Texas DFPS Kinship Payment Rates: Daily Reimbursement, Foster Rates, and How to Apply

The Two DFPS Payment Tracks

When DFPS removes a child from a parent's home and places them with a relative, that relative can receive daily payments from the state. But the amount depends on whether you complete foster home verification or remain an unverified kinship caregiver. The difference is substantial.

Unverified kinship caregivers receive $23.45 per day per child through the Relative and Other Designated Caregiver (RODC) Program. That works out to approximately $703.50 per month.

Verified kinship foster parents — relatives who complete the full foster home licensing process — receive the standard foster care maintenance rate of $27.07 or more per day per child, approximately $812.10 per month. Children with higher service levels receive elevated rates.

Both payments are only available when the child is in DFPS conservatorship — meaning DFPS has legal custody following a child protective investigation. Relatives caring for children under informal family arrangements, private guardianship, or court-ordered conservatorship obtained without DFPS involvement are not eligible for either payment.

RODC Program: The Unverified Kinship Path

The RODC stipend is the faster path. After DFPS places a child with you, a caseworker conducts a home assessment and you sign a Kinship Caregiver Agreement. Once approved, payments start.

Eligibility requirements:

• The child must be in DFPS conservatorship (temporary or permanent)
• Your total household income must be at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level
• You must complete a home assessment by DFPS
• You must sign the Kinship Caregiver Agreement
• You must begin kinship caregiver training

The $23.45 daily rate went into effect January 1, 2025, nearly doubling the previous rate of $12.67 per day. This is per child — if you are caring for two siblings placed by DFPS, you receive the rate for each child.

Duration: The RODC stipend is temporary. It pays for up to 12 months, with a possible 6-month extension if there is documented good cause (such as a pending parental rights termination or an ongoing foster verification process). After that window closes, the payments stop unless you have completed foster home verification and transitioned to the foster care rate.

Start-up reimbursement: In addition to the daily rate, DFPS provides a one-time start-up reimbursement of up to $1,000 per child group for immediate integration needs — beds, bedding, car seats, clothing, and similar essentials.

Verified Foster Care: The Higher Rate

Completing foster home verification through a licensed child-placing agency gets you the full foster care maintenance rate. The base rate starts at $27.07 per day, and children assessed at moderate or specialized service levels receive higher payments.

The verification process includes background checks, home inspection, first aid and CPR training, and required foster parent training hours. It takes time — typically several months — but the financial difference over the long term is significant. More importantly, verified foster parents become eligible for Permanency Care Assistance (PCA) if the case moves toward permanent placement.

Post-PMC Reimbursement for Unverified Caregivers

If DFPS conservatorship ends and a family court awards you Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC) without you having completed foster verification, the daily RODC payments stop. You then become eligible for a different, smaller payment: the Post-PMC Annual Reimbursement of $500 per year, payable for up to three years or until the child turns 18 — whichever comes first.

Compare that to PCA, which pays verified foster caregivers $400 to $545 per month until the child turns 18. PCA also requires at least six consecutive months caring for the child as a verified foster parent, DFPS to rule out reunification and adoption, and a signed agreement before the PMC order. The gap between $500 per year and $400 per month is the cost of not completing foster verification while you had the chance.

How to Apply

You do not apply for DFPS payments the way you apply for TANF or SNAP. The process starts when DFPS places a child in your home:

1. DFPS caseworker identifies you as a potential kinship placement
2. DFPS conducts a home assessment
3. You sign the Kinship Caregiver Agreement
4. DFPS enrolls you in the RODC program and payments begin
5. If you choose to pursue verification, DFPS connects you with a child-placing agency

If DFPS has placed a child with you and you have not been told about the RODC stipend, ask your DFPS caseworker directly. Some caregivers go months without knowing they qualify because the information was not volunteered.

Medicaid Comes with the Placement

Children in DFPS conservatorship are automatically enrolled in Medicaid through the STAR Health managed care program, which is specifically designed for foster and kinship children. This covers medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health services. You do not need to apply separately — DFPS handles the enrollment.

Mapping Your Best Path

The payment you receive depends on your verification status and the child's legal situation, and these change over time. Our Texas Kinship Financial Help Guide includes a placement pathway comparison showing the dollar difference between each track and a benefit tracking calendar so you know exactly when RODC payments are set to expire.

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