09/11/2006 - National Legal News

The federal government has awarded roughly $11.6 million to 21 states that have increased the number of children adopted from foster care.

The reward payments were made to states that completed more adoptions in 2005 than in the year with the highest number of adoptions in the three previous years. States received $4,000 for each child beyond their best year’s total adopted.

In addition, $4,000 was awarded for each child age nine or older, and $2,000 for each child with special needs.

According to Health and Human Services, an estimated 51,500 children were adopted from foster care in 2005, up from 50,700 in 2004. Currently there is an estimated 518,000 abused, neglected, or abandoned children in foster care, of which 118,000 are available for adoption.

Adoption incentive payments were created in 1997 by the Adoption and Safe Families Act. The average age of a child waiting for adoption is 10.

Texas led the nation in incentive payments, earning more than $4 million. Arizona and Tennessee each received more than $1 million.