1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong support for Senate Bill 1602, which would increase the monthly stipend provided to kinship foster care parents in Arizona. This legislation addresses a critical gap in support for relatives and close family friends who step forward to care for children removed from their homes by the Department of Child Safety. Kinship foster care placements offer significant advantages over traditional foster care. Children placed with relatives or individuals with significant relationships maintain crucial family connections during traumatic periods of separation from their parents. These placements provide stability and continuity that can reduce the psychological harm children experience when entering the child welfare system. Despite these benefits, kinship caregivers often receive inadequate financial support compared to licensed foster parents, creating an unfair burden on families who are doing the state a tremendous service. SB 1602 would establish a minimum monthly stipend for kinship foster care parents, ensuring they receive adequate financial assistance to meet the needs of children in their care. The bill also strengthens the overall kinship foster care program by requiring the Department of Child Safety to inform families about available financial and nonfinancial services, assist with applications, and provide essential supports like housing assistance and parenting skills training. Many kinship caregivers are grandparents or other relatives living on fixed incomes who suddenly face the financial responsibility of raising additional children. Without adequate stipends, these caregivers struggle to afford basic necessities like food, clothing, school supplies, and medical care. Increasing the stipend recognizes the real costs of raising children and ensures that financial constraints do not prevent willing relatives from providing stable, loving homes. I urge you to support SB 1602 and vote yes when it comes before you. Arizona's children deserve the stability that kinship care provides, and the relatives who care for them deserve meaningful financial support for taking on this responsibility.