1. Level One Kin Caregiver Program:
Giving Relatives a License for Care

2. Teri Saunders, CEO, Heartland for Children Jenn Petion, Director of Admin. & External Affairs, FamiliesFirst Network
A year ago, the Florida Legislature passed a bill to open up a federal program and associated funding to offer relatives and non- relatives the opportunity to become licensed foster parents and create a tiered level system for foster care licensing.  Since then, the Florida Coalition and DCF Leadership have worked together closely to develop a program framework that is "grandma friendly" and ensures as many relative caregivers as possible will qualify and take advantage of the program.  The Kin Caregiver program is a necessary precursor to the GAP program eligibility and offers relatives and fictive kin the opportunity to receive additional financial assistance and support.  This session will discuss the main program parameters, legislative requirements and the importance of framing the opportunity to our target audience so that not one relative or non-relative placement is lost.

3. Legislative Intent
DCF has been in a multi-year planning process for the loss of the IV-E waiver
One component is the Guardianship Assistance Program
To draw down federal dollars to offset the loss of the waiver, relative caregivers must be licensed
Intent of the legislature was to maximize federal draw down to minimize state fiscal impact while not losing any relative caregivers

4. Florida Statute
(5) The department shall adopt and amend rules for the levels of licensed care associated with the licensure of family foster homes, residential child-caring agencies, and child-placing agencies. The rules may include criteria to approve waivers to licensing requirements when applying for a child-specific license. (a) Family foster homes shall be classified by levels of licensure, as follows: 1. Level I.— a. Type of licensure.—Child-specific foster home. b. Licensure requirements.—The caregiver must meet all level II requirements pursuant to this section. However, requirements not directly related to safety may be waived. 2. Level II.— a. Type of licensure.—Non-child-specific foster home. b. Licensure requirements.—The caregiver must meet all licensing requirements pursuant to paragraph (b).

5. Florida Statute
3. Level III.— a. Type of licensure.—Safe foster home for victims of human trafficking. b. Licensure requirements.—The caregiver must meet all licensing requirements pursuant to paragraph (b) and all certification requirements pursuant to s Level IV.— a. Type of licensure.—Therapeutic foster home. b. Licensure requirements.—The caregiver must meet all licensing requirements pursuant to paragraph (b) and all certification requirements established in rule by the Agency for Health Care Administration. 5. Level V.— a. Type of licensure.—Medical foster home.

6. Level One: Relative & Non-Relative Homes
Relatives and Non-Relatives should be seamlessly walked through a streamlined licensing process
At the time of placement by the CPI at removal, they should be notified that someone from the lead agency will be reaching out within two business days to provide them additional supports and services
Eligible families should be licensed within 60 days of placement

7. Level One: Relative & Non-Relative Homes
2019 Session refined some of the language in the Session to reduce the required amount of training hours
Approved training curriculum was intended to focus on basic introduction to the child welfare system and to parenting a child from trauma
Many traditional licensing requirements are waivable with approval from the Region

8. Level One: Relative & Non-Relative Homes
Caregivers are eligible for payment as soon as the license is completed, instead of waiting until after adjudication, which can sometimes be delayed
Caregivers are not required to file for child support to receive the monthly subsidy
Payment is higher than relative/non-relative caregiver rates ($333 a month)
Families are eligible for any service or support a traditional foster parent is

9. Key Program Parameters
Caregivers must complete the required training, which was designed to be deliverable in formats conducive to families with children already in the home
Children MUST be placed with the licensed family for six continuous months to qualify for the Guardianship Assistance Program and its benefits
Some home study requirements are not waivable (Ex. Pool and Body of Water requirements)

10. Supports and Services
Relatives and Non-Relatives are “brought into the fold” of licensed families
Supports traditionally only available to licensed caregivers are now available to them
Fiscal Examples: Mileage reimbursements, damage claims, EBRs
Supportive Examples: FAPAs, clothing closets, additional trainings, additional staff resource to connect and meet child’s needs

11. Planning for Implementation
One year process of working hand in hand between FCC and DCF to build out program policy to match both Florida Statute legislative intent and Federal requirements to successfully draw down funds
In political science terms, this policy took advantage of a brief period of sweeping change and is now in the incremental change period
Much shifting and give-and-take to get where we are today

12. Implementation Planning Team
Teri Saunders – Heartland for Children
Jenn Petion – FamiliesFirst Network of Lakeview
Bob Miller – Family Support Services of North Florida
Brandy Leo – Family Support Services of North Florida
Jennifer Anan – Family Support Services of North Florida
Irene Rickus – Childrens Home Network
Nadereh Salim – Children’s Network of Southwest Florida
Maureen Coble – Children’s Network of Southwest Florida
Michael Bryant – Embrace Families
Traci Leavine – Department of Children and Families
Courtney Smith – Department of Children and Families
Teanna Houston – Department of Children and Families
Zandra Odum – Department of Children and Families

13. Framing is Everything
Often, our relatives (and even the public at large) associate a negative connotation to the word foster parent
Becoming “licensed” conveys an arduous process involving weeks of training, screening and home inspections
Relatives and non-relatives are already caring for the children so the process needs to be smooth

14. What’s in a Name?
“Level One” carries no meaning to someone outside the child welfare system
Other tiers already had common names that identified their program and spoke to their target audiences
Ex. Specialized Therapeutic Foster Care
Ex. Medical Foster Care
Needed to speak to both relatives and non- relatives

15. Collaborative Messaging
FCC and DCF had several months of high level meetings to fill out the policy while staying true to legislative intent
Determined to launch messaging jointly to ensure program success
FCC Communications willing to provide assistance on a brochure and resource guide that could be used statewide and locally customized
Intentionally avoided the term “licensed”

16. Brochure

17. Brochure

18. Ready, Set, Go Kin Caregiver program officially went live July 1
FSFN build completed in the spring
Funding for first quarter of new positions released to lead agencies and appropriated for the first full year
Funding for Level One board payments included in agency’s FY funding allocations
Historic families eligible to enter program

19. Potential Implementation Challenges
(Open Discussion)

20. Questions? Teri Saunders: Tsaunder@heartlandforchildren.org
Jenn Petion: