130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2021
Legislative Document No. 699
H.P. 511 House of Representatives, March 4, 2021
An Act To Create a Kinship Care Navigator Program within the
Department of Health and Human Services
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 2, 2021. Referred to the Committee on
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative STOVER of Boothbay.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, COREY of Windham,
GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, MADIGAN of Waterville, MATLACK of St. George,
MEYER of Eliot, TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Printed on recycled paper
 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2 Sec. 1. 22 MRSA c. 1065 is enacted to read:
3 CHAPTER 1065
4 KINSHIP CARE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM
5 §3931. Kinship care navigator program
6 1. Kinship care defined. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
7 indicates, "kinship care" means the care of a child on a temporary or permanent basis, by a
8 person who is not the child's parent but who is either a relative or a person who has a close
9 relationship with the child, whether or not the department was involved with the placement
10 of the child with the person.
11 2. Program established. The kinship care navigator program, referred to in this
12 chapter as "the program," is established within the department to provide resources and
13 information to persons providing kinship care to children in the State. The commissioner
14 shall designate one person to administer the program.
15 3. Services. The program may:
16 A. Identify and coordinate existing resources available to persons providing kinship
17 care to children;
18 B. Develop collaborative working relationships with state agencies, social services
19 agencies and other organizations serving persons providing kinship care to children;
20 and
21 C. Provide to persons providing kinship care to children referrals to available resources
22 and information about the means of obtaining services from the department.
23 SUMMARY
24 This bill establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services the kinship
25 care navigator program to provide resources and information to persons providing kinship
26 care to children in the State. It requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services
27 to designate one person to administer the program.
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