|
REFERENCE TITLE: kinship foster care; TANF monies |
|
State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fourth Legislature First Regular Session 2019
|
|
SB 1306 |
|
|
|
Introduced by Senator Brophy McGee
|
AN ACT
amending section 8‑514.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by laws 2018, chapter 153, section 3; repealing section 8‑514.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by laws 2018, chapter 110, section 2; amending section 8‑514.04, Arizona Revised Statutes; appropriating monies; relating to child welfare and placement.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 8-514.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2018, chapter 153, section 3, is amended to read:
8-514.03. Kinship foster care; requirements; investigation
A. The department shall establish kinship foster care services for a child who has been removed from the child's home and who is in the custody of the department. The placement of a child who is in the custody of the department shall be determined by the best interests of the child.
B. A kinship foster care parent applicant who is not a licensed foster care parent shall be at least eighteen years of age. The applicant and each member of the applicant's household who is at least eighteen years of age shall submit a full set of fingerprints to the department of child safety for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check pursuant to section 41‑1750 and Public Law 92‑544. The department of public safety may exchange this fingerprint data with the federal bureau of investigation. The department of child safety shall determine if the applicant is able to meet the child's health and safety needs by conducting one or more home visits and interviewing the applicant. The department of child safety may interview other household members, review the applicant's personal and professional references and conduct department of child safety central registry checks.
C. If the department determines that a kinship foster care placement is not in the best interest of the child, the department shall provide written notification to the applicant within fifteen business days. The notice shall include the specific reason for denial, the applicant's right to appeal and the process for reviewing the decision.
D. A kinship foster care parent may be eligible to receive the following financial services for the child:
1. Is eligible to receive full foster care benefits, including payment if the kinship foster care parent becomes a licensed foster care home.
2. If not licensed as a foster care home, shall be provided without filing an application temporary assistance for needy families cash for a child only case and supplemental financial support.
E. The department shall establish procedures for child welfare workers to inform kinship foster care families about available financial and nonfinancial services and eligibility requirements and shall assist the families in completing the necessary application.
F. If a family declines to apply for financial services, the family shall sign a statement indicating that the family declined services. The statement does not prevent the family from making application in the future. The worker shall provide a copy of the statement to the family.
G. The department shall provide nonfinancial services for a kinship foster care parent through existing means or referral. Nonfinancial services may include:
1. Family assessment.
2. Case management.
3. Child day care.
4. Housing search and relocation.
5. Parenting skills training.
6. Supportive intervention and guidance counseling.
7. Transportation.
8. Emergency services.
9. Parent aid services.
10. Respite services.
11. Additional services that the department determines are necessary to meet the needs of the child and family.
H. The department of child safety shall evaluate biannually the performance of the kinship foster care program. On or before November 1, the department shall submit a report to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate and the governor and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state. The report shall contain the following information:
1. The demographics and number of children placed with relative caregivers.
2. The demographics of kinship foster caregivers.
3. The number of relative children per kinship foster care family.
4. The department's success at maintaining kinship foster care placements.
5. The type of services provided to kinship foster care families.
6. The cost of services provided to kinship foster care families compared to the cost of out-of-home placements.
7. Recommendations regarding program improvement.
Sec. 2. Repeal
Section 8-514.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2018, chapter 110, section 2, is repealed.
Sec. 3. Section 8-514.04, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
8-514.04. Kinship care program; requirements
A. The kinship care program is established in the department. The program shall:
1. Streamline, expedite and coordinate existing services and referrals.
2. Preserve families.
3. Meet the protection, developmental, cultural and permanency needs of children.
4. Enable families to sustain support for a child who cannot live with the child's parents.
5. Promote the best interests of the child.
B. The department shall adopt rules to prescribe application and eligibility requirements that provide an expedited process for kinship care families to receive child only temporary assistance for needy families.
C. The department shall use existing measures for outreach and marketing in order to facilitate community awareness regarding the program.
D. The department of economic security shall submit an amendment to modify the temporary assistance for needy families state plan to the United States department of health and human services. The amendment shall waive the face-to-face application requirement for relative caregivers applying for to receive temporary assistance for needy families, for a child only case.
E. Any kinship care family that applies for or receives cash assistance under this section on behalf of a dependent child who is under eighteen years of age shall conform to the requirements established pursuant to sections 46‑292 and 46‑295 and department of economic security rule unless the requirements have been modified pursuant to this section.
F. The department shall keep confidential information it obtains pursuant to this section.
Sec. 4. Appropriation; department of child safety; payment to kinship foster care parents
The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the federal temporary assistance for needy families block grant in fiscal year 2019-2020 to the department of child safety for the costs for temporary assistance to needy families provided to kinship foster care parents pursuant to section 8‑514.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by this act.