The Kinship Reimbursement Payment is a monthly payment per child of up to half of the daily basic foster care reimbursement rate paid to a foster family home. The monthly payments are time-limited for the child and may be paid for up to twelve months. However, if DFPS determines there is good cause for an exception, payments may be made for up to an additional six months. Good cause exceptions include:

 •   identification, release, or location of the child’s previously absent parent;

 •   waiting for the timeline to expire for an appeal of an order in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship;

 •   provision of additional time for the caregiver to complete the approval process for verification or adoption of the child;

 •   waiting for the approval of a child’s placement from another state;

 •   a delayed determination of the child’s Indian Child status, or waiting for the approval of the Indian Child’s Tribe; and

 •   any other circumstance surrounding the child or the caregiver for which DFPS decides an extension is necessary.

The conservatorship program administrator must approve all good cause extensions.