Waiver will help relatives who adopt foster kids

Waiver will help relatives who adopt foster kids
Thompson will discuss effects Friday
By JESSE GARZA

Posted: Sept. 9, 2004

Relatives caring for foster children in Wisconsin will be able to
retain federal subsidies if theybecome legal guardians of the children
under a waiver granted Thursday by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
43813Quotable
This action helps remove a significant barrier in developing healthy
family environments.
- Scott Walker,
Milwaukee County executive
From a policy standpoint, it makes sense to open the guardianship
option to more families. From the standpoint of kids who need safe,
loving homes, it makes even more sense.

Wisconsin and Minnesota were granted the waivers to create five-year
demonstration projects that will also allow foster youth, after age
15, to remain eligible for supportive services if they leave the
foster care system, a statement from the department's Administration
for Children and Families said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, who approved
the waivers, is expected to discuss what they will mean to foster care
and adoption programs at a press conference Friday morning at the
Milwaukee County Children's Court Center.

The waivers will allow foster children to "move from the uncertainty
of foster care to the permanent loving protection of the guardians
they know and trust," Thompson said in a statement issued Thursday.

Under current law, relatives, other than parents, with custody of
children under foster care arrangements receive federal funding
through state programs. However, if they make the relationship
permanent by obtaining legal guardianship, those fundscould be cut
off, according to the Administration for Children and Families.

Under the waivers, those funds will continue when guardianships
established by court order transfer custody of those children from the
state to the respective relatives.

"This action helps remove a significant barrier in developing healthy
family environments," Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said in
a statement Thursday.

Walker will join Thompson at this morning's press conference.

To be eligible for the program, children must be in a licensed
relative foster placement program for at least one year and with the
relative seeking guardianship for "several months", according to the
Administration for Children and Families.

Wisconsin's demonstration project will initially operate in Milwaukee
County, allowing about 775 children in foster care to participate in
subsidized guardianship, the agency said.

The Wisconsin program will be run by the state Department of Health
and Family Services, which applied for the waiver in 2002 and
resubmitted the application this year.

"From a policy standpoint, it makes sense to open the guardianship
option to more families," Gov. Jim Doyle said in a statement Thursday.
"From the standpoint of kids who need safe, loving homes, it makes
even more sense."

The federal waiver will be cost neutral, both to the federal
government and the state, Doyle said.

Since the children affected by the waiver would otherwise remain in
foster care, the guardianship payments will be cost neutral, and no
additional state funding is needed to implement the program, he said.

According to the Department of Health and Family Services, in
Wisconsin more than 5,100 families are licensed foster care providers
and, on a typical day, about 8,000 children are living with foster
families.

Implementation of the waiver program will begin once the state
Legislature passes enabling legislation, with a target starting date
of July 1, 2005, Doyle's office said.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/sep04/257763.asp
Defend your civil liberties! Get information at http://www.aclu.org, become a member at http://www.aclu.org/join and get active at http://www.aclu.org/action.

My, my our networking has worked.

ASFA provided that relatives receive consideration.

But since CPS thrives on power and control and ENDLESSLY DRAGGING OUT TO keep
the drones employed---and all those associated with this wrongly structured
industry, this small concession to reality (and fiscal realities, too) makes
sense.

Even foster parents find out about CPS' absolute secrecy, control and abuse of
well-meaning foster parents. They can't even recruit anyone to foster.

Now who do we lay that debacle at?

Natch.....CPS....Catching parents spanking.

Wex sent in:

Subject: Waiver will help relatives who adopt foster kids
From: wexwimpy
Date: 9/11/2004 5:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

Waiver will help relatives who adopt foster kids
Thompson will discuss effects Friday
By JESSE GARZA

Posted: Sept. 9, 2004

Relatives caring for foster children in Wisconsin will be able to
retain federal subsidies if theybecome legal guardians of the children
under a waiver granted Thursday by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
43813Quotable
This action helps remove a significant barrier in developing healthy
family environments.
- Scott Walker,
Milwaukee County executive
From a policy standpoint, it makes sense to open the guardianship
option to more families. From the standpoint of kids who need safe,
loving homes, it makes even more sense.

Wisconsin and Minnesota were granted the waivers to create five-year
demonstration projects that will also allow foster youth, after age
15, to remain eligible for supportive services if they leave the
foster care system, a statement from the department's Administration
for Children and Families said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, who approved
the waivers, is expected to discuss what they will mean to foster care
and adoption programs at a press conference Friday morning at the
Milwaukee County Children's Court Center.

The waivers will allow foster children to "move from the uncertainty
of foster care to the permanent loving protection of the guardians
they know and trust," Thompson said in a statement issued Thursday.

Under current law, relatives, other than parents, with custody of
children under foster care arrangements receive federal funding
through state programs. However, if they make the relationship
permanent by obtaining legal guardianship, those fundscould be cut
off, according to the Administration for Children and Families.

Under the waivers, those funds will continue when guardianships
established by court order transfer custody of those children from the
state to the respective relatives.

"This action helps remove a significant barrier in developing healthy
family environments," Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said in
a statement Thursday.

Walker will join Thompson at this morning's press conference.

To be eligible for the program, children must be in a licensed
relative foster placement program for at least one year and with the
relative seeking guardianship for "several months", according to the
Administration for Children and Families.

Wisconsin's demonstration project will initially operate in Milwaukee
County, allowing about 775 children in foster care to participate in
subsidized guardianship, the agency said.

The Wisconsin program will be run by the state Department of Health
and Family Services, which applied for the waiver in 2002 and
resubmitted the application this year.

"From a policy standpoint, it makes sense to open the guardianship
option to more families," Gov. Jim Doyle said in a statement Thursday.
"From the standpoint of kids who need safe, loving homes, it makes
even more sense."

The federal waiver will be cost neutral, both to the federal
government and the state, Doyle said.

Since the children affected by the waiver would otherwise remain in
foster care, the guardianship payments will be cost neutral, and no
additional state funding is needed to implement the program, he said.

According to the Department of Health and Family Services, in
Wisconsin more than 5,100 families are licensed foster care providers
and, on a typical day, about 8,000 children are living with foster
families.

Implementation of the waiver program will begin once the state
Legislature passes enabling legislation, with a target starting date
of July 1, 2005, Doyle's office said.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/sep04/257763.asp
Defend your civil liberties! Get information at http://www.aclu.org, become
a member at http://www.aclu.org/join and get active at
http://www.aclu.org/action.

Thanks, I passed this on to interested kinship care, support and children's
rights groups. This is very good. I appreciate you posting it.

Sherman.


"wexwimpy" wrote in message
...
Waiver will help relatives who adopt foster kids
Thompson will discuss effects Friday
By JESSE GARZA

Posted: Sept. 9, 2004

Relatives caring for foster children in Wisconsin will be able to
retain federal subsidies if theybecome legal guardians of the children
under a waiver granted Thursday by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
43813Quotable
This action helps remove a significant barrier in developing healthy
family environments.
- Scott Walker,
Milwaukee County executive
From a policy standpoint, it makes sense to open the guardianship
option to more families. From the standpoint of kids who need safe,
loving homes, it makes even more sense.

Wisconsin and Minnesota were granted the waivers to create five-year
demonstration projects that will also allow foster youth, after age
15, to remain eligible for supportive services if they leave the
foster care system, a statement from the department's Administration
for Children and Families said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, who approved
the waivers, is expected to discuss what they will mean to foster care
and adoption programs at a press conference Friday morning at the
Milwaukee County Children's Court Center.

The waivers will allow foster children to "move from the uncertainty
of foster care to the permanent loving protection of the guardians
they know and trust," Thompson said in a statement issued Thursday.

Under current law, relatives, other than parents, with custody of
children under foster care arrangements receive federal funding
through state programs. However, if they make the relationship
permanent by obtaining legal guardianship, those fundscould be cut
off, according to the Administration for Children and Families.

Under the waivers, those funds will continue when guardianships
established by court order transfer custody of those children from the
state to the respective relatives.

"This action helps remove a significant barrier in developing healthy
family environments," Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said in
a statement Thursday.

Walker will join Thompson at this morning's press conference.

To be eligible for the program, children must be in a licensed
relative foster placement program for at least one year and with the
relative seeking guardianship for "several months", according to the
Administration for Children and Families.

Wisconsin's demonstration project will initially operate in Milwaukee
County, allowing about 775 children in foster care to participate in
subsidized guardianship, the agency said.

The Wisconsin program will be run by the state Department of Health
and Family Services, which applied for the waiver in 2002 and
resubmitted the application this year.

"From a policy standpoint, it makes sense to open the guardianship
option to more families," Gov. Jim Doyle said in a statement Thursday.
"From the standpoint of kids who need safe, loving homes, it makes
even more sense."

The federal waiver will be cost neutral, both to the federal
government and the state, Doyle said.

Since the children affected by the waiver would otherwise remain in
foster care, the guardianship payments will be cost neutral, and no
additional state funding is needed to implement the program, he said.

According to the Department of Health and Family Services, in
Wisconsin more than 5,100 families are licensed foster care providers
and, on a typical day, about 8,000 children are living with foster
families.

Implementation of the waiver program will begin once the state
Legislature passes enabling legislation, with a target starting date
of July 1, 2005, Doyle's office said.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/sep04/257763.asp
Defend your civil liberties! Get information at http://www.aclu.org,
become a member at http://www.aclu.org/join and get active at
http://www.aclu.org/action.