The Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) is designed to provide financial assistance to relatives in Louisiana who are caring for children outside of the foster care system. This program recognizes the vital role that grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and other relatives play in providing stable and nurturing homes for children who cannot live with their parents. By offering a subsidy, KCSP aims to support these kinship caregivers in meeting the child’s needs and ensuring their well-being within a family setting.
To understand if a family member is eligible for KCSP, certain conditions must be met. These conditions are put in place to ensure that the program effectively supports children in need within kinship care arrangements. The primary goal of KCSP is to keep children in family-based settings, promoting stability and cultural connections while preventing entry into the formal foster care system whenever possible.
Eligibility for the Kinship Care Subsidy Program in Louisiana is determined by several key factors related to both the child and the relative caregiver. These criteria ensure that the subsidy reaches families who genuinely need support to care for related children.
Here are the core eligibility requirements for KCSP:
- Qualified Relative Relationship: The child must reside with a qualified relative. This includes a broad range of familial connections, such as grandparents (extending to great-great-great), siblings (including half-siblings), aunts and uncles (extending to great-great), step-siblings, first cousins (including first cousins once removed), nephews or nieces (extending to great-great), and the legal spouse of these relatives, even if the marriage has ended due to death or divorce.
- Child’s Income Limit: The child’s monthly income must be less than $450. This income threshold ensures that the program supports children who are in genuine financial need.
- Age Requirement: The child must be under 18 years of age to be eligible for KCSP.
- Louisiana Residency: The child must be a resident of the state of Louisiana.
- Legal Custody: The qualified relative must have legal custody of the child or obtain it within one year of being certified for the program. Legal custody can be verified through court records or provisional custody by mandate. Provisional custody by mandate involves a notarized authorization from the person with custodial rights, granting the relative the authority to care for the child.
- Relative’s Income Limit: The qualified relative’s annual income must be less than 150% of the federal poverty threshold, based on their family size. All income sources are considered, excluding foster care payments or SSI for children. This includes income from Social Security, Veteran’s benefits, Railroad Retirement, wages, and other regular income sources.
- Exclusion of Other Payments: The child must not be receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or foster care payments to be eligible for KCSP.
- Child Support Assignment: The qualified relative is required to assign to the state the rights to child support from the child’s parents and cooperate with Child Support Enforcement to obtain support, unless there is a valid reason (“good cause”) not to do so.
- Social Security Number: The qualified relative must provide or apply for a Social Security number for the child.
- Parental Residence: Critically, the child’s parents must not live in the same home as the qualified relative. This condition emphasizes that KCSP is for situations where parents are unable to provide primary care, and relatives are stepping in to fulfill that role.
In conclusion, the Kinship Care Subsidy Program is a crucial support system in Louisiana, designed to empower relatives to care for children within their families, offering financial aid and promoting family stability. By understanding the eligibility requirements, relatives can determine if they qualify for this valuable program and access the resources needed to provide a loving and secure home for the children in their care.
