HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY -- Some parents in Luzerne County believe they have been shortchanged this month when it comes to being compensated for care they provide to children they adopted.
They were supposed to receive checks 12 days ago.
And as of today, They are still waiting for money
Cindy Dinoski and her husband adopted four children in the past 10 years.
They usually receive a monthly assistance check from Luzerne County Children and Youth Services for the kids' care.
This month, the check arrived four days late.
"I opened it up the next morning to find there wasn`t even a quarter of what would normally be in the check," said Cindy Dinoski.
She received just $350 for what should have been a $2700 check.
As she prepares a Thanksgiving dinner, she worries about the November bills she struggles to pay.
"I`m paying interest on credit cards," Dinoski said. "I`m being charged late fees for bills paid, because the money is not there to pay them."
The Dinoskis and 472 other parents adopted children from foster care and receive state money because in some cases the children had medical needs.
In other cases parents received the assistance to adopt siblings, so the children weren't split apart.
Luzerne County Children and Youth Services Deputy Director Gerald Muth said a mistake was made at the Wilkes-Barre headquarters.
Muth says the office filed its quarterly report to the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare too late to get the full amount from the state. He offers no excuses, only an apology to the adopted parents who haven`t been paid in full.
"You`re punishing the families and the children that the money is allotted for," said Cindy Dinoski.
Her full assistance check for November, and the checks of other adoptive parents are in the Luzerne County Court House.
The checks will sit there until Children and Youth receives the money from the state to cover the costs.
"When does it end?," asks Dinoski.