RESOLUTION NO. _____________
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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
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WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature to move children out of the foster care system and into permanent guardianship; and,
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WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature to provide equal benefits for all dependent children and those at risk of dependency; and,
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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,
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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,
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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,
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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,
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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,
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WHEREAS, Inequities in aid payments and benefits provide a disincentive to relatives who otherwise would become guardians to foster children; and,
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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;
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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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