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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
kinship foster care stipend
Purpose
Requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to provide a monthly stipend to kinship foster care parents of $250 per month.
Background
DCS is responsible for investigating reports of abuse and neglect relating to children and coordinate services to maintain permanency on behalf of the child, strengthen the family and provide prevention, intervention and treatment services (A.R.S. § 8-451).
DCS must establish kinship foster care services for a child who has been removed from the child's home and is in DCS custody. The Kinship Foster Care Program is required to promote the placement of the child with the child's relative or a person with a significant relationship with the child for kinship foster care (Laws 2018, Ch. 153).
DCS is required to establish kinship foster care services for a child who has been removed from the child's home and placed in DCS custody. The placement of a child who is in DCS custody is determined by the best interests of the child. A kinship foster care parent may be eligible to receive the following financial services for the child: 1) full foster care benefits, including payment if the kinship foster care parent becomes a licensed foster care home; and 2) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance payments (A.R.S. § 8-514.03).
The anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation is unknown at this time because S.B. 1315 requires, rather than allows, kinship foster care parents to receive a stipend from DCS.
Provisions
1. Requires DCS to provide a kinship foster care parent with a stipend of $250 per month for each child placed with the kinship foster care parent.
2. Removes the requirement for DCS to biannually evaluate and report on the performance of the Kinship Foster Care Program to the Legislature and Governor, and to provide a copy to the Secretary of State.
3. Repeals statute that requires the promotion of placing children in the care of DCS with the child's relative or person with a significant relationship with the child for kinship foster care.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 14, 2020
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