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Welcome to the State Child Welfare Policy Database

This easy-to-use website provides state-by-state policy information on a range of child welfare topics. Visitors can access up-to-date information on individual state policies and can compare their own state's policies to those of other states. New topics will be included in the database in the coming months. To receive news and updates about this state policy database, please subscribe here.
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Child Welfare Financing

  • Total Expenditures
    • Total child welfare expenditures in SFY 2006, all sources
    • Change in total expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Federal, State, and Local share of all expenditures in SFY 2006
  • Total Federal Funds
    • Total child welfare expenditures from federal funds in SFY 2006
    • Change in federal expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Federal expenditures, by funding source, in SFY 2006
    • Proportion of federal spending from sources not dedicated to child welfare (SSBG,Medicaid,TANF) in SFY 2006
  • Title IV-E (all programs)
    • Total Title IV-E claims/expenditures in SFY 2006
    • Change in Title IV-E claims/expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all federal funds from Title IV-E in SFY 2006
  • Title IV-E Foster Care
    • Total IV-E Foster Care claims/expenditures in SFY 2006
    • Change in IV-E Foster Care claims/expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all IV-E dollars from Foster Care in SFY 2006
    • IV-E Foster Care claims/expenditures in SFY 2006: Maintenance Payments
    • Change in IV-E Foster Care Maintenance Payments, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • IV-E Foster Care claims/expenditures in SFY 2006: Administration, Training, SACWIS
    • Change in IV-E Foster Care Admin/Training/SACWIS between 2004 and 2006
    • SFY 2006 Title IV-E Foster Care Penetration Rates
    • Change in IV-E Foster Care Penetration Rate, between 2004 and 2006
  • Title IV-E Adoption Assistance
    • Total IV-E Adoption Assistance claims/expenditures in SFY 2006
    • Change in IV-E Adoption Assistance claims/expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all IV-E dollars from Adoption Assistance in SFY 2006
    • IV-E Adoption Assistance claims/expenditures in SFY 2006: Adoption Assistance Payments
    • Change in IV-E Adoption Assistance Payments, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • IV-E Adoption Assistance claims/expenditures in SFY 2006: Admininstration/Training
    • Change in IV-E Adoption Assistance Administration/Training, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • SFY 2006 Title IV-E Adoption Penetration Rates
    • Change in IV-E Adoption Penetration Rate, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
  • Title IV-E Chafee/ETVs
    • Total IV-E Chafee Foster Care Independence Program/Education and Training Vouchers expenditures in SFY 2006
    • Change in Chafee/ETV expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
  • Title IV-E Demonstration Waivers
    • Total IV-E Demonstration Waiver claims/expenditures in SFY 2006
  • Title IV-B
    • Total Title IV-B claims/expenditures in SFY 2006
    • Change in Title IV-B claims/expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all federal funds from Title IV-B in SFY 2006
  • Medicaid
    • Total Medicaid claims/expenditures for child welfare in SFY 2006
    • Change in Medicaid claims/expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all federal funds from Medicaid in SFY 2006
  • Social Services Block Grant (SSBG)
    • Total SSBG expenditures for child welfare in SFY 2006
    • Change in SSBG expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all federal funds from SSBG in SFY 2006
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
    • Total TANF expenditures for child welfare in SFY 2006
    • Change in TANF expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all federal funds from TANF in SFY 2006
  • Other Federal Funds
    • Total child welfare expenditures from other federal sources in SFY 2006
    • Change in expenditures from other federal sources, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all federal funds from other federal sources in SFY 2006
  • Total State Funds
    • Total child welfare expenditures from state funds in SFY 2006
    • Change in state expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all expenditures from state funds in SFY 2006
  • Total Local Funds
    • Total child welfare expenditures from local funds in SFY 2006
    • Change in local expenditures, between SFYs 2004 and 2006
    • Percent of all expenditures from local funds in SFY 2006
 

