• Mission & Governance
• Member Services
• How to Get Involved
• Standing Committees
• NCSL Foundation

• Issue Areas: A-Z
• State-Federal Relations
• NCSL Standing Committees
• News from D.C. and the States

• About State Legislatures
• Elections, Campaigns & Redistricting
• NCSL's StateConnect Directory
• Web Sites

• Online Guide to NCSL Services
• Staff Sections and Networks
• Meetings & Professional Development
• Staff Directories

• Meetings Calendar
• Online Registration
• Meetings Home Page
• Legislative Summit

• Bookstore
• State Legislatures Magazine
• NCSL's StateConnect Directory

Kinship Care Legislative Policy Network News-May 2006

• Trends in Service Receipt:  Children in Kinship Care Gaining Ground, The Urban Institute, May 2006
• Healthcare Issues for Children in Kinship Care, The National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning, December 2005
• A Tribute to Representative Lovana Jones, Illinois Kinship Care Champion
• ABC News Hosts a 2-Hour Special on Children in Foster Care - Thursday, 6/1

Once again, we would like to welcome you to the NCSL Kinship Care Legislative Policy Network-your source for the latest news and information on kinship care policy across the states. 

TRENDS IN SERVICE RECEIPT:  CHILDREN IN KINSHIP CARE GAINING GROUND, The Urban Institute

This May 2006 report examines how changes in public policies and the economy have affected children in kinship care.  The study is based on three rounds of the National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) - 1997, 1999, and 2002 - that examine changes in the standard of living among children in kinship care.  This is a nationally representative survey of households undertaken to gain insight into the health and well-being of children.  Some of the report findings conclude that the financial circumstances of children in kinship care have improved significantly between 1997 and 2002, with children in public kinship care showing the most dramatic changes.  The portion of uninsured children in kinship care also declined during the survey span, with the greatest gains occurring among children in public kinship care.  For the full report, click here and see Other Links.

HEALTHCARE ISSUES FOR CHILDREN IN KINSHIP CARE, The National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning, December 2005

Although states require foster care agencies to give preference to relatives for placement, policies regarding health coverage and services for the caregivers do not reflect the particular needs of kinship foster families.  Studies show that there are significant barriers such as requiring kin to obtain legal custody before applying to Medicaid.  Other barriers include kin receiving incorrect eligibility information, difficulties authorizing medical treatment on behalf of the children they are raising and insufficient outreach materials.  A Children's Defense Fund survey also identified ten important considerations for ensuring that Medicaid and CHIP applications are “Kinship Care-Friendly.”  In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics has identified four crucial components to health care services for children in out of home care.  A summary of their considerations is attached.   To see the full report, please click here and see Other Links.

A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE REPRESENTATIVE LOVANA JONES:

Illinois Kinship Care Champion

Representative Lovana Jones, who spent nearly 20 years in the Illinois Legislature speaking up for abused and neglected children, died on May 8^th at the age of 68.  Representative Jones was not only a champion for Kinship Care policy in the state of Illinois, but was herself a kinship caregiver to seven children.  See her story in the NCSL State Legislatures Magazine in September. 

Representative Jones recently sponsored House Bill 4406, which is currently awaiting signature by the Governor.  The bill allows for a $1000 grant, renewable for up to four years, towards full-time attendance at an institution of higher learning, providing that the person is (i) is in the legal custody of his or her grandparent and receives public aid assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code, (ii) has graduated from high school with a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, and (iii) has been recommended for the grant by the principal of his or her high school. To see the full text of the bill please go here.

ABC NEWS HOSTS A 2-HOUR SPECIAL ON CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE - Thursday, June 1^st, 10 PM Eastern

Diane Sawyer and ABC News take an in-depth look at the crisis of the foster care system and ways children can be saved in "Calling All Angels," a "Primetime" report that airs Thursday, June 1, at 10 p.m. ET.  There will also be additional reports on foster care on "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight," "Nightline" and "20/20" that will air through June 3^rd.  The report will examine the effect on children of moving from home to home, the effects of substance abusing parents and more.  Go here for more on the story.

STATE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Please let us know if you would like your state’s kinship care initiatives highlighted here or if you would like more info on a particular state or program, email Kyle.ramirez@ncsl.org or Rachel.yarbrough@ncsl.org.

If you have any questions, please contact the NCSL staff listed below:

Nina Williams-Mbengue, Program Principal, nina.mbengue@ncsl.org
Steve Christian, Program Director, steve.christian@ncsl.org
Rachel Yarbrough, Research Analyst, rachel.yarbrough@ncsl.org
Kyle Ramirez, Research Analyst II, kyle.ramirez@ncsl.org

If you would like to unsubscribe from this network or refer someone else to the network, please contact Kyle Ramirez-Fry at 303/856-1507 or kyle.ramirez@ncsl.org.  If you have comments or questions about the network, please contact Nina Williams-Mbengue at 303/856-1559 or nina.mbengue@ncsl.org.  Again, we look forward to communicating with you on this issue.