Code Section

11378.  

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide a seamless and minimally intrusive process to allow an otherwise federally eligible child who is receiving assistance payments under this article to access the benefits of federally funded Kin-GAP pursuant to Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385). The transition to federally funded Kin-GAP shall be accomplished with minimal disruption to the existing relative guardian and the child, and with no break in the continuity of assistance payments.

(b) Effective on the date that the director executes the declaration described in Section 11379, at the time of the annual redetermination of the state-funded Kin-GAP benefits, the county shall determine whether the child was receiving federal AFDC-FC payments prior to receiving Kin-GAP, while a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court. Those children determined to have previously received AFDC-FC payments shall be reassigned to the county social worker, who shall inform the relative guardian, and the child if over 12 years of age, of the benefits of transitioning to federal Kin-GAP and the process for making the transition. The process described in this subdivision shall continue for at least 12 calendar months, or until all state-funded Kin-GAP cases as of the effective date described in this subdivision have been processed.

(c) Upon completion of the negotiated Kin-GAP agreement and confirmation that the child satisfies the conditions for federal financial participation, the child shall be eligible for federally funded Kin-GAP pursuant to Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385).

(d) The county shall terminate the state-funded Kin-GAP payment made pursuant to the former Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360), and with no break in the continuity of aid, shall commence payments under the federal Kin-GAP program pursuant to Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385).