More Iowans are opening their homes to adopt kids with “special needs.” The state keeps track of those kind of adoptions based on the state budgeting year. From July 1, 1999 through June 30th of this year, 730 “special needs” kids were adopted. That’s a nine percent increase from the previous year, and a whopping 76 percent increase from five years ago. Charlcie Carey is the state’s “special needs” adoption program manager.Carey says “special needs” adoptions involve children over the age of eight, kids with mental or physical disabilities and kids who are adopted in groups of three or more.Carey says these adoptive families are making a real difference in the lives of these “special needs” kids.November is National Adoption Month.