Bill > SB1490

This bill amends Arizona law to establish a progressive monthly stipend for kinship foster care parents, which increases over time to provide additional financial support for relatives or close friends caring for children removed from their homes. Specifically, the bill requires the Arizona Department of Child Safety to provide a monthly stipend that starts at $400 per child from December 31, 2025 through December 31, 2026, increases to $500 per child from December 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027, and then rises to $600 per child from December 31, 2027 onward. This new provision builds upon existing kinship foster care services, which already include provisions for background checks, home visits, potential financial benefits like foster care payments and temporary assistance, and non-financial support services such as case management, parenting skills training, and emergency services. The goal of the bill is to provide additional financial assistance to kinship foster care parents, who are typically relatives or individuals with a significant relationship to the child, to help support the child's care and well-being when they have been removed from their original home.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/82913