Title: Relative Caregiver Program Payments

Summary: Provides that relatives & nonrelatives who have child placed with them in out-of-home care under Relative Caregiver Program may start receiving monthly payment at time child is placed in such out-of-home care, instead of starting when child is found to be dependent; provides that certain relatives & nonrelatives who have child placed with them may start receiving monthly payments after specified time period.

Full Text:
An act relating to Relative Caregiver Program payments; amending s. 39.5085, F.S.; providing that relatives and nonrelatives who have a child placed with them in out-of-home care under the Relative Caregiver Program may start receiving a monthly payment at the time the child is placed in such out of-home care, instead of starting when the child is found to be dependent; providing that certain relatives and nonrela tives who have a child placed with them may start receiving monthly payments after a specified time period; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of secti on 39.5085, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 39.5085 Relative Caregiver Program.-(2) (d)1. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child placed with them in out-of-home care and who have obtained licensure as a child-specific level I foster placeme nt, regardless of whether a court has found the child to be dependent, shall receive a monthly payment in accordance with s. 409.145(3) from the date the child is placed in out-of-home care with his or her HB 2025 hb819 FL OR I DA HO US EO FR EP RE SE NT A TI VE Srelatives or with nonrelatives until the child ach ieves permanency as determined by the court pursuant to s. 39.621. 2. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child who has been found to be dependent placed with them in out-of-home care,regardless of whether a court has found the child to be dependent, shall receive a monthly payment at a rate equal to the rate established in s. 409.145(3) for licensed foster parents, regardless of whether the relatives or nonrelatives have obtained a child-specific level I foster license, starting from the date the child is found to be dependent or from the date the child is placed with them in out-of-home care,whichever is later, for a period of no more than months or until the child achieves permanency as determined by the court pursuant to s. 39.621, whichever occur sfirst. 3. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child who has been found to be dependent placed with them in out-of-home care,regardless of whether a court has found the child to be dependent, and who have not obtained a child-specific level I foster license within month after months from the date of such placement shall receive a monthly payment in an amount determined by department rule starting month from months after the date the child is found to be dependent or from 47 months after the chil dis placed with them in out-of-home care,whichever is later, until the relatives or nonrelatives obtain a child-specific level I foster license or until the child HB 2025 hb819 FL OR I DA HO US EO FR EP RE SE NT A TI VE Sachieves permanency as determined by the court pursuant to s. 39.621, whichever occurs firs t. The monthly payment amount paid to relatives or nonrelatives pursuant to this subparagraph must be less than the monthly payment amount provided to a participant enrolled in the Guardianship Assistance Program pursuant to s. 39.6225. 4. Relatives or nonrelatives who have a child placed in their care by permanent guardianship pursuant to s. 39.6221, in a permanent placement with a fit and willing relative pursuant to s. 39.6231, or under former s. 39.622 if the placement was made before July 1, 2006, an dwho are not enrolled in the Guardianship Assistance Program pursuant to s. 39.6225 shall receive a monthly payment in an amount determined by department rule which must be less than the monthly payment amount provided to a participant enrolled in the Gua rdianship Assistance Program under s. 39.6225. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.