Review of New Jersey's Adoption Assistance Subsidies Submitted for Federal Reimbursement as a Result of Its Contract With Maximus, Inc.

Our review found that New Jersey claimed Federal reimbursement twice for the same $9.6 million ($4.8 million Federal share) in adoption assistance subsidies identified as a result of its contract with Maximus, Inc. This error occurred because the State's procedures for reporting adoption assistance subsidies on its quarterly expenditure reports were inadequate. Pursuant to Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, the Administration for Children and Families administers the adoption assistance program. The adoption assistance program provides Federal funds to States to facilitate the timely placement of children whose special needs or circumstances would otherwise make them difficult to place with adoptive families.

We recommended that the State refund $4.8 million to the Federal Government. The State concurred with our recommendation.