Improving lives of grandparents, other relatives and the children they are raising. Families First: Supporting Relatives Raising Children MFWCCA Conference October 9, 2008

Topics Information/knowledge gap. Caregiver issues about talking to the financial and county workers Why more caregivers don’t apply for child- only grant MKCA resources

MKCA’s Statewide Kinship Network Network of Regional Service Agencies (RSAs) Direct service Support groups Education Family activities Information Referral Mentoring Counseling Disability advocacy MKCA Coordinates statewide kinship program Develop programs Advocacy Legislative agenda Trainings Outreach Collaboration Supervision Workshops, conferences Education

Statewide Kinship Network 6 Northern Reservations MN Chippewa Tribe AAA Vera Brown Fran King Arc Greater Twin Cities Grandparent Connection Janet Salo Assists with disabilities Metro + surrounding co. GrandFamily Connection Linda Hammersten Orapan Footrakoon Village Family Service KinCare Counseling Troy Weber-Brown Offers counseling

Statewide Kinship Network NE MN Region AEOA-ROCK Program Teresa Harvey ext. 276 NW MN Region Child Care Resource Bonnie DeVore SW MN Region Child Care Choices Crystal Hoernemann ext.18 SE MN Region Grandparents, Parenting Again Carma Bjornson

The Dagwood Generation: Not just a plain sandwich, but… Raising relative children, concerned about their own children, worried about elderly parents and grandparents.

Kinship Caregiver Issues When your child can ’ t parent Fear for grandchild Child support Don ’ t rock the boat Coping Grief, loss, anger, pain, resentment, stress, insecurity, attachment Who can I talk to? Tired-respite Pain Parenting doubts Different world Where to get help Stigma Social isolation

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” “Will I be judged because my child can’t parent?” Attitudes

What Caregivers Need Respect Respite Resources

These caregivers are real-life safety nets, keeping the children they love safe and their families together when birth parents are unable to parent.

First Steps: Getting Started Raising Relatives' Children, a resource guide full of practical information and suggestions has been developed for grandparents and others raising relatives' children and children of friends. MKCA Legal Steps Video…on sale soon. Legal Steps provides basic information on how to get the legal authority to make decisions for a child, how to get legal custody of a child and the benefits and services available to help care for a child.

Minnesota Kinship Caregivers Association Contact Information 161 St. Anthony Ave, Suite 940 St. Paul, MN Sharon J. Durken Executive Director

MFIP Child Only Assistance Jill Hillebregt DHS Income Maintenance Program Advisor

MFIP Child Only Grants: Relative Caregivers are optional assistance unit members Relative Caregivers are optional assistance unit members Relative caregivers who receive DWP or MFIP for themselves are expected to work Relative caregivers who receive DWP or MFIP for themselves are expected to work Children who are eligible for MFIP receive the regular Transitional Standard Children who are eligible for MFIP receive the regular Transitional Standard Children who receive foster care or adoption assistance are not eligible for MFIP Children who receive foster care or adoption assistance are not eligible for MFIP

MFIP Child Only Grants: Caregiver must provide proof of relationship if there is no order of custody Caregiver must provide proof of relationship if there is no order of custody Income and assets of the relative caregiver are not counted (child only grant) Income and assets of the relative caregiver are not counted (child only grant) Only relatives who receive MFIP for themselves are eligible for MFIP child care Only relatives who receive MFIP for themselves are eligible for MFIP child care

MFIP Child Only Grants: Relatives that do not receive assistance themselves can apply for BSF child care Relatives that do not receive assistance themselves can apply for BSF child care Relative caregivers must cooperate with the Child Support Enforcement Agency (unless there is good cause) Relative caregivers must cooperate with the Child Support Enforcement Agency (unless there is good cause) Relatives who accept a child placed by the county for foster care are eligible for foster care payments Relatives who accept a child placed by the county for foster care are eligible for foster care payments Relatives may be eligible for Relative Custody Assistance (RCA) and MFIP at the same time Relatives may be eligible for Relative Custody Assistance (RCA) and MFIP at the same time

Minnesota’s Child Only Program* *Family Self-Sufficiency and Health Care Program Statistics, August 2008 Caseload and Payment Projections

Family Composition of MFIP Child- only Cases, December 2006* *Taken from the PAID report, “Characteristics of December 2006 Minnesota Family Assistance Programs: Cases and Eligible Adults.”

