Benefits
Making sure families receive the support they need for the children in their care
By helping caregivers in foster care, guardianship, and adoption secure public funding, the Alliance ensures that families are better equipped to open their homes and hearts to children in need of stability and safety.
Our team also focuses on helping families receive additional funding to support children who require increased care due to medical, behavioral, and/or developmental needs.
"It felt great to finally have someone in our corner, fighting for Dereon’s rights. Juan and Adam had a major impact on our lives; they always stayed in contact and never dropped the ball. The Alliance has opened so many doors for my child ."
- ELIZABETH, CAREGIVER CLIENT
How We Can Help
Our Benefits Program team represents caregivers in foster care, guardianship, and adoption benefits matters so that they can receive funding:
For children in foster care:
- Federal foster care funding
- State foster care funding
- Welfare (CalWORKS)
- Approved Relative Caregiver funding (ARC)
For former foster youth in legal guardianships:
- Kinship Guardianship Assistance (Kin-GAP)
For non-minor dependents:
- Extended Foster Care (AB12)
For children adopted out of foster care:
- Adoption Assistance (AAP)
Home Approvals
We also help caregivers when DCFS does not approve their homes in a timely manner, or refuses to approve their homes at all, rendering them ineligible for foster care funding.
Right to a Fair Hearing
An administrative fair hearing is available to anyone who is not satisfied with an action or inaction taken by the county regarding benefits. The request for a funding hearing must be filed within 90 days after you receive a written Notice of Action (NOA) from the county. The request for a home approval hearing must be filed within 30 days after you receive a written NOA from the county.
A request for hearing may be made in writing or orally. Oral requests are made with California Department of Social Services (CDSS) in Sacramento by calling the toll free number:
1-800-952-5253. If you are hearing or speech-impaired, you can call 1-800-952-8349.
In Los Angeles County, written requests are to be sent to:
Department of Children and Family Services
Appeal and State Hearing Section
9320 Telstar Avenue, Suite 216
El Monte, CA 91731-2816
Resources:
The Alliance is Here.
If you are having any problems obtaining the proper level of funding for the children in your care, and/or problems getting your home approved by DCFS, please reach out.
