Foster Care Payments
Foster Care Payments are made by an authorized federal, state, or local government foster care agency. These payments are made to licensed and unlicensed custodial caretakers of a foster care child up to the child's 18th birthday.
Foster care participants are not eligible for CA when the foster care payment is intended to cover the foster care participant's
basic needs(g), and any of the following applies:
●The foster care participant is placed with a licensed custodial caretaker and resides in a foster home or group home.
NOTE When the Foster care participant is placed with an unlicensed custodial caretaker, the unlicensed custodial caretaker may be eligible for CA.
●The foster care participant is 18 years old and voluntarily remains in foster care by enrolling in the Voluntary Foster Care for Young Adults Program.
NOTE When a foster care participant turns 18 and is not enrolled in the Voluntary Foster Care for Young Adults Program, any foster care payment received is countable. Key the OA Unearned Income Code in the INC TYPE field on UNIC.
●The foster care participant, between 17 and 21 years old, is receiving an Independent Living Subsidy. The subsidy is intended to assist the youth through the transition into adulthood.
NOTE Caretakers of foster care participants may be eligible for CA in an
Adult Only CA Case.
For NA, the caretaker has the option to include the foster care participant in the NA budgetary unit. When the foster care participant is included, the foster care payment is countable. (See
Foster Care Participant-NA)
Key the FC Unearned Income Code in the INC TYPE field on UNIC next to the child for whom the payment is intended.
When the receipt of Foster Care Payments are received and expected to continue, budget the income as follows:
●When the daily rate does not vary, multiply the daily rate by 365 days and divide by 12 to determine the monthly amount. Key the MO Income Frequency Code on UNIC using the FC Unearned Income type code.
●When the daily rate varies, review all income received in the past 30 calendar days, and calculate a daily average amount. Multiply the daily average amount by 365 days and divide by 12 to determine the monthly amount. Key the MO Income Frequency Code on UNIC using the FC Unearned Income type code.
When the Foster Care Payments received from the past 30 calendar days or longer do not represent the participant’s ongoing income, see
Projecting Income.
When unable to obtain proof from the sources listed in
UNIN verification to verify receipt of State of Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) Foster Care payments, send a request via email to the
DCS Verification Contact.