Kentucky Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP) for Relative Caregivers

KinGAP is the closest thing Kentucky has to a permanent monthly stipend for kinship caregivers who take legal guardianship of a foster child. But it comes with a strict legal sequence, and missing one step — especially the agreement timing — permanently disqualifies the child from federal funding.

What KinGAP Provides

Under 922 KAR 1:140 and 42 U.S.C. 673, KinGAP gives relative caregivers who assume permanent legal guardianship or custody of a foster child:

• Monthly financial subsidy negotiated based on the child's needs, up to the maximum standard foster care board rate the child would have received in state care
• Ongoing Medicaid coverage for the child, which transfers across state lines under ICAMA if you relocate
• Reimbursement of nonrecurring legal costs for securing guardianship, subject to state caps

Payments normally end at age 18. However, they can extend to age 21 if the KinGAP agreement was executed after the youth turned 16 and the youth is completing high school, enrolled in post-secondary education, participating in an employment program, or has a documented disability.

The Eligibility Sequence

KinGAP is not something you can apply for cold. It requires completing a specific series of steps in order:

1. Child welfare removal: the child is formally removed from the home by court order and committed to CHFS/DCBS legal custody
2. Relative foster home certification: you complete background checks and training to become a certified relative foster parent
3. Six-month placement: the child lives in your certified relative foster home for at least six consecutive months while in cabinet custody
4. Reunification and adoption ruled out: DCBS and the court formally determine that the biological parents will not regain custody and adoption is not appropriate
5. Written KinGAP agreement signed: you and DCBS negotiate the subsidy amount and sign the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Agreement
6. Court finalizes custody: the court enters the permanent guardianship or custody order, and the child exits foster care onto the KinGAP subsidy

The Agreement Timing Rule

Step 5 must happen before Step 6. The written agreement must be fully executed before the court enters the final judicial order. This is a federal Title IV-E requirement, not a Kentucky quirk. If the court finalizes custody before the agreement is signed, Title IV-E KinGAP eligibility is permanently lost — you cannot go back and fix it.

This means coordination between your caseworker, your attorney, and the court. Do not let anyone rush the custody hearing before the agreement is in hand.

How Payment Rates Are Set

KinGAP payments are individually negotiated. The starting point is the foster care board rate the child was receiving, but the final amount reflects the child's physical, emotional, and behavioral needs. Children with higher assessed care levels (therapeutic or specialized needs) typically negotiate higher subsidies.

The rate is set in the agreement before the court order, based on the child's needs and capped at the standard foster care board rate.

KinGAP vs. K-TAP Child-Only

If you are raising a relative's child informally or with a private guardianship — outside the child welfare system — KinGAP is not available. That track requires DCBS involvement from the start. K-TAP child-only is the cash option for informal arrangements, with payments up to $372 per month for one child.

The Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Kentucky guide walks through both paths in detail, including a decision flowchart that helps you identify which programs match your care arrangement.

See more Kentucky guides →