There are more than 109,000 children waiting to be adopted in the United States, according to the most recent data pulled from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, September 2022.
National Adoption Month is an opportunity to help increase awareness of the need for adoption — especially for teens, between the ages of 13-17, who make up 1 of every 5 children waiting for families. It’s also a chance for the Coast Guard to make our families aware of reimbursement benefits they can access when they decide to adopt.
The Coast Guard‘s Adoption Reimbursement benefit through the Office of Work-Life Programs can provide $2,000 per child, and up to $5,000 in one year to accommodate fees for multiple children.
“Adoption can be one of the most rewarding life experiences but could also be extremely costly,” said Coast Guard Family Support Services Program Manager, Lisa Johnson. “Through our program, we can assist in helping with a portion of that financial burden. We can also ensure that we provide the resources that are available to assist families with their adoption journeys.”
Last December, Senior Chief Edward Fuchs, the Strategic Planning Specialist with the Culinary Services Division (CG-1K13), recently used the Coast Guard reimbursement benefit for his own family. He and his wife, Jennifer, adopted now 11-month-old Milo who was barely a month old when he joined the Fuchs’ family. The couple are also parents to a biological daughter, Everdean, who is 11.
“The fact that the Coast Guard makes it a priority to give a little bit to those trying to expand their family, as a service member, it makes me feel good,” said Fuchs. “The Coast Guard is taking the time to recognize that a sailor is more than a sailor and a sea bag, but we are people, and we need to prepare for the missions and our families that we go home too as well. The adoption reimbursement was helpful.”
Fuchs points out that “the key is to make sure that the adoption is finalized before submitting for the reimbursement—that the child is placed in the home and everything is finalized from the lawyer,” he said.
After tons of paperwork and three years of waiting for a child—Fuchs reflected on the entire open adoption process they underwent and the costliness of it all. “From start to finish, having the home study and then we had to move, which prompted another home study—it all probably cost about $45,000.”
Luckily, beyond reimbursement from the Coast Guard, he was able to take advantage of additional supplemental support offered by Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA). Members should check out these two resources available through CGMA:
- Adoptive Home Study Grant - A member may be eligible for up to $3K reimbursement after showing their payment for the home study
- Adoption Loan - CGMA can help you proceed with an adoption when finances are tight. Get an interest-free loan of up to $7,500 to cover adoption-related costs
“Overall, the form is very easy to fill out,” summarized Fuchs about the reimbursement form. “It was worth it.”
For those interested in expanding your families, feel free to reach out to your Family Resource Specialist by calling your Regional Work-Life Staff at 1-202-475-5100 for more information and for assistance with completing your reimbursement application.
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