Foster and Family Support Grant Program.

(1) The Legislature recognizes that children and families thrive when caregivers are engaged, supported, and equipped to meet their responsibilities. It is the intent of the Legislature to strengthen community-based support that promotes stable caregiving relationships, responsible parenting, and improved outcomes for vulnerable children. Therefore, the Foster and Family Support Grant Program is created within the department.

(2) The department shall award grants to not-for-profit, faith-based organizations to support their efforts in the recruitment of foster and adoptive families through faith-based organizations and strengthening local capacity to support foster, adoptive, and kinship families and families caring for vulnerable children in underserved and rural communities. The program shall emphasize sustained, community-based support beyond initial licensure or training in order to improve caregiver retention and outcomes for children.

(3) Awarded grant funds must be used to provide education, resources, training, and technical assistance to eligible faith-based organizations involved in foster care, adoption, and family preservation activities and to support the development of trauma-informed, community-based support systems for families throughout the caregiving continuum. Allowable uses of funds include, but are not limited to:

(a) Outreach and recruitment activities to increase the number of licensed foster and adoptive families;

(b) Training and support for organizations and volunteers assisting foster, adoptive, and kinship families and families;

(c) Trauma-informed training, coaching, and counseling services for caregivers, families, and individuals involved in supporting children in out-of-home care or at risk of entry into care;

(d) Program support and other activities to strengthen local capacities to support foster, adoptive, and kinship families and families;

(e) Expansion of foster parent training initiatives designed to improve caregiver engagement, retention, and placement stability;

(f) Development of volunteer-based wrap-around support services for foster and adoptive families, including kinship caregivers;

(g) Assistance with essential family needs for families actively fostering, adopting, or pursuing licensure, consistent with federal and state law; and

(h) Ongoing family mentoring and peer support to promote placement stability, permanency, and family well-being.

(4) Grant recipients must submit reports to the department in a format and at intervals, at least annually, as prescribed by the department.

(5) The department may adopt rules to implement this section.