Rosin Steinhagen Mendel, PLLC provides legal representation for relative foster parent(s) who have been accepted into the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP) by The Administration for Children’s Services, and the cost of such representation is paid for by New York State.
KinGAP offers relative foster parent(s) of children in foster care an alternative to adoption in order to provide a permanent home for those children. If you are a relative foster parent that has been caring for a foster child for at least six (6) months, you may be eligible to obtain legal guardianship of the child, and receive monthly financial assistance and medical coverage until the child reaches adulthood.
In order to qualify, you must be related to the child by blood, adoption or marriage and you must be a licensed foster parent(s) who has had the child in your home for at least six (6) months. In addition, the permanency goals of return to the home of the parent, or adoption must be ruled out as appropriate options for the child.
Because the biological parents’ parental rights do not have to be terminated in order for you to obtain legal guardianship, the process from the initial application to the finalization of the guardianship can be considerably shorter than adoption. As the child’s legal guardian, you will be able to make all necessary decisions concerning the child, and the foster care agency’s supervision is no longer required.
If you believe Kinship Guardianship may be an appropriate option for the foster child in your care, speak to your caseworker, who will assist you with the application to the KinGAP program. If your application is approved, you will enter into an agreement with the Administration for Children’s Services which will provide the details of the financial assistance and medical coverage to be provided. Please also feel free to contact our office if you have any questions.
Rosin Steinhagen Mendel, PLLC looks forward to assisting you with obtaining legal guardianship through KinGAP. If you have been approved by the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program or simply want to learn more about the program, please contact us at (212) 972-5430 or information@lawrsm.com