Average Child Only Assistance Payment*: * MFIP Trends Report, July 2007

MFIP Child Only Assistance Brochure (DHS-5561)

Jill Hillebregt Income Maintenance Program Advisor Instructional Design Training Team MN Department of Human Services 651/ or

How Does Child Support Factor into the mix? IV-A Determines if a referral is necessary Non IV-A parties can apply for service Full services will be provided (except child only MA)

Services Provided Location of absent parents Establishing paternity Setting a child support order Enforcing the child support order

What are the benefits to establishing paternity? Establishing paternity secures a legal father for the child Social Security Benefits Vetran’s Benefits Inheritance Rights

Questions? Contact: Child Support Information line: (651) or (800) Cindy Steinberg, DHS CSED

Foster care Deborah Beske Brown DHS Child Safety and Permanency

Family First County Social Service Agencies County Social Services Agencies engage relatives to meet the child’s need for safety, permanency and wellbeing.

What is Foster Care? 24 hour substitute care Child is placed away from the parent Social Service Agency has placement and care responsibilities [MN Statute 260C.007, subd.18]

Informal arrangements between family members is not foster care.

Why are Children Placed in Foster Care? Child protection Child welfare Child's treatment needs Corrections

Relatives can request foster care. Child protection report County has placed the child in the home per voluntary agreement or court order. [MN Rules, part , subpart 1]

Combined Application Includes a referral for social services. Social Services can help a relative caregiver with: Concerns about the child’s safety Behavior problems Child’s physical disabilities Child’s mental health

Deborah Beske Brown Child Foster Care Program Consultant Minnesota Department of Human Services Child Safety and Permanency Division phone: (651)

Relative Custody Assistance PajDaj Chang Department of Human Services Child Safety and Permanency

What is Relative Custody Assistance? Minnesota Statute Support for relatives who accept a transfer of permanent legal and physical custody of a child in foster care through state or tribal courts

Eligibility criteria for RCA Issuance (or expected issuance) of a determination by juvenile court that a child placed in foster care cannot be returned to the home of the parent(s); Issuance (or expected issuance) of a court order to transfer permanent legal and physical custody of a child to a relative custodian, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 260C.201, subdivision 11; and Child is a member of a sibling group being placed together or the child has a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral disability that will require financial support.

Transfer of permanent legal and physical custody? This permanency disposition is ordered in lieu of [prior to] TPR. Custody and guardianship are not used interchangeably in Minnesota, though these words may mean the same thing in other states. If a court has terminated parental rights of both parents [or the only known living or legal parent] and transferred guardianship to the commissioner, custody may no longer be transferred through a TPLPC.

TPLPC : legal implications on a child and family Birth parent does not lose all legal rights child support order continues access to information Birth parent may petition court to regain custody Legal relationship until child turns 18 Inheritance through birth family

Financial benefits Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant, known as Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) Relative Custody Assistance Medical Assistance

Financial benefits Monthly Basic Maintenance Needs Payment Ages 0-5$247 Ages 6-11$277 Ages 12-14$307 Ages 15-17$337

Financial benefits Monthly Supplemental Level Payment* Level I$150 Level II$275 Level III$400 Level IV$500 * Only available to children with a diagnosed physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral disability that requires care, supervision, and structure beyond that ordinarily provided in a family setting to children of the same age.

Important notes Relative Custody Assistance is means tested for those relatives whose gross family income, including income of the children whom they have accepted custody, exceeds 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Relative Custody Assistance assumes that the family will apply for a MFIP child-only grant. The amount of the MFIP child-only grant is subtracted from the total maximum assistance rate of the Relative Custody Assistance payment from the county. In addition, any income of the child (including SSI payments, veteran benefits or child support payments made on behalf of the child) is subtracted from the total maximum assistance rate of Relative Custody Assistance payment that a family receives for the child.

RCA forms on SSIS Agreement SSIS 209 Worksheet SSIS 210 Supplemental SSIS 211 Notice of Modification SSIS 212 Notice of Termination SSIS 213 Annual Affidavit SSIS 214

Contact PajDaj Chang Adoption Assistance Program Advisor Minnesota Department of Human Services Child Safety and Permanency Division phone: (651)

Thank You! Families First: Supporting Relatives Raising Children MFWCAA October 9, 2008