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BILL # SB 1315 |
TITLE: kinship foster care stipend |
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SPONSOR: Alston |
STATUS: Senate Engrossed |
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PREPARED BY: Patrick Moran |
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The bill would require the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to provide a stipend of $250 per month to kinship foster care parents.
Estimated Impact
At a caseload level of 5,600 children in unlicensed kinship care per month, the $250 stipend would generate a General Fund cost increase of at least $11.8 million annually. Given the FY 2021 appropriation for the kinship stipend of $5.0 million, the total cost of the program would be $16.8 million.
DCS also estimates a net fiscal impact of $11.8 million based on similar assumptions.
An FY 2021 General Appropriation Act footnote authorizes DCS to offer a kinship stipend of $75 per child per month to all unlicensed kinship caregivers and permits such caregivers to receive the stipend without filing an application. Kinship caregivers may include relatives of the child or non-relatives that have a significant relationship with the child. The FY 2021 budget includes a General Fund appropriation of $5.0 million for kinship stipends.
The bill would convert the kinship stipend into a statutory requirement and would increase the stipend level to $250/month. The JLBC Staff assumes there would be average monthly enrollment of 5,600 in the stipend program based on recent caseload trends. Consistent with DCS' current policy, our analysis assumes that kinship caregivers who become licensed would not be eligible for the stipend.
At an average monthly caseload of 5,600 enrollees, a $250 stipend would generate annual costs of $16.8 million (5,600 X 250 X 12 = $16,800,000) which exceeds the General Fund appropriation for the kinship stipend by $11.8 million. The cost of the bill could be higher if the out-of-home population increases relative to current levels.
Local Government Impact
None
3/26/20