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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
kinship foster care; stipend
Purpose
Requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to provide a kinship foster care parent with a stipend of $600 per month for each child placed with the foster care parent.
Background
DCS is responsible for investigating reports of abuse and neglect relating to children and coordinating services to maintain permanency on behalf of the child, strengthening the family and providing prevention, intervention and treatment services (A.R.S. § 8-451).
The placement of a child who is in DCS custody is determined by the best interests of the child, and DCS must establish kinship foster care services for a child who has been removed from the child's home. 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).
There is a basic daily foster home rate paid on behalf of each foster child placed in a licensed foster home. The basic rate is between $19.68 per day per child and $27.15 per day per child, depending upon the age of the child. The basic daily kinship foster home rate paid on behalf of each foster child placed in an unlicensed foster care bed is $9.86 per day per child with no changes depending on the child's age. There are no differences with the daily clothing allowance or daily personal allowance between foster or kinship fore care homes (DCS Child Placement Rates and Special Allowances Approval Matrix).
Laws 2022, Chapter 329 appropriated $19,811,200 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2023 to DCS to provide a kinship foster care parent with a stipend of $300 per month for each child placed with the foster care parent. The Legislature intended that the one-time appropriation be considered for ongoing funding in future years.
The fiscal impact to the state General Fund of SB 1554 depends on how many stipends are provided to kinship foster care parents.
Provisions
1. Requires DCS to provide a kinship foster care parent with a stipend of $600 per month for each child placed with the foster care parent.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 10, 2023
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