Program instructions issued 7/18/19 with instructions and checklist on how a state may submit a request for transitional payments for a title IV-E prevention program or service which has not yet been rated by the Clearinghouse. The state must submit this checklist as part of the five-year plan, or as an amendment to an approved five-year plan by October 1, 2021.

Program Instruction that provides information about flexibility in Title IV-E program requirements that are available under the Stafford Act regarding the extension of foster care to 19, 20, or 21;  suspension of work and education requirements for extended foster care; allowance for unaccredited residential treatment centers to bill as QRTPs, provided they meet all other statutory requirements, if they are unable to meet accreditation standards during the crisis; and the ability of IV-E agencies to claim Title IV-E reimbursement for provisionally licensed families if the disaster precludes completion of the licensing process.

and Title IV-E Pre Print Attachment 

Program Instruction from the Children’s Bureau that clarifies the steps federally-funded state and tribal child welfare agencies must take to obtain full federal reimbursement for kinship navigator programs dating back to April 2020 and extending through September 2021.  To obtain full reimbursement for both evaluation and program costs, which can include legal assistance and concrete goods for caregivers, these programs do not yet have to meet federal evidence-based requirements.  Rather, the state or tribal agency must simply provide an assurance that the program is or will be in the process of being evaluated and briefly describe those activities in the pre-print attachment.  

This Program Instruction provides guidance to state, territorial and tribal title IV-E agencies on the actions required to apply for FY 2021 title IV-B, subpart 2 funding to support the development, enhancement or evaluation of kinship navigator programs.  Applications for funding were due to Children’s Bureau Regional Offices by May 28, 2021.

PI-21-06 Attachment A - FY 2021 Kinship Navigator Estimated Allotments

PI-21-06 Attachment B - FY 2021 Kinship Navigator Funding Request

PI-21-06 Attachment C - RPMs

Provides a definition of “short-term support” under the temporary pandemic flexibilities of Division X for Title IV-E agencies participating in the Title IV-E kinship navigator program.  On August 6, 2021,the Children’s Bureau issued guidance clarifying that short-term direct assistance to kinship families through the Title IV-E flexible funding opportunity for kinship navigators should be limited to no more than four months, and should mirror TANF’s short term assistance.  We are disappointed in this guidance as 4 months does not adequately address the needs the COVID-19 pandemic has created, which was the very purpose of this funding opportunity. 

We continue to encourage those states that have not accessed the flexible funding opportunity to consider applying as other very important kinship navigator services and supports, evaluation, and administrative costs can be reimbursed in full dating back to April 1, 2020 and through September 2021. See below for application materials.

As of July, the Children’s Bureau had approved applications for this flexible funding from 15 states and 1 tribe:  Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah,  West Virginia and Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe.  Four states and 1 Tribe were pending review:  California, Connecticut, Colorado, Montana, and the Tolowa Nation.  Four additional states were planning to apply: Delaware,  Maryland, Oregon, and Washington.