Right: Shawn and his adoptive parents (mother at Front Center) and siblings and ATP Technology Specialist Roxanne Rowley (Back Row). Above, Top: Shawn demonstrates his Environmental control unit. Above, Center: Jim lowers the hydraulic wheelchair lift. Above, bottom: Shawn uses his wrtiing bird at school.

HHS Subsidized
Adoption Program

The Department of Health and Human Services Subsidized Adoption Program provides financial assistance after an adoption is finalized for eligible children, who are wards of the state. The program ensures that financial barriers or costs associated with a child’s needs do not prevent adoption. According to Mary Dyer, Adoption Specialist for Health and Human Services, the subsidy is to meet the child’s needs by helping the parents meet their responsibilities.
Subsidized adoption referrals are made to ATP to develop an appropriate plan to submit to Health and Human Services for consideration. ATP Technology Specialists visit the home and look at the “total picture”, based on the child’s needs. This includes accessibility, i.e. entrance/exit of the home using ramps, lifts, thresholds, wider doors, and door handles. Mobility throughout the home may be addressed with wider doorways and hallways. Bathroom modifications could include roll-in showers, raised toilets, roll under sinks and vanities, non-slip flooring, grab bars, and Braille labels. A variety of environmental

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