HB 26-1374

HB 26-1374, known as Kinship Care Funding Provisions, changes how Colorado supports families caring for relatives' children without formal foster care certification. The bill stops financial assistance and reimbursements to counties for non-certified kinship care homes but keeps some federal requirements in place. It also requires the state to notify current non-certified kinship care providers about ending these payments by June 15, 2026. This affects families who are currently receiving support for caring for relatives' children without formal certification. Since the bill has been signed, these changes will take effect as planned.

Official Summary

The act eliminates financial assistance and supports and reimbursement to county departments of human or social services (county departments) for non-certified kinship care homes.     The act specifies that county departments are not required to provide financial assistance and supports for non-certified kinship care homes, except as required by the federal 'Social Security Act' and by Colorado's out-of-home placement required services and temporary custody provisions.     The act requires the department of human services to create a standardized notice for non-certified kinship care providers regarding the discontinuation of non-certified kinship care financial assistance. The act requires county departments to provide the notice by June 15, 2026, to non-certified kinship foster care homes currently receiving monthly payments.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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