Kinship Care Policies

  • Definition of Kin
    • How is "kin" defined?
  • Locating Kin
    • Diligent search resources to locate kin
  • Private Kin Arrangements
    • State involvement in private kin arrangements
  • Kin Placements as a Diversion from Foster Care
    • Use of kin placements to divert from foster care/custody
  • Licensure Options for Kin
    • Provisional licensure or "pre-approval" for kin caring for a child in state custody
    • Licensure options for kin caring for a child in state custody
  • Payment of Kin Caring for Children in State Custody
    • Payment options for states that offer full licensure
    • Payment options for states that offer licensure with a modification or waiver
    • Payment options for states with a separate approval process for kin
  • Guardianship Policies
    • Guardianship options for kin
    • Guardianship payments: Compared with Foster Care
    • Guardianship payments: Compared with Adoption Assistance
  • Placement with Noncustodial Parents
    • Noncustodial parents as placement options
 

Older Youth in Foster Care

  • Foster Care Age Limits
    • Can youth remain in care after 18th birthday?
    • Can youth remain in care after 19th birthday?
    • Age at which youth become ineligible to remain in foster care
  • Circumstances in which Youth can Stay in Care Past 18th Birthday
    • All-state overview: Circumstances to stay in care past 18th birthday
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if on track to graduate high school/obtain GED
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if enrolled in college/vocational program
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if they have disabilities or other special needs
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if receiving mental health or substance abuse treatment
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if pregnant
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if parenting
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if court determines it's in youth's best interest
    • -Youth can stay in care past 18 if they petition the court
    • -Other
  • Requirements Youth Must Comply with to Stay in Care Past 18th Birthday
    • All-state overview: Requirements for staying in care past 18th birthday
    • -Youth must sign a voluntary placement agreement to stay in care past 18
    • -Youth must live in an approved or licensed placement to stay in care past 18
    • -Youth must be employed to stay in care past 18
    • -Youth must be enrolled in school to stay in care past 18
    • -Youth must be employed OR enrolled in school to stay in care past 18
    • -Youth must pay for a portion of his/her room and board to stay in care past 18
    • -Youth must participate in services/comply with case plan to stay in care past 18
    • -No requirements youth must comply with to stay in care after 18
    • -Other
  • Circumstances in which Youth Can Stay in Care Past 19th Birthday
    • All-state overview: Circumstances to stay in care past 19th birthday
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if on track to graduate high school/obtain GED
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if enrolled in college
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if they have disabilities or other special needs
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if receiving mental health or substance abuse treatment
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if pregnant
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if parenting
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if court determines it's in youth's best interest
    • -Youth can stay in care past 19 if they petition the court
    • -Other
  • Requirements Youth Must Comply with to Stay in Care Past 19th Birthday
    • All-state overview: Requirements for staying in care past 19th birthday
    • -Youth must sign a voluntary placement agreement to stay in care past 19
    • -Youth must live in an approved or licensed placement to stay in care past 19
    • -Youth must be employed to stay in care past 19
    • -Youth must be enrolled in school to stay in care past 19
    • -Youth must be employed OR enrolled in school to stay in care past 19
    • -Youth must pay for a portion of his/her room and board to stay in care past 19
    • -Youth must participate in services/comply with case plan to stay in care past 19
    • -No requirements youth must comply with to stay in care after 19
    • -Other
  • Court Jurisdiction After 18
    • Legal jurisdiction over foster youth after 18th birthday
    • Legal jurisdiction over foster youth after 19th birthday
  • Placements for Older Youth
    • Supervised independent living as a placement option
    • Minimum age for supervised independent living
    • Eligibility requirements for supervised independent living
  • Re-entry into Foster Care
    • Can emancipated/discharged youth re-enter foster care?
  • Chafee Foster Care Independence Program
    • Age at which foster youth become eligible for Chafee-funded services
  • State-funded Independent Living (IL)/Transition Services
    • Does state use its own funds for IL/transition services?
    • Does state use its own funds for services/supports for which Chafee funds can't be used?
    • All-state overview: State-funded services and supports
    • -State uses own funds for tuition waivers for public colleges or universities
    • -State uses own funds for college scholarships
    • -State uses own funds for foster care maintenance payments for youth who are 18+
    • -State uses own funds for transitional housing
    • -State uses own funds for housing subsidies
    • -State uses own funds for emergency cash assistance
    • -State uses own funds for other housing costs
    • -State uses own funds for monthly stipends to foster youth preparing to age out
    • -State uses own funds for driver's education or driver's license fees
    • -Other
 

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