AB 12 made two major changes to foster care. The first allows for Kin-GAP Program benefits to be eligible for Federal Financial Participation (FFP). This was implemented via ACL 11-15. The second major provision extends foster care up to age 21 for young adults who meet the federal participation criteria for continued eligibility after age 18, including those served under a State-Tribe IV-E agreement and supervised by probation.

Former foster youth who are in the Kin-GAP program and youth in the Adoption Assistance Program are also eligible for extended benefit payments provided the guardianship was established, or the initial adoption agreement, was signed when the youth was at least 16 years old and one of the eligibility criteria is met.

The extension of foster care and other payment benefits is effective January 1, 2012, up to age 19, and January 1, 2013, up to age 20. Extension of foster care and other payment benefits up to age 21 is effective January 1, 2014, contingent upon legislature appropriation.

The intent of this ACIN is to explain the basic framework of EFC, not to direct counties on how to implement it. Multiple ACLs and All County Information Notices (ACIN) will be released to further explain procedures for implementing AB 12. [Download]