This informative and insightful guest blog post is from 2L current Family Law student Carolyn Keist-Gilbert, who has served many children through kinship foster care:
Child abuse and child neglect are prevalent around the world, even here in the United States. In 2017, the AFCARS report listed a total of 442,995 children in foster care in the United States.[1] While many children are eventually reunited with their parents (after meeting requirements implemented by the state), hundreds of thousands of children remain in foster care, waiting for a loving family to adopt them, or in some cases by "aging" out of the foster care system.
There is hope though! Relatives of children in state custody, or foster care, can provide kinship care for the children and receive some financial support and assistance from the state. Since we all know that raising children is expensive, some people may be dissuaded by the idea of caring for a child because they will not be able to support their current family needs financially. Through kinship programs, however, relatives can be encouraged that the state does try to alleviate some of the pressure by offering subsidies, allowances, child care costs, and medical services.
Take Arizona for instance; this state has implemented a program that allows kinship care providers with a vast amount of resources. The state offers the child Comprehensive Medical and Dental Program (CMDP), daily clothing and personal allowance, special payment for children with special needs, and a monthly stipend of $75 for the kinship provider.[2] Additionally, if the child qualifies, the kinship provider can receive additional resources from the local Department of Economic Security office for programs like TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families); SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program); and WIC (Women Infant and Children).
Unfortunately, if the child does not qualify for such programs, then the brunt of the financial responsibility lies on the shoulders of the relative who takes in the child. Fortunately, there is an alternative option; Arizona offers a kinship provider a chance to become a licensed foster parent. Although the licensing process may seem arduous to some, the additional resources to the relative and the child in foster care may be enormously helpful in maintaining a well-functioning family unit. Once licensed as a foster parent, the relative will receive a monthly maintenance payment which is approximately $600 per child.[3] In addition to the maintenance payment, the child will still receive the CMDP coverage, and the family unit may still be eligible for child care costs. Further, many non-profit organizations in Arizona provide free resources such as clothing, retreats for the family unit, Christmas presents, and financial support for the child to attend a trade school of their choice.
The kinship program/foster program in Arizona encourages family members to provide temporary support for the child while the parents get the help they need. Although the money received from the state does not entirely offset the cost of caring for the child, the state support relieves some of the pressure that relatives face when deciding if they can provide adequate care and support for the child in need. In my opinion, such programs immensely promote the familial unit and encourage the concept of family restoration allowing that children remain in the care of family members whenever possible.
[1] AFCARS is the Adoption and Foster Care Annual Reporting System https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/afcars, numbers estimated on September 30, 2017.
[2] Kinship Foster Caregivers, Arizona.gov, https://dcs.az.gov/fosteradoption/kinship-foster-caregivers. A pamphlet located online has detailed information regarding the programs including a comprehensive list of benefits and resources available to the child. https://dcs.az.gov/sites/default/files/CSO-1047A_.pdf
[3] This website provides an overview of some resources and the approximate amount of the programs. https://dcs.az.gov/fosteradoption/kinship-foster-caregivers
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