Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 1.djvu/555

 PUBLIC LAW 96-272—JUNE 17, 1980 "(iiXD would have received such aid in or for such month if application had been made therefor, or (II) had been living with a relative specified in section 406(a) within six months prior to the month in which such proceedings were initiated, and would have received such aid in or for such month if in such month he had been living with such a relative and application therefor had been made, or "(iii) is a child described in subparagraph (A)(ii), and "(C) has been determined by the State, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, to be a child with special needs. "(2) The amount of the adoption assistance payments shall be determined through agreement between the adoptive parents and the State or local agency administering the program under this section, which shall take into consideration the circumstances of the adopting parents and the needs of the child being adopted, and may be readjusted periodically, with the concurrence of the adopting parents (which may be specified in the adoption assistance agreement), depending upon changes in such circumstances. However, in no case may the amount of the adoption assistance payment exceed the foster care maintenance payment which would have been paid during the period if the child with respect to whom the adoption assistance payment is made had been in a foster family home. "(3) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, (A) no payment may be made to parents with respect to any child who has attained the age of eighteen (or, where the State determines that the child has a mental or physical handicap which warrants the continuation of assistance, the age of twenty-one), and (B) no payment may be made to parents with respect to any child if the State determines that the parents are no longer legally responsible for the support of the child or if the State determines that the child is no longer receiving any support from such parents. Parents who have been receiving adoption assistance payments under this section shall keep the State or local agency administering the program under this section informed of circumstances which would, pursuant to this subsection, make them ineligible for such assistance payments, or eligible for assistance payments in a different amount. "(4) For purposes of this part, individuals with whom a child (who has been determined by the State, pursuant to subsection (c), to be a child with special needs) is placed for adoption, pursuant to an interlocutory decree, shall be eligible for adoption assistance payments under this subsection, during the period of the placement, on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as if such individuals had adopted such child. "(b) For purposes of titles XIX and XX, any child with respect to whom adoption assistance payments are made under this section shall be deemed to be a dependent child as defined in section 406 and shall be deemed to be a recipient of aid to families with dependent children under part A of this title. "(c) For purposes of this section, a child shall not be considered a child with special needs unless— "(1) the State has determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to the home of his parents; and "(2) the State had first determined (A) that there exists with respect to the child a specific factor or condition (such as his ethnic background, age, or membership in a minority or sibling group, or the presence of factors such as medical conditions or physical, mental, or emotional handicaps) because of which it is

94 STAT. 505

42 USC 606.

Amount of payment.

Restrictions.

42 USC 1396, 1397. 42 USC 606. 42 USC 601. ehild with special needs.

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