Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #76FY0102

Statewide Kinship Support Center

Requester:

Anne Strozier

Organization:

Kinship Support Center

Project Title:

Statewide Kinship Support Center

Date Submitted:

1/12/2002 2:49:50 PM

Sponsors:

Lesley Miller

Statewide Interest:

To respond to the developing foster care crisis, the provision of supports and innovative services to kin (relative) caregivers designed to help keep abused, neglected and dependent children from entering (and/or remaining) in out-of-home placements.

Recipient:

Kinship Support Center

Contact:

Anne Strozier

4202 E. Fowler MGY 132

Contact Phone:

(813) 974-1379

Tampa FL 33620

Counties:

Hillsborough

Gov't Entity:

Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):

Yes

Project Description:

288,000 Florida children are being raised in grandparent-headed households, according to year 2000 U.S. Census figures.� This represent an increase of 57,000 children (33%) in ten years.� If just 2% of those children were to enter Foster Care, the State would be forced to find beds that are currently unavailable for 5,760 children.� In proactive response, the Kinship Center will provide support to grandparents and other ralatives raising children throughout Florida by means of a statewide, toll-free support and information referrel line, a statewide database of support groups and services and clearinghouse of kinship care information, training and technical assistance for support group and leadership development, a legal hotline and handbook, and ongoing evaluation and research.

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

Creation of a statewide database of support groups and services available to kin caregiving families and service providers, including community-based lead agencies.� Organization and electronic linkage of a statewide network of support groups.� Establishment and operation of a statewide legal hotline and preparation and distribution of a legal handbook assisting caregivers with making permanency decisions and related matters in the children's best interest.� Maintenance of and increased access to a statewide support and informational referrral line, legal hotline and handboook, and support groups as measured against benchmarks established upon award of the budget request.� Reduced numbers of entries or re-entries into State shelter and foster care in kin caregivers families using supports and services of the Kinship Center compared to the kin families not using such support and services as measured against benchmarks established upon award of the request.

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$500,000

Total cost of the project:

$9,000,000

Request has been made to fund:

Operations

What type of match exists for this project?

None

Was this project previously funded by the State?

Unknown

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

Yes

Amount:

$5,000,000

Purpose for future year funding:

x

Will this be an annual request?

Unknown

Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?

No

Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?

No

Is there a documented need for this project?

Yes

Documentation:

Taking into account the numbers of children listed above, the average monthly payment per child in

Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?

Yes

Hearing Body:

Hillsborough County Legislative Delegationn

Meeting Date:

11/20/2001