RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION TO AMEND THE CALIFORNIA
KIN-GAP STATUTE TO PROVIDE A CLOTHING ALLOWANCE AND
SPECIAL CARE RATES OPTION FOR RELATIVE GUARDIANS.

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

 

WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature to move children out of the foster care system and into permanent guardianship; and,

 

WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature to provide equal benefits for all dependent children and those at risk of dependency; and,

 

WHEREAS, The Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) program was established in 1998 by SB 1901 in an attempt to move children out of the foster care system and into permanent guardianship placements; and,

 

WHEREAS, The Legislature has expressed its intent that the Kin-GAP program be utilized to enhance the preservation of families and stabilize children in long-term, safe and stable placements with relatives; and,

 

WHEREAS, The Kin-GAP program is currently under-utilized by eligible relative foster caretakers due to the loss of clothing and special needs resources for children moving from foster care into the program; and,

 

WHEREAS, Aid payment amounts as well as cost of care allowances for guardian families differ depending on whether or not the guardian is a relative of the child and whether or not the child meets the federal eligibility requirements for foster care; and,

 

WHEREAS, The differences in aid payment amounts as well as access to cost of care allowances result in disparate amounts of support from child to child; and,

 

WHEREAS, Inequities in aid payments and benefits provide a disincentive to relatives who otherwise would become guardians to foster children; and,

 

WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature to equalize the aid payments across relative and non-relative legal guardianship to eliminate inequities, increase the utilization of Kin-GAP by relative caretakers, and to increase the welfare of children who find themselves so affected;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors respectfully request and urge the Administration and Legislature to amend the California Kin-Gap statute to provide a clothing allowance and special care rates option for relative guardians and remove the financial disincentive for family members to become guardians.

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