SB 253

Under current law, a guardian of a child in need of protection or services is

eligible to receive monthly subsidized guardianship payments if certain conditions

have been met. One of those conditions is that the guardian must be a relative of the

child or a person who has a significant emotional relationship with the child and who,

prior to the child's placement in out-of-home care, had an existing relationship with

the child that is similar to a familial relationship.

This bill provides that a person who has a significant emotional relationship

with a child or the child's family and who, during to the child's placement in

out-of-home care, developed a relationship with the child or the child's family that

is similar to a familial relationship is eligible for monthly subsidized guardianship

payments. Eligibility of such a person for those payments, however, is subject to

rules that the bill requires the Department of Children and Families to promulgate

establishing conditions that must be met in order for that person to be eligible for

those payments.