HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-161-08                                     Bill No. HB 161

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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10  ______________________________________________________________

11  The Committee on Child & Family Security offered the

12  following:

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14         Substitute Amendment for Amendment (155399) 

15         On page 2, lines 4-11,

16  remove:  all of said lines

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18  and insert:

19         39.5085  Relative Caregiver Program.--

20         (2)(a)  The Department of Children and Family Services

21  shall establish and operate the Relative Caregiver Program

22  pursuant to eligibility guidelines established in this section

23  as further implemented by rule of the department. The Relative

24  Caregiver Program shall, within the limits of available

25  funding, provide financial assistance to:

26         1.  Relatives who are within the fifth degree by blood

27  or marriage to the parent or stepparent of a child and who are

28  caring full-time for that dependent child in the role of

29  substitute parent as a result of a court's determination of

30  child abuse, neglect, or abandonment and subsequent placement

31  with the relative pursuant to this chapter.

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    File original & 9 copies    03/07/02
    hbd0007                     10:43 am         00161-cfs -331311




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

    hbd-161-08                                     Bill No. HB 161

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1         2.  Relatives who are within the fifth degree by blood

  2  or marriage to the parent or stepparent of a child and who are

  3  caring full-time for that dependent child, and a dependent

  4  half-brother or half-sister of that dependent child, in the

  5  role of substitute parent as a result of a court's

  6  determination of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment and

  7  subsequent placement with the relative pursuant to this

  8  chapter.

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10  Such placement may be either court-ordered temporary legal

11  custody to the relative under protective supervision of the

12  department pursuant to s. 39.521(1)(b)3., or court-ordered

13  placement in the home of a relative as a permanency option

14  pursuant to s. 39.622. The Relative Caregiver Program shall

15  offer financial assistance to caregivers who are relatives and

16  who would be unable to serve in that capacity without the

17  relative caregiver payment because of financial burden, thus

18  exposing the child to the trauma of placement in a shelter or

19  in foster care.

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    File original & 9 copies    03/07/02
    hbd0007                     10:43 am         00161-cfs -331311