Extended Adoptions Assistance Program

General information about California’s Adoptions Assistance Program is available on the California Department of Social Services’ website.

THE FOLLOWING YOUTH ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE EXTENDED ADOPTIONS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (AAP) BENEFITS UNTIL AGE 21:

  • Youth with a physical or mental disability that warrants continued assistance (regardless of age of entry into AAP).

Re-Entry into Foster Care for Adopted Youth

If the adoptive parent of a youth’s whose receiving extended AAP payments dies prior to the youth reaching 21, or the youth’s adoptive parent is no longer providing ongoing support to, and is no longer receiving payment on behalf of the youth, the youth can petition the court to enter extended foster care.

The adoptive parent is responsible for requesting the AAP extension beyond the age of 18, providing documentation to the responsible public agency supporting that the youth meets one of the five participation conditions, and reporting any changes when the youth is no longer meeting one of the five participation criteria. The non-minor former dependent or ward in receipt of AAP may have the aid payments suspended and resumed based on changed circumstances.

More Information in AB 12 Primer

For information about AAP for “non-minor dependent adoption”, created by Assembly Bill 1712 and governed by the Welfare and Institutions Code (i.e. adoption of a NMD through juvenile court) as a permanency plan option for a NMD, as well as for information about the amount of the AAP payment, refer to the AB 12 Primer section on AAP.