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.

ABA article by Angie Schwartz and Cathy Krebs explaining hidden foster care, related legal issues, and its human impact, and offering potential solutions.

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