SB 491

This bill requires the Department of Children and Families alone to provide

subsidized guardianship payments.

Under current law, a county department of human services or social services

(county department) or, in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, the

Department of Children and Families must provide monthly subsidized

guardianship payments to the guardian of a child who has been adjudged to be in

need of protection or services if certain conditions have been met, including the

conditions that: 1) the child, if 14 years of age or over, has been consulted with

regarding the guardianship arrangement; 2) the guardian has a strong commitment

to caring for the child permanently; 3) the guardian is licensed as the child's foster

parent, which licensing includes an inspection of the guardian's home under rules

promulgated by DCF; 4) the guardian and all adult residents of the guardian's home

have passed a criminal background investigation; and 5) prior to being named as

guardian of the child, the guardian entered into a subsidized guardianship

agreement with the county department or DCF. Current law also requires a county

department or DCF to provide monthly subsidized guardianship payments to an

interim caretaker or successor guardian upon the death or incapacity of the

guardian.

Under the bill, county departments and DCF in a county having a population

of 750,000 or more enter into subsidized guardianship agreements with guardians,

but only DCF provides the payments. The bill requires a county department to notify

DCF when it enters into or amends such an agreement or when an interim caretaker

is appointed. The bill requires DCF to promulgate rules governing the method by

which county departments must provide that notification, and to consult with

counties in determining that method.