Youths can now remain in care of kin under foster care changes

As of this month, Nevada is now one of three states in the country to grant family members the ability to become licensed foster care providers to kin.

The new change paves a path to allow family members who are caring for a child to access the same financial resources from the state as traditional foster care providers, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra stated last week.

Cutting costs

As noted in a news release, Secretary Becerra said the modification will reduce barriers related to the costs associated with caring for a child, by allowing kids to stay with their loved ones, be it a grandparent, aunt or uncle.

“They can take care of the child who’s in a troubled home, and some people are able to do that,” according to Becerra’s release. “For others, it would be a burden which would unmanageable, given their income.”

Various assessments

The release went on to state that the family member must meet safety and licensing requirements, such as a background check and a suitability assessment.

Keeping families together

According to a 2023 Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, (DHHS) report, approximately 43 percent of youth in foster care in Nevada are placed with relatives.

As stated in its mission statement, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) agency promotes the health and well-being of all residents by providing essential services to ensure families are strengthened, public health is protected, and individuals achieve their highest level of self-sufficiency.

DHHS is the largest department within Nevada state government, comprised of five divisions, along with additional programs and offices overseen by the DHHS’ director’s office.

For additional information about the services provided by the agency, logon to www.dhhs.nv.gov.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. or on X, formerly Twitter: @pvtimes