The Calaveras County Adoption Program, under Child Welfare Services (CWS), works to develop alternate plans for a permanent, loving family if children cannot reunify with their parents. The children placed for adoption through Calaveras County's Adoption Program are children who entered the child welfare system due to safety concerns with their parents or guardians and they cannot safely return to their parents. As a result, there is a constant need for families who are willing to make a permanent commitment to a child or youth. 

Interstate Compact for Placement of Children (ICPC)

The ICPC is a contract among member states and U.S. territories authorizing them to work together to ensure that children who are placed across state lines for foster care or adoption receive adequate protection and support services. The ICPC establishes procedures for the placement of children and fixes responsibility for agencies and individuals involved in placing children

The Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) provides funds to adoptive parents to assist them in meeting the basic and special needs of their adopted children. All families who adopt Calaveras County dependent children are eligible for AAP funds, regardless of income. If a family chooses not to accept AAP at the time of finalization, they will be asked to sign a deferred agreement which allows them the opportunity to come back at any time prior to the child’s 18th birthday and request that AAP be initiated.

Any child who is receiving AAP is eligible for Medi-Cal benefits. If the adoptive family chooses to place the child on their private insurance, Medi-Cal becomes a secondary form of coverage.

• Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA)

Adoption Assistance Program-eligible children are automatically entitled to receive Medicaid from the state that entered into an adoption assistance agreement with the child’s family, regardless of the state they are living in.