2021 Maine Revised Statutes
TITLE 18-C: PROBATE CODE
Article 9: ADOPTION
Part 4: ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
18-C §9-403. Administration

§9-403. Administration

1.  Written agreement before final decree; exceptions; reduction in payments.  A written agreement between an applicant entering into the program and the department must precede the final decree of adoption, except that an application may be filed subsequent to the finalization of the adoption if there were facts relevant to the child's eligibility that were not presented at the time of the request for assistance or if the child was eligible for participation in the program at the time of placement and the adoptive parents were not informed of the program.  

Except as provided by section 9-401, subsection 8, once an adoption assistance payment is agreed upon and the agreement signed by the prospective adoptive parents, the department may not reduce the adoption assistance payment amounts.  

[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]

2.  Annual determination.  If assistance under the program continues for more than one year, the need for assistance must be annually redetermined. Adoption assistance continues regardless of the state in which the adoptive parents reside, or the state to which the adoptive parents move, as long as the adoptive parents continue to be eligible based on the annual redetermination of need.  

[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]

3.  Transfer to legal guardian; new agreement.  Upon the death of all adoptive parents, adoption assistance under the program may be transferred to the legal guardian as long as the child continues to be eligible for adoption assistance pursuant to the terms of the most recent adoption assistance agreement with the adoptive parents. The department shall enter into a new assistance agreement with the legal guardian.  

[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW). PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. F, §1 (AFF). PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).