Contact
Garret Swanson, Office of Communications, (402) 480-0883;
garret.swanson@nebraska.gov
Lincoln – The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Children and Family Services (CFS) is celebrating National Kinship Care Month. Several National non-profits and agencies consider September to be National Kinship Care Month, a time to celebrate the important contribution that kin and relatives play in supporting and raising children. Relative and kinship homes provide a critical service for children and families, in keeping with the mission of DHHS to help people live better lives.
CFS will be providing financial assistance to unlicensed relative and kinship foster homes through temporary flexibilities offered in the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Program. This opportunity is available to relative and kinship foster homes in Nebraska who have current placement of one or more youth and are in the process of becoming a licensed Relative or Kinship Foster Home. All eligible families have until September 30 to apply and will be receiving a letter with additional information about this program and an application to participate.
Financial assistance provided by DHHS can be used to purchase items needed by these homes to become licensed, these may include but are not limited to: beds; mattresses; bedding; door locks; first aid supplies; carbon monoxide detectors; child care for when the adults in the home require training; and registration costs.
The Department will continue to find ways to use available resources in order to provide direct and indirect assistance for relative and kinship caregivers, including the implementation of a Kinship Navigator Program in Lancaster, Dodge and Madison counties.
Recipients of aid can reach out to their foster care support worker with any questions, or email questions to DHHS.fosterparentsupport@nebraska.gov.