ADAMS CHAMPIONS LEGISLATION KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER; PROVIDING RELATIVE CAREGIVERS THE RESOURCES THEY DESERVE
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 8, 2024) — On Thursday, Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, carried one of her priority pieces of legislation out of the Senate with wide-ranging bipartisan support. Senate Bill 151 (SB 151) is aimed at providing families with options as they consider serious stressful decisions regarding a relative or close friend at risk of being harmed.
SB 151 would allow children who must be removed from their homes to list potential caregivers that could influence their placement, opening up options for the child. The legislation would also allow relatives and fictive kin caregivers to change their placement status from temporary custody to a child-specific foster family. This change provides much-needed assistance for families.
“Many people who step up to care for a grandchild, niece, nephew, or other child do so out of love for the child and to keep them out of the traditional foster care system,” said Adams. “They want to keep their family intact and protect a family member from being abused or neglected. Imagine having a family member who is being abused and needs immediate help. I think most of us would step up, but making this one-time-only decision on the spot with no ability to reassess all available options or fully understand the impact that your decision will have on your personal finances isn't fair to the individual just trying to do the right thing for their family. We shouldn't restrict somebody’s compassion.”
It’s often not clear to families what all their options are in the high-stress moments when they first learn a child is in trouble. Currently, kinship caregivers cannot change care status once the child's placement has occurred. Senate Bill 151 would allow family members who were initially listed as having temporary custody to change their status to a child-specific foster home. This change would come with additional assistance and resources for families.
Currently, relatives and fictive kin caregivers receive different assistance than foster families. Registered foster care families receive $750 or more per month per child in state-funded assistance which can be used for clothing or respite care, such as mental health treatment.
“In a traumatic situation where a niece, nephew, or cousin is being harmed, families want to help that child and most wouldn’t think twice about volunteering for temporary custody. What most don’t realize is that comes with minimal support and resources,” Adams said. “State officials don’t allow any changes in caregiver status after that initial decision. This bill changes that and allows a relative foster caregiver to additional assistasnce”
Major provisions of Adams’ SB 151 include
incorporating new foster care supports and services for relatives and fictive caregivers to access funding supports in their care for a child;
allowing children to suggest potential relatives or fictive kin caregivers to a district court if they are removed from their homes; and
setting criteria for when a relative or fictive kin caregiver can apply to be certified as a child-specific foster home through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
The bill now heads to the State House of Representatives for consideration.
Please visit Legislature.ky.gov for more information on Senate Majority Caucus members and the 2024 Legislative Session, such as committee schedules, membership, legislation, and more.
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Senator Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, represents Kentucky’s 36th Senate District in eastern Jefferson County. She is the Senate majority caucus chair. Adams serves as the newly formed Senate Families and Children vice chair and is a member of the Senate Banking and Insurance, Health Services, and Licensing and Occupations committees. Additionally, Adams is a member of the Legislative Research Commission, the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee, and the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee.