Assigned Child Support for the Kinship Care Program

Kinship Care is a program to help support a child who lives outside their own home, either temporarily or long-term, with a relative such as an adult sibling, a cousin, an aunt, or a grandparent. If you are in the Kinship Care program, all support is assigned (signed over) to the state. A Life of Case review is done at the end of each month. The Life of Case review compares the total amount of all support paid to the total amount of the Kinship Care grants. If during your time in the Kinship Care program, the support payments add up to more than the Kinship Care grants you got, the difference will go to you.

Example:

• You started in Kinship Care on June 1.
• In June, you get a $215 Kinship Care grant. Support paid was $200.
• At the end of June, the Life of Case review shows that the support paid ($200) was less than the Kinship Care grant ($215). You will not get any child support.
• In July, you get a $215 Kinship Care grant and $300 of child support is paid.
• At the end of July, the Life of Case review compares the June and July totals: the amount of support paid ($500) and the Kinship Care grants ($430) – a difference of $70. You will get the $70 (along with the $215 Kinship Care grant).

Additional Questions Parents ask about Child Support when Getting Cash Benefits

More Information on Child Support and Aid/Benefit Programs