 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
kinship foster care stipend
Purpose
Requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to provide a monthly stipend of $250 per child to a kinship foster care parent.
Background
Children who have been removed from their home and are in custody of the DCS are placed in temporary out-of-home care, commonly called foster care, with a goal of permanent placement established for each child. Statute requires the DCS to place a child in the least restrictive type of placement available, consistent with the best interests of the child. The order of preference for placement is as follows: 1) with a parent; 2) with a grandparent; 3) in kinship care with another member of the child’s family including a person who has a significant relationship with the child; 4) in family foster care; 5) in therapeutic foster care; 6) in a group home; or 7) in a residential treatment facility (A.R.S. § 8-514).
The DCS offers a kinship foster care stipend (stipend) to all kinship foster care parents who have a child placed with them and whose income does not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Currently, the stipend is a monthly benefit of $75 per child. A kinship foster care parent may become licensed as a foster parent to receive additional financial assistance and support services. When a kinship foster care parent becomes licensed as a foster parent, the individual is no longer eligible for the stipend.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Directs DCS to provide a monthly stipend of $250 per child to a kinship foster care parent.
2. Makes conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 11, 2019
CRS/AB/kja