The bill amends section 39.5085 of the Florida Statutes to modify the payment structure for the Relative Caregiver Program. It allows relatives and nonrelatives who have a child placed with them in out-of-home care to begin receiving monthly payments from the date of placement, rather than waiting for a court to determine the child's dependency status. The bill specifies that these payments will continue until the child achieves permanency as determined by the court. Additionally, it introduces provisions for those who have not obtained a child-specific level I foster license, allowing them to receive payments after a specified time period.

Key changes include the removal of the requirement that a child must be found dependent before payments can start, and the introduction of a new timeline for payments based on licensing status. The bill also stipulates that the monthly payment amount for those who do not obtain a license must be less than that provided to participants in the Guardianship Assistance Program. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 819 Filed: 39.5085