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Clinton offers grants to states with big jumps in adoptionsBy CHRIS BLACK/CNN
September 24, 1999
Web posted at: 3:38 p.m. EDT (1938 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Clinton and First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton Friday awarded $20 million in grants to the 35 states that showed the highest increases in the number of children adopted from public foster care programs.
The Clinton administration has introduced several programs in the past four years to help families adopt foster children, particularly children with special needs. The programs include tax credits and grants.
Clinton administration officials say the programs appear to be helping. The number of adoptions jumped 29 percent between 1996 to 1998 from 28,000 to 36,000, well on the way to Mr. Clinton's goal of 56,000 adoptions by 2002.
The bonus grants provide up to $4,000 per child and $6,000 for a special needs child.
The President also announced Friday $5.5 million in grants to public and private organizations to eliminate barriers to adoption. This includes facilitating adoptions of minority children.
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Friday, September 24, 1999
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