This letter transmits amended rule 5101:2-40-04 Kinship Permanency Incentive (KPI) Program and rule 5101:2-42-18 PCSA and PCPA approval of placements with relative and nonrelative substitute caregivers. Form JFS 01447 has been amended as well. These changes will be effective May 4, 2014.

OAC 5101:2-40-04, "Kinship Permanency Incentive Program" has been amended to clarify excluded income for the purpose of determining eligibility. Language was added to clarify that the eligible kinship caregiver may receive a maximum of six incentive payments over a period of up to 36 cumulative months. Language was added to clarify the Public Children Services Agency's (PCSA) activities when conducting eligibility redeterminations. Language was added to limit the amount of time that county public children services agencies have to submit KPI incentive payments to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for reimbursement.

OAC 5101:2-42-18, "PCSA and PCPA approval of placements with relative and nonrelative substitute caregivers" has been amended to include the list of disqualifying offenses that would exclude an individual from being an approved caregiver for a child's placement. An appendix has been added to this rule to define the disqualifying offenses. Language was added to include a provision for interstate requests for home assessments on relative and nonrelative caregivers. Some minor edits were made for clarification. Additionally, the JFS 01447 "Assessment of Relative or Nonrelative Caregiver's Ability to Care for Child(ren) and Recommendation for Placement" (rev. 2/2014) has been revised and updated to provide a more constructive tool for assessment of such placements. It has been renamed "Assessment of Relative or Nonrelative Substitute Caregiver."

INSTRUCTIONS:

The following chart identifies the material that needs to be removed from the Family, Child and Adult Services Manual (FCASM) and the material that should be added: