Northstar Kinship Assistance

Reimbursement for non-recurring expenses reimbursement may be available, up to $2,000 per child, for costs incurred during the kinship process. You may not claim reimbursement for any expense paid from other sources, programs, or funds. Allowable out-of-pocket expenses are listed below:

• Agency adoption fees (including health and psychological expenses, if not covered by your health insurance)
• Agency fees for supervision of the adoptive placement
• Transportation (include mileage and dates of travel)
• Food, lodging and other related items for the child and/or adoptive parents when required to complete the adoptive placement or the legal adoption process
• Court costs
• Attorney fees
• Replacement birth certificate fees.

After the court has granted the adoption, please send the following:

• A short letter listing the above expenses for which you are claiming reimbursement
• Copies of all itemized bills (not all fees are reimbursable through this program) plus receipts of payment or canceled checks for any of the above expenses for which you are claiming reimbursement
• A copy of the Adoption Decree.

Please note that you have to submit your NRAE reimbursement request within 21 months of your child's adoption decree date.

Your expenses and receipts will be reviewed. You may expect payment of authorized expenses about eight to twelve weeks after your request is received.

Your child's benefit agreement terminates on his/her 18th birthday, unless it has been amended. Department of Human Services staff will mail an extension package four months prior to the agreement termination date.

The department must receive your child's completed extension request, along with required supporting documentation, 60 calendar days prior to the end of your benefit agreement. You must sign the extension amendment and return it to the department's Permanency Support Unit at least 10 business days before the end of the current Nothstar Kinship Assistance Benefit Agreement. The extension amendment is not valid unless you and department's permanency support staff sign the amendment prior to:

• Your child reaching age 18, or
• The last extension termination date.

If your child is eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the child may receive benefits from SSI and Northstar Kinship Assistance. The family is responsible to report the amount of Northstar Kinship Assistance payments to the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration will decide what effect, if any, the Northstar Kinship Assistance payment will have on the SSI.

Children receiving Title IV-E Northstar Kinship Assistance are automatically eligible to receive Medicaid, known as Medical Assistance, or MA, in Minnesota. You must cooperate with the Medicaid program rules and procedures in the state where your child currently resides. Your insurance provider may require prior authorization for medical services. Coverage of medical services is limited by Medicaid in your child's state of residence. Items covered by Medicaid may vary from state to state. For further information, and for questions regarding medical payments, call your Medicaid worker in your county or tribe of residence.

Children receiving Non-Title IV-E Northstar Kinship Assistance are automatically eligible to receive MA in Minnesota. If residing outside of Minnesota, children receiving Non-Title IV-E Northstar Kinship Assistance are not automatically eligible for Medicaid, so they must apply for Medicaid and qualify on their own. For further information, call your Medicaid worker in your county or tribe of residence. 

Certain changes may affect eligibility for Northstar Kinship Assistance, benefit amount, or the department's ability to contact you. Within 30 days of the event, you are responsible for reporting to the department's Permanency Support Unit any changes that have occurred, according to your Northstar Kinship Assistance Benefit Agreement. Examples of changes that must be reported include:

• When your child is living outside of your home
• When you or your child have a new address
• When you or your child change names.

Review your Northstar Kinship Assistance Benefit Agreement for all required notification of changes.

All reimbursement requests, excluding non-recurring kinship expenses, must be postmarked no later than the fifth day of each month for reimbursement. If the fifth is a holiday, the postmark must be no later than the fourth of the month. For example, if your reimbursement envelope is postmarked by Jan. 5, the payment will be issued with the February check. If your reimbursement form is postmarked between Jan. 6 and Feb. 5, the payment will be issued with the March check.

Minnesota's fiscal year ends on June 30 every year. You must submit statements for expenses incurred between July 1 and June 30 to department's Permanency Support Unit within 60 days after the end of the fiscal year for reimbursement. Please submit all expenses dated July 1 through June 30 by Aug. 29 to the department's Permanency Support Unit. Requests postmarked after this date cannot be reimbursed.