Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Bill would equalize Northstar kinship payments so children under 6 receive full benefits
Summary
Representative Hicks introduced House File 12-76 to eliminate a reduced preschool entry payment for relatives who finalize permanency for children under six. Testimony from kinship caregivers, tribal advocates and social workers highlighted financial barriers that delay permanency; fiscal impacts remain to be determined.
Representative Hicks moved House File 12-76, which would change how Northstar Care for Children payments are calculated for children who reach permanency with relatives: the bill would eliminate the preschool-entry alternate rate that currently provides a lower payment for children who achieve permanency before age six.
Supporters — including kinship caregivers, tribal advocates and social workers — told the committee eliminating the reduced preschool rate would help relatives say “yes” to permanency and reduce delays that keep children in foster care until they turn six. Sadie Hart of the Enda Young Center described a case where an uncle providing foster care feared he could not financially care for two siblings if the younger child received the reduced rate; as a result, the county kept the child in foster care until the child turned six so the family would receive the full benefit.
Social workers and program representatives said the payment…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
