Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

1. Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance Section 1 Introduction to Administration of the Compact Administering the ICAMA Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

2. Administering the ICAMA is important Children with special needs who receive adoption assistance rely on you to ensure that they receive medical assistance and other support services in interstate situations. Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

3. Of course, even 1 child is important, but how many children are affected by the ICAMA? • Between 1997 and 2002, the number of children covered by adoption assistance agreements and residing outside the adoption assistance state increased by 70%. What this means is that at least26,242* children were residing in states other than the adoption assistance state.*(as reported by 39 states) What this also means is that Compact administration staff around the country worked on behalf of these26,242children to ensure that they received medical assistance and support services . Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

4. This 70% increase in the number of children living outside their adoption assistance states is only the beginning… Internet technology is helping to create a national adoption community • The AdoptUsKids website & state adoption exchanges are making it easier for states to locate resource families… because they’re looking in all the states, • not just their own. and… Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

5. and… • The AdoptUsKids website & state adoption exchanges are making it easier for prospective adoptive parents to find children … because they’re looking in all the states, not just their own. Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

6. In fact… Adoption exchanges report that 63% of prospective families who respond to child specific adoption recruitment DO NOT reside in the state where the child lives. The Internet is helping to make the ICAMA an increasingly important resource for the adoption community. Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

7. In addition, families are moving more freely between states than ever before • When the growing mobility of American families is combined with the increased awareness of the need for • adoptive families for thousands of children in care, • it is clear that … ICAMA administration staff can expect the number of interstate cases to grow more quickly than ever before Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

8. All this movement brings the Compact (the ICAMA) into effect….. • Basically, your goal is to work with in-state and out-of-state staff to be sure that medical benefits and other services are seamlessly provided for children in interstate situations who are receiving adoption assistance…. When children are placed for adoption with families in another state or When they move to a new state with their adoptive families. • So what do you actually do? Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

9. First: the Adoption Assistance payment • When a child with an adoption assistance agreement moves or is placed across state lines, continuing the adoption assistance (AA) payment is easy. Adoption Assistance checks can easily be mailed to the family anywhere! Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

10. Then: Medical Assistance • Ensuring the provision of Medicaid is not as simple as mailing a check….Because Medicaid is provided • by the state where the child lives This is where the ICAMA does its work. Standard processes and forms* were developed to streamline the interstate provision of Medicaid. Consistent and accurate use of these forms and procedures enable a child to be placed in or a family to move to any state with little or no break in services. * How to use the forms and what the processes are will be explained later in the training. Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

11. Which states use these forms and procedures? • 48 states and the District of Columbia* have enacted the • Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA)! • This means that ICAMA is law • in all but two states. * as of January 2007 - See the list provided with this training for states who have enacted the ICAMA Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

12. In fact, • ICAMA is the only way established by the states to protect the interests of children with special needs • when they are placed or • move across state lines with their adoptive family. • When ICAMA was passed, states also established an association, AAICAMA*. • This association is the network of people throughout the US who administer the Compact. • AAICAMA isalso the group that designed the forms, established the processes • and provided this training. * Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

13. What does the association (AAICAMA*) do for you? • AAICAMA provides training, research • AAICAMA provides technical assistance • AAICAMA convenes the annual meeting. • AAICAMA holds a grant from the Children’s Bureau to provide specific services to • AAICAMA writes, edits and publishes the newsletter, Bridges. • AAICAMA collects data toenhance interstate practice • AAICAMA monitors and distributes information on Federal legislation that affects Compact administration • AAICAMA maintains and distributes the COBRA/Reciprocity chart • AAICAMA maintains and distributes the list of primary ICAMA contacts in the states. * Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

14. How can you contact the Association office? • Currently the Association has three people on staff: • Ursula Gilmore (ugilmore@aphsa.org) • Sharon McCartney (smccartney@aphsa.org) • Robyn Bockweg (rbockweg@aphsa.org) • The mailing address is: • AAICAMA • 810 First Street, NE • Washington, DC 20002 The phone number is: 202.682.0100 The fax number is: 202.289.6555 Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

15. What is the correct pronunciation of ICAMA and AAICAMAaccording to the acronym-speak dictionary ? • Unfortunately, they are both pronounced the same way: ĭcămă • So remember when you hear someone say ‘ĭcămă’ • they may mean the Compact (ICAMA) • or • they may mean the people like you (AAICAMA) • who make the Compact work for the children * Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

16. So, to summarize what you do and why it’s important…… Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance