Arizona Laws 8-163. Eligibility
A. Parents who have adopted a child with special needs may apply to the department for reimbursement of the nonrecurring expenses of that adoption.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 8-163
- Application: means the completion of the department application form with documentation of the child's special needs and nonrecurring expenses related to the adoption. See Arizona Laws 8-161
- Child: means a person who is under the age of eighteen years and who is adopted in this state or placed for adoption from this state. See Arizona Laws 8-161
- Department: means the department of child safety. See Arizona Laws 8-201
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Nonrecurring adoption expenses: means reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees and expenses which are directly related to the legal process of adoption of a child with special needs including costs relating to the adoption study, health and psychological examinations, supervision of the placement before the adoption, transportation and reasonable costs of lodging and food for the child or adoptive parents which are incurred to complete the adoption process, meet federal requirements and are not reimbursed by other sources. See Arizona Laws 8-161
B. To be eligible for reimbursement, the application must document the following:
1. The child cannot or should not be returned to the home of the child’s parents.
2. The special needs of the child require financial assistance in order to place that child with the adoptive parents.
3. Reasonable effort has been made to place the child without providing reimbursement for nonrecurring adoption expenses, unless this is against the best interests of the child.
C. The department shall review the completed application, including supporting documentation provided by the applicant, to determine eligibility for reimbursement of nonrecurring adoption expenses.