Kinship Care Legislative Policy Network News-June/July 2006

Caring for Their Children's Children: Assessing the Mental Health Needs and Service Experiences of Grandparent Caregiver Families, Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago
One Time Payments for Relative Caregivers: Recent State Legislation
Invitation to Monday, August 14^th - 12 Noon – 4 PM Racial Equity – Children of Color in the Child Welfare System Meeting
Link to NCSL Chapin Hall Webcast on Kinship Care and Promoting Stability in Foster Care

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.

CARING FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN: ASSESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND SERVICE EXPERIENCES OF GRANDPARENT CAREGIVER FAMILIES, Chapin Hall Center For Children At The University Of Chicago

This report combines data from interviews with grandparents and a survey of social service providers to explore the need for and barriers to the use of mental health services among grandparent-caregiver families. The results revealed that absent parents play an ongoing and under-recognized role in the well-being of grandparents and grandchildren, regardless of whether they are a consistent, sporadic, or rare presence in the home. With respect to mental health needs, one-third of grandparents reported symptoms of depression themselves, and two-thirds were caring for grandchildren whom they identified as having emotional or behavioral problems. However, half of the families had no involvement with a child welfare agency, and less than a third of the grandchildren and only a handful of the grandmothers were currently receiving mental health services. The unmet mental health needs of both grandparents and their grandchildren are discussed as well as the implications of these findings for practitioners and advocates interested in meeting the service needs of grandparent-caregiver families. To see the Executive Summary of the report, please click here and see Other Links.

ONE TIME PAYMENTS FOR RELATIVE CAREGIVERS: RECENT STATE LEGISLATION

A current trend in relative caregiver legislation includes monetary assistance in which relative caregivers are provided a one time payment when the children first arrive in the caregiver's home. Here are examples of recent state legislation:

2002 Colorado Session Laws HB 1262, Chap 241 - Authorizes counties, subject to available appropriations, to provide a basic assistance grant to a grandchild who exited foster care into the legal custody or guardianship of a grandparent. Provides that eligibility shall be based either on the criteria in effect on July 16, 1996, or on the criteria for the average foster care home maintenance payment.

2005 Ohio Laws, HB 66 - Sec. 5101.802. Creates the Kinship Permanency Incentive Program. Provides for an initial, one-time payment to defray the costs of initial placement with a kinship caregiver of a special needs child.

2005 Texas SB6, Art. 1, Sec. 1.62. Requires department, subject to the availability of funds, to enter into a caregiver assistance agreement with each relative or other designated caregiver to provide monetary assistance and additional support services to the caregiver. Requires monetary assistance to be based on a family’s need and allows for a one time cash payment of less than $1000 upon initial placement of child or sibling group in order to assist the caregiver in purchasing essential child care items such as furniture and clothes.

2004 Virginia Acts, SB 35, Chap. 814 - Requires the Department of Social Services to establish a subsidized custody program for children in foster care whose custody has been transferred to relative caregivers and for whom both reunification and adoption have been ruled out as placement options. Specifies that the program, dependent upon approval of a federal Title IV-E waiver, shall include a one-time special need payment, services for the child and a maintenance subsidy equal to the prevailing foster family rate.

Click here to see additional legislation related to kinship care.

PROMOTING STABILITY IN FOSTER CARE: WHY CHILDREN MOVE AND HOW TO MINIZE DISRUPTIONS

This free online webcast included presentations by Arizona Representative Leah Landrum Taylor and Washington Representative Eric Pettigrew on their states’ efforts to place children with relatives in order to reduce out of home placement instability. Includes Illinois study results that indicate that that the average number of placements children experience while in care could be effectively reduced by placing them with relatives at entry to care, which would afford children the stability of relative homes without requiring them to endure a subsequent change in placement. Click here to view the webcast and see the Illinois study report from Chapin Hall.

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.