California’s foster care system includes a vital option known as the Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC) Funding Option Program, designed to support relatives who provide care for children. Established in January 2015, this county-optional program offers financial assistance to approved relative caregivers for children who are not eligible for federal foster care funding (Title IV-E). The ARC program ensures these caregivers receive payments comparable to the basic foster care rate, specifically the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) rate, offering a significant improvement over the often lower California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) funds that many relatives previously received.
Who is Eligible for the ARC Program?
To be eligible for the ARC program, both the relative caregiver and the child must meet specific criteria:
Caregiver Eligibility:
- Relationship: Caregivers must be relatives of the child.
- Approval: They must be officially approved by the county as a relative caregiver, meeting health and safety standards similar to licensed foster parents.
- Residency: Caregivers must reside in California.
Child Eligibility:
- Jurisdiction: The child must be under the jurisdiction of the California juvenile court in a county participating in the ARC Program.
- Federal Ineligibility: The child must not be federally eligible for foster care funding under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act.
- Residency: The child must live in California.
The ARC program plays a crucial role in providing financial stability for relative caregivers, recognizing their commitment to children within the foster care system. For detailed information and program specifics, refer to the official notifications and resources provided by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).
Key CDSS Notifications and Resources for ARC Program Details
For comprehensive details regarding the ARC Program, the CDSS has released several important notifications, including All County Letters (ACL), All County Information Notices (ACIN), and County Fiscal Letters (CFL). These documents provide essential guidance and clarifications on various aspects of the ARC program:
All County Letters (ACL):
- ACL 15-83: Clarifies income and asset eligibility and payment proration within the ARC program.
- ACL 15-20: Offers program instructions related to CalWORKs and other important clarifying details for ARC implementation.
County Fiscal Letters (CFL):
- CFL 15-16-24: Details state base caseload, funding amounts, and allocation procedures for the ARC program.
- CFL 14-15-52: Explains the claiming methodology used within the ARC Funding Option Program.
For further inquiries or more detailed information about the Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC) Funding Option Program, please reach out to the Foster Care Rates Policy Unit at the California Department of Social Services:
Foster Care Rates Policy Unit
744 P Street, MS 8-13-78
Sacramento, CA 95814
[email protected]
You can also Contact Your County for local ARC program information and support.
