Section 307.100 of Amended Substitute House Bill 166 of the 133rd General Assembly authorized the creation of the Kinship Caregiver Program (KCP).  Like its predecessor, the newly enacted Kinship Caregiver Program is a joint effort between County Departments of Job and Family Services and Public Children Services Agencies and is operated through the Prevention Retention and Contingency (PRC) program. 

The purpose of KCP is to assist kinship caregivers with providing and maintaining a home for a child in place of a child's parents by providing reasonable and necessary relief of child caring functions through family stabilization and caregiving services.  The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) has adopted a new rule that is intended to ensure the allowable use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds within KCP; and to provide county agencies clear guidance when updating their PRC plans.

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) has taken the actions described below.

The rule has been subject to a review by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR).  The rules will become effective on 12/1/2019.

Chapter 2000

5101:1-24-30 "Kinship Caregiver Program."

The rule describes: the requirements for ensuring TANF eligibility of KCP assistance groups; the protections for ensuring that benefits and services remain TANF non-assistance; the elements of the stabilization caregiving services; and defines the assistance group composition for each service.