, 2001
For Immediate Release
Contact:ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
HHS AWARDS ADOPTION BONUSES
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced the award of nearly $11 million in adoption bonuses to 35 states and the District of Columbia for increasing the number of children adopted from public child welfare agencies. The bonuses are part of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.
HHS reported that nearly 50,000 children were adopted from public child welfare agencies in fiscal year 2000, approximately a 10 percent increase over the 46,000 adoptions in fiscal year 1999. The fiscal year 2000 total represents a nearly 39 percent increase over the 36,000 adoptions in fiscal year 1998 and a 78 percent increase since fiscal year 1996, when 28,000 adoptions were finalized.
&8220;Today, more and more children who cannot live with their biological parents are finding loving, permanent homes through adoption,&8221; said Secretary Thompson. &8220;I commend states for their efforts to assure that no child grows up without the benefit of a secure, stable family.
The bonuses -- up to $4,000 per adopted child and $6,000 for each child with special needs -- are awarded to states that exceed the number of children adopted compared to the previous year. Last year 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico received bonuses.
&8220;These awards demonstrate that states have made great progress in reducing the number of children waiting to become part of a permanent family,&8221; said Wade Horn, HHS assistant secretary for children and families. &8220;I challenge public agencies to keep building on this record of success.
The list of states and their bonuses follow:
FY 2000 Adoption Incentive Bonuses
| State | 1998 Baseline | 2000 Adoptions | % Increase | Bonus | ||
| Alabama | 152 | 200 | 32% | $62,238 | ||
| Alaska | 137 | 202 | 47% | $123,828 | ||
| Arizona | 727 | 851 | 17% | $221,724 | ||
| Arkansas | 278 | 311 | 12% | $66,776 | ||
| California | 6254 | 8,221 | 31% | $4,030,572 | ||
| Connecticut | 403 | 499 | 24% | $124,476 | ||
| Delaware | 36 | 103 | 186% | $108,917 | ||
| Dist of Col | 166 | 236 | 42% | $112,158 | ||
| Florida | 1549 | 1,605 | 4% | $119,938 | ||
| Indiana | 774 | 1,143 | 48% | $511,520 | ||
| Iowa | 744 | 751 | 1% | $9,076 | ||
| Kentucky | 340 | 384 | 13% | $57,052 | ||
| Louisiana | 352 | 469 | 33% | $214,592 | ||
| Maine | 203 | 405 | 100% | $377,319 | ||
| Michigan | 2446 | 2,800 | 14% | $622,382 | ||
| Minnesota | 539 | 615 | 14% | $149,112 | ||
| Mississippi | 238 | 290 | 22% | $105,675 | ||
| Missouri | 817 | 1,205 | 47% | $665,819 | ||
| Montana | 176 | 228 | 30% | $83,633 | ||
| Nebraska | 192 | 282 | 47% | $140,684 | ||
| Nevada | 211 | 229 | 9% | $27,878 | ||
| New Hampshire | 63 | 95 | 51% | $51,865 | ||
| New Jersey | 755 | 834 | 10% | $185,418 | ||
| New Mexico | 258 | 346 | 34% | $163,375 | ||
| North Carolina | 907 | 1,244 | 37% | $623,679 | ||
| Ohio | 1605 | 1,777 | 11% | $371,484 | ||
| Oklahoma | 854 | 995 | 17% | $182,825 | ||
| Oregon | 755 | 831 | 10% | $166,617 | ||
| Pennsylvania | 1526 | 1,700 | 11% | $321,564 | ||
| South Dakota | 82 | 87 | 6% | $6,483 | ||
| Tennessee | 370 | 403 | 9% | $54,458 | ||
| Texas | 1902 | 2,010 | 6% | $161,430 | ||
| Washington | 921 | 1,110 | 21% | $283,962 | ||
| West Virginia | 308 | 350 | 14% | $80,391 | ||
| Wisconsin | 622 | 712 | 14% | $182,176 | ||
| Wyoming | 44 | 46 | 5% | $3,246 | ||
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.
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