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From
The Miami Herald:
When S.M. became a foster child four years ago, she didn't speak a word.
At age 7, S.M., who suffers from mental retardation, had just been removed from her birth parents, who had neglected her. Caring for the little girl was going to cost money, and lots of it.
Like most foster children with serious disabilities, S.M. was expected to ``age out'' of foster care -- remaining in state custody until she turned 18. As a foster child, taxpayers would pay for much of the youngster's care, but few prospective adoptive parents were willing -- or able -- to take on such an expense.
But thanks to the efforts of administrators at two state agencies, the girl, now 11, will spend the rest of her childhood with a mom and a dad.
On Wednesday morning, S.M., who's not being identified by The Miami Herald to protect her privacy, was adopted by the Modls, a Haitian-American couple from Miami who had been caring for the youngster as foster parents.
``When she started growing up and I heard her story, I said, `I won't let her go.' This kid needs permanency,'' said Marie Modl. ``I said, `I won't let her go. I will adopt her.' ''
The Modls were able to adopt S.M. as part of a new program by administrators at the state Department of Children & Families and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The program will set aside money for services so that foster kids with extensive needs can be adopted by parents who otherwise couldn't afford to raise them.
As of August, there were 638 foster children in Florida with developmental disabilities, such as autism, mental retardation or cerebral palsy -- and 224 of the kids are on a waiting list for services.
``I've had clients where I told them, `It doesn't make sense for you to adopt, because all of the assistance you're getting from the government, it's not going to be there for you once you adopt -- and you can't afford what this child needs,' '' said Alan Mishael, a Miami attorney who represents S.M. ``I don't have to say that anymore.''
Advocates for foster kids with disabilities had been blasting lawmakers for years over the waiting list, and the Legislature approved a tweak in the disabilties agency's rules that made foster kids a top priority. But the money still wasn't there.
Jim DeBeaugrine, APD's director, discovered as much $2.4 million in savings from an agency initiative that allows disabled people or their caregivers to design their own care plans -- freeing up the agency from case-managing responsibilities. In return for the flexibility, clients accept an 8 percent reduction in funds.
Mishael, DeBeaugrine and others had an idea: Why not use some of that money to help disabled foster kids get adopted?
The solution has no additional cost to taxpayers. It's made possible because of a recently approved expansion of APD's Consumer Directed Care Plus Program, the effort to give clients more flexibility in their spending.
``We wanted to get foster care kids off the waiting list,'' DeBeaugrine said. ``My goal is to get them all -- starting with the ones where [receiving services] is absolutely critical to getting them a home.''
Kaydrin Herbert was one of the kids caught in foster care drift when Georgina Herbert, a Pembroke Pines nurse, adopted him. Kaydrin had suffered brain damage when his mother shook him violently. He was only 2 weeks old. The boy is now blind, has mental retardation and requires round-the-clock care, and Herbert could not provide it alone.
Herbert adopted the boy -- who went to live with her when he was two months old -- in December -- an adoption that could only take place with the help of taxpayer dollars.
``It's a blessing, and I thank God good people have been able to work and take care of all his needs,'' said Herbert, who now has a wheelchair-accessible van, a ramp to her house's second story and state-paid caregivers for the youngster.
In June, 10 children in foster care were moved from the waiting list and are now receiving services, and DeBeaugrine hopes his agency will be able enroll about 10 new foster children each month.
S.M. is one of the first children in Florida to benefit from the new initiative.
A preteen, S.M. is still very shy. Though her cognitive skills remain impaired, she's made great progress over the past four years. Born to Hispanic parents, she can speak a little bit, and loves singing songs in Spanish. ``She loves dancing,'' said Marie Modl. ``Every song you play, she starts dancing.''
