▁defined ▁by ▁each ▁State ) ▁that ▁may ▁involve ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁following : ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Eth nic ▁or ▁ra cial ▁background ▁▁▁▁ ▁Age ▁▁▁▁ ▁M emb ership ▁in ▁a ▁sib ling ▁group ▁▁▁▁ ▁Medical , ▁physical , ▁or ▁emot ional ▁dis abilities ▁▁▁▁ ▁R isk ▁of ▁physical , ▁mental , ▁or ▁emot ional ▁dis ability ▁based ▁on ▁birth ▁family ▁history ▁▁▁▁ ▁Any ▁condition ▁that ▁makes ▁it ▁more ▁difficult ▁to ▁find ▁an ▁adopt ive ▁family ▁ ▁These ▁bro ader ▁definitions ▁of ▁" special ▁needs " ▁may ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁determine ▁el ig ibility ▁for ▁Federal ▁financial ▁assistance ▁for ▁ad option ▁of ▁children ▁and ▁youth ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁fost er ▁care ▁system . ▁While ▁there ' s ▁no ▁single ▁Federal ▁definition ▁of ▁special ▁needs , ▁according ▁to ▁title ▁IV - E ▁of ▁the ▁Social ▁Security ▁Act , ▁a ▁child ▁or ▁youth ▁with ▁special ▁needs ▁must ▁also ▁meet ▁the ▁following ▁two ▁requirements ▁to ▁be ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁Federal ▁ad option ▁assistance : ▁▁ 1 . ▁The ▁child ▁or ▁youth ▁cannot ▁or ▁should ▁not ▁be ▁returned ▁home ▁to ▁his ▁or ▁her ▁parent ( s ). ▁▁ 2 . ▁An ▁un success ful ▁attempt ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁place ▁the ▁child ▁or ▁youth ▁without ▁ad option ▁( fin an cial ) ▁assistance , ▁except ▁in ▁cases ▁where ▁such ▁a ▁pla cement ▁would ▁not ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁best ▁interests ▁of ▁the ▁child ▁or ▁youth . ▁ ▁Par ents ▁will ▁need ▁to ▁document ▁the ▁child ▁has ▁special ▁needs , ▁and ▁this ▁documentation ▁can ▁include ▁the ▁ad option