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Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Create a Kinship Care Navigator Program within the Department of Health and Human Services’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1.  22 MRSA c. 1065  is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 1065
KINSHIP CARE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM
§ 3931. Kinship care navigator program
 
1.  Kinship care defined.     As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, "kinship care" means the care of a child on a temporary or permanent basis, by a person who is not the child's parent but who is either a relative or a person who has a close relationship with the child, whether or not the department was involved with the placement of the child with the person.
 
2.  Program established.     The kinship care navigator program, referred to in this chapter as "the program," is established within the department to provide resources and information to persons providing kinship care to children in the State. The commissioner shall designate one person to administer the program.
 
3.  Services.     The program may:
 
A.  Identify and coordinate existing resources available to persons providing kinship care to children;
 
B.  Develop collaborative working relationships with state agencies, social services agencies and other organizations serving persons providing kinship care to children; and
 
C.  Provide to persons providing kinship care to children referrals to available resources and information about the means of obtaining services from the department.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
 
Office of Child and Family Services - Central 0307
 
Initiative: Provides one Social Services Program Manager position to administer all issues related to the placement of a child with a relative.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21	
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	1.000	1.000	
Personal Services	$69,786	$72,343	
All Other	$4,606	$4,606	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$74,392	$76,949	

OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS	2019-20	2020-21	
Personal Services	$27,139	$28,133	
All Other	$3,222	$3,271	
			
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL	$30,361	$31,404	
 
’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the unanimous report of the committee, replaces the bill. It establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services the kinship care navigator program to provide resources and information to persons providing kinship care to children in the State. It requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to designate one person to administer the program. It also adds an appropriations and allocations section.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)