Kentucky Kinship Foster Care Payment Rates and How to Get Certified

Relative foster care in Kentucky pays significantly more than K-TAP child-only, but it requires something K-TAP does not: DCBS involvement, background checks, home certification, and training. Whether the trade-off makes sense depends on your situation.

The Payment Rates

During the certification process, DCBS pays a reduced daily stipend of $12.00 while you complete the required training. Once you are fully certified as a relative foster parent, the rate jumps to the standard foster care per diem schedule:

• Basic rate: $27.00 per day (~$810/month)
• Therapeutic and specialized rates: up to $80.75 per day (~$2,423/month), depending on the child's assessed care level

Compare that to K-TAP child-only, which maxes out at $372 per month for one child. The foster care per diem for one child at the basic rate is more than double the K-TAP maximum.

What Certification Requires

Becoming a certified relative foster parent in Kentucky involves several steps managed by the DCBS Division of Protection and Permanency:

1. Background checks for all adults in the household — criminal records, child abuse registry, and sex offender registry
2. Home study to verify the home meets safety and space standards
3. Training hours in foster care procedures, trauma-informed care, and the child's specific needs
4. Ongoing case plan participation — regular meetings with your DCBS caseworker and cooperation with the child's permanency plan

The child must already be in cabinet custody for this pathway to exist. You cannot apply for relative foster care certification if the child is living with you informally without a child welfare case.

How It Leads to KinGAP

Relative foster care certification is the gateway to KinGAP (Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program). To qualify for KinGAP's permanent monthly subsidy and ongoing Medicaid:

1. The child must live in your certified relative foster home for at least six consecutive months under cabinet custody
2. DCBS and the court must rule out reunification with the biological parents and adoption
3. You and DCBS negotiate and sign a written KinGAP agreement before the court finalizes the guardianship or custody order

That last step is non-negotiable. If the court grants you permanent custody before the KinGAP agreement is signed, Title IV-E eligibility is permanently lost. The agreement timing is a federal requirement, and Kentucky cannot waive it.

When Relative Foster Care Makes Sense

If DCBS has already removed the child and placed them with you, you are likely already on this track. The question is whether to complete the full certification or remain an informal relative placement receiving only Placement Support and K-TAP child-only.

The financial difference is substantial. But the certification process adds oversight — home inspections, case plan reviews, and the child remaining in cabinet custody until permanency is reached. Some families find that trade-off worthwhile for the higher payment and the path to KinGAP. Others prefer to pursue private guardianship through the courts and rely on K-TAP.

The Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Kentucky guide maps out both pathways side by side — the relative foster care track and the informal/guardianship track — with the dollar amounts and requirements for each, so you can make an informed decision with your caseworker.

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