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.

This brief by Generations United with support from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption focuses on adoption and guardianship for children in kinship foster care, so that these children can exit foster care into permanent families (2018). 

2018 Generations United and Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption brief providing general information about adoption and guardianship, how they differ, and trends in state law that may impact those options.