Subd. 16.

Permanent legal and physical custody.

"Permanent legal and physical
custody" meansnew text begin: (1)new text end a new text beginfull new text endtransfer of permanent legal and physical custody new text beginof a child ordered
by a Minnesota juvenile court under section 260C.515, subdivision 4, new text endto a relative deleted text beginordered
by a Minnesota juvenile court under section 260C.515, subdivision 4,deleted text endnew text begin who is not the child's
parent as defined in section 260C.007, subdivision 25;new text end or new text begin(2) new text endfor a child under jurisdiction
of a tribal court, a judicial determination under a similar provision in tribal code which
means that a relative will assume the duty and authority to provide care, control, and
protection of a child who is residing in foster care, and to make decisions regarding the
child's education, health care, and general welfare until adulthood.new text begin To establish eligibility
for Northstar kinship assistance, permanent legal and physical custody does not include
joint legal custody, joint physical custody, or joint legal and joint physical custody of a child
shared by the child's parent and relative custodian.
new text end

Subd. 17.

Reassessment.

"Reassessment" means an update of a previous assessment
through the process under section 256N.24 for a child who has been continuously eligible
for Northstar Care for Children, or when a child identified as an at-risk child (Level A)
under deleted text beginguardianship ordeleted text end adoption assistance has manifested the disability upon which eligibility
for the agreement was based according to section 256N.25, subdivision 3, paragraph (b).
A reassessment may be used to update an initial assessment, a special assessment, or a
previous reassessment.

Subdivision 1.

General eligibility requirements.

(a) To be eligible for Northstar kinship
assistance under this section, there must be a judicial determination under section 260C.515,
subdivision 4, that a transfer of permanent legal and physical custody to a relative new text beginwho is
not the child's parent new text endis in the child's best interest. For a child under jurisdiction of a tribal
court, a judicial determination under a similar provision in tribal code indicating that a
relative will assume the duty and authority to provide care, control, and protection of a child
who is residing in foster care, and to make decisions regarding the child's education, health
care, and general welfare until adulthood, and that this is in the child's best interest is
considered equivalent. new text beginA child whose parent shares legal, physical, or legal and physical
custody of the child with a relative custodian is not eligible for Northstar kinship assistance.
new text end Additionally, a child must:

(1) have been removed from the child's home pursuant to a voluntary placement
agreement or court order;

(2)(i) have resided with the prospective relative custodian who has been a licensed child
foster parent for at least six consecutive months; or

(ii) have received from the commissioner an exemption from the requirement in item
(i) that the prospective relative custodian has been a licensed child foster parent for at least
six consecutive months, based on a determination that:

(A) an expedited move to permanency is in the child's best interest;

(B) expedited permanency cannot be completed without provision of Northstar kinship
assistance;

(C) the prospective relative custodian is uniquely qualified to meet the child's needs, as
defined in section 260C.212, subdivision 2, on a permanent basis;

(D) the child and prospective relative custodian meet the eligibility requirements of this
section; and

(E) efforts were made by the legally responsible agency to place the child with the
prospective relative custodian as a licensed child foster parent for six consecutive months
before permanency, or an explanation why these efforts were not in the child's best interests;

(3) meet the agency determinations regarding permanency requirements in subdivision
2;

(4) meet the applicable citizenship and immigration requirements in subdivision 3;

(5) have been consulted regarding the proposed transfer of permanent legal and physical
custody to a relative, if the child is at least 14 years of age or is expected to attain 14 years
of age prior to the transfer of permanent legal and physical custody; and

(6) have a written, binding agreement under section 256N.25 among the caregiver or
caregivers, the financially responsible agency, and the commissioner established prior to
transfer of permanent legal and physical custody.

(b) In addition to the requirements in paragraph (a), the child's prospective relative
custodian or custodians must meet the applicable background study requirements in
subdivision 4.

(c) To be eligible for title IV-E Northstar kinship assistance, a child must also meet any
additional criteria in section 473(d) of the Social Security Act. The sibling of a child who
meets the criteria for title IV-E Northstar kinship assistance in section 473(d) of the Social
Security Act is eligible for title IV-E Northstar kinship assistance if the child and sibling
are placed with the same prospective relative custodian or custodians, and the legally
responsible agency, relatives, and commissioner agree on the appropriateness of the
arrangement for the sibling. A child who meets all eligibility criteria except those specific
to title IV-E Northstar kinship assistance is entitled to Northstar kinship assistance paid
through funds other than title IV-E.

Subd. 2.

Special needs determination.

(a) A child is considered a child with special
needs under this section if the requirements in paragraphs (b) to (g) are met.

(b) There must be a determination that the child must not or should not be returned to
the home of the child's parents as evidenced by:

(1) a court-ordered termination of parental rights;

(2) a petition to terminate parental rights;

(3) consent of new text beginthe child's new text endparent to adoption accepted by the court under chapter 260Cnew text begin
or, in the case of a child receiving Northstar kinship assistance payments under section
256N.22, consent of the child's parent to the child's adoption executed under chapter 259new text end;

(4) in circumstances when tribal law permits the child to be adopted without a termination
of parental rights, a judicial determination by a tribal court indicating the valid reason why
the child cannot or should not return home;

(5) a voluntary relinquishment under section 259.25 deleted text beginor 259.47deleted text end or, if relinquishment
occurred in another state, the applicable laws in that state; or

(6) the death of the legal parent or parents if the child has two legal parents.

(c) There exists a specific factor or condition of which it is reasonable to conclude that
the child cannot be placed with adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance as
evidenced by:

(1) a determination by the Social Security Administration that the child meets all medical
or disability requirements of title XVI of the Social Security Act with respect to eligibility
for Supplemental Security Income benefits;

(2) a documented physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral disability not covered under
clause (1);

(3) a member of a sibling group being adopted at the same time by the same parent;

(4) an adoptive placement in the home of a parent who previously adopted a sibling for
whom they receive adoption assistance; or

(5) documentation that the child is an at-risk child.

(d) A reasonable but unsuccessful effort must have been made to place the child with
adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance as evidenced by:

(1) a documented search for an appropriate adoptive placement; or

(2) a determination by the commissioner that a search under clause (1) is not in the best
interests of the child.

(e) The requirement for a documented search for an appropriate adoptive placement
under paragraph (d), including the registration of the child with the state adoption exchange
and other recruitment methods under paragraph (f), must be waived if:

(1) the child is being adopted by a relative and it is determined by the child-placing
agency that adoption by the relative is in the best interests of the child;

(2) the child is being adopted by a foster parent with whom the child has developed
significant emotional ties while in the foster parent's care as a foster child and it is determined
by the child-placing agency that adoption by the foster parent is in the best interests of the
child; or

(3) the child is being adopted by a parent that previously adopted a sibling of the child,
and it is determined by the child-placing agency that adoption by this parent is in the best
interests of the child.

For an Indian child covered by the Indian Child Welfare Act, a waiver must not be
granted unless the child-placing agency has complied with the placement preferences required
by the Indian Child Welfare Act, United States Code, title 25, section 1915(a).

(f) To meet the requirement of a documented search for an appropriate adoptive placement
under paragraph (d), clause (1), the child-placing agency minimally must:

(1) conduct a relative search as required by section 260C.221 and give consideration to
placement with a relative, as required by section 260C.212, subdivision 2;

(2) comply with the placement preferences required by the Indian Child Welfare Act
when the Indian Child Welfare Act, United States Code, title 25, section 1915(a), applies;

(3) locate prospective adoptive families by registering the child on the state adoption
exchange, as required under section 259.75; and