What is the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance?

The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA) is an agreement between all fifty states in the United States and the District of Columbia. ICAMA enables the interstate movement of adopted children and adoption assistance payments. In Florida, ICAMA is administered by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Legal Affairs. ICAMA was created so that adopted children can move across state lines with their adoptive parents, while still receiving necessary medical assistance and adoption assistance payments. The compact also covers the transition of foster care placements that move from one state to another, and provides a system of interstate cooperation to ensure that the needs of adopted children and their adoptive families are met. Under the compact, each state is responsible for administering the adoption and medical assistance programs for children who are living in that state. This includes providing adoption assistance payments, determining the child’s eligibility for medical assistance, and ensuring that any special needs of the adopted child, such as mental health care, language services, or educational support, are met. The ICAMA also ensures that adopted children and their adoptive parents are provided with equal access to adoption and medical assistance services; regardless of which state they are living in. Additionally, the compact enables states to share information about adoptions and medical assistance payment records, in order to ensure that the adopted child is receiving the necessary financial, medical, and educational support.

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What is the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance?

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