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Adoption FAQs

If I am interested in adopting a child from the Department of Human Resources, how do I apply?

Call the Adoption & Foster Inquiry Hotline 1-866-4AL-KIDS. Your questions will be answered and an information packet mailed to you. Or you may complete the Online Inquiry Form.

How can I find out about children currently available for adoption?

The Department uses several recruitment tools to feature children for whom there is no adoptive family readily available. A Waiting Children Newsletter is published quarterly and some of Alabama's waiting children are featured on the following television stations: Fox 6, Birmingham, and WAAF Channel 48, Huntsville.

Clicking on the Waiting Children icon will allow you to see a photograph and read some information about some of Alabama's children needing adoptive parents. In addition, some of Alabama's children can also be viewed in the Children Awaiting Placement (CAP) Book and in the Southeastern Exchange of the U.S. (SEEUS) Book. (See additional resources.)

How can adult adoptees get information on their adoption?

A written request must be submitted to the Office of Adoption. The adoptee's birth name (if known), birth date and adoptive parents' names need to be included in the written request. Requests received from adoptees placed by another agency will be forwarded to that agency.

Adoptees can receive non-identifying information-circumstances of their birth family that led to the adoption, history of foster care placement, social and medical history of the birth family. Identifying information-names of birth family members and addresses-cannot be released in accordance with the Adoption Code without a court order.

Can a birth mother or birth father member request the Office of Adoption locate the adoptee?

No. However, a birth mother or legal birth father may send to the Office of Adoption a written, notarized statement giving the Department of Human Resources permission to release identifying information to the adoptee in the event a request is received from the adoptee.

I have just moved to Alabama with an adopted child receiving adoption assistance that includes Medicaid. How can I get my child certified to receive Alabama Medicaid?

If a family moves into the State of Alabama with an adopted child who receives a special needs adoption subsidy that includes Medicaid and needs to be certified to receive Alabama Medicaid, they need to contact the Office of Adoption Intake Consultant at 334-242-9500. The Adoption Intake Consultant is the State Administrator of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA). Alabama is a member state and does reciprocate with ICAMA member states only.

For adopted children from other states who are IV-E eligible and for those adopted children receiving state subsidies from ICAMA member states moving into Alabama, the adoption assistance state must furnish documentation on the child's eligibility and the information listed above to Alabama SDHR Office of Adoption. The Office of Adoption will request that Alabama Medicaid Agency certify the child(ren) for Alabama Medicaid.

I am moving to another state with an adopted child receiving adoption assistance that includes Medicaid. How can I get my child certified to receive Medicaid in my new resident state?

To prevent a disruption of coverage when an adoptive family is moving to another state with a child who receives federal subsidy or state subsidy with Medicaid, adoptive parents should notify the Alabama State Office of Adoption with the following information prior to the move if possible:

  • Name(s) of the adoptive parent(s)
  • Name(s), DOB(s), SSN(s), race, and gender of the child(ren) involved
  • When the move will occur
  • The current address
  • The new address (if different)
  • Type of subsidy (State with Medicaid or Medicaid IV-E)
  • Whether or not the child have other third party medical coverage through any program, organization or person
  • Source of other medical coverage (SSI, SSA, CHAMPUS, or Private Insurance)

The State Office of Adoption Intake Consultant (Compact Administrator) is responsible for initiating and processing all forms required by the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA).