SB 1046 revises Florida’s Relative Caregiver Program payment rules for children placed in out-of-home care with relatives or nonrelatives. The bill allows monthly payments to begin at the time the child is placed in care, rather than waiting until a court formally finds the child dependent. It also creates a payment structure for caregivers who have not yet obtained a child-specific level I foster license, including a lower-rate payment that begins after a specified waiting period if licensure is not obtained.
The bill also clarifies payment treatment for caregivers who receive children through permanent guardianship or a permanent placement with a fit and willing relative, if they are not enrolled in the Guardianship Assistance Program. In those cases, the Department of Children and Families would set the payment amount by rule, but the amount must remain below the Guardianship Assistance Program rate. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill amends section 39.5085, Florida Statutes, governing the Relative Caregiver Program. It changes when caregivers become eligible for monthly support, broadening eligibility so payments may start upon placement in out-of-home care and not only after dependency adjudication. It also establishes or refines payment timing and rate rules for caregivers who are not licensed foster parents, and it preserves a hierarchy of benefits by requiring these payments to be less than Guardianship Assistance Program payments. The primary affected parties are relatives and nonrelatives caring for dependent or otherwise placed children, along with the Department of Children and Families, which would administer the program and set certain payment amounts by rule.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally supportive of kinship and relative caregiving, with an emphasis on providing earlier financial assistance to caregivers who take children into their homes. Although no committee transcripts or votes are available, the measure’s structure suggests a policy goal of reducing delays in support and stabilizing placements for children in out-of-home care. The overall tone of the legislation is remedial and administrative rather than controversial.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is fiscal and programmatic: starting payments earlier and extending support to caregivers before dependency findings may increase state costs and expand the number of eligible recipients. Another possible issue is the tiered payment system, which distinguishes between licensed and unlicensed caregivers and sets lower rates for some placements, potentially raising questions about fairness, incentives to obtain licensure, and how the Department of Children and Families will set rule-based payment amounts. No recorded debate or vote history is available to show whether these issues were actively disputed.