The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on September 15, 2010 awarded $510,180 to Missourifor increasing the number of children adopted from foster care. States use the funds from this adoption incentive award to improve their child welfare programs.

"All children deserve loving, safe and permanent homes," said HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "It is gratifying that most states continue to excel in promoting the adoption of children from foster care. I sincerely thank every adoptive family in the state Missouri that has welcomed a child into their home."

States receive $4,000 for every child adopted beyond their best year's total, plus a payment of $8,000 for every child age 9 and older and $4,000 for every special needs child adopted above the respective baselines determined by their number of adoptions in 2007.

"America's communities benefit when children grow up in stable families," said David A. Hansell, HHS acting assistant secretary for children and families. "We're very pleased that the adoption incentives program is helping Missouri improve their programs and place more children into homes that are theirs forever."

States and territories receiving the new funding are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico.

A list of each state's adoption incentive award amount can be found here.

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