Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP)

The Department of Children and Family Services’ Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) provides cash assistance of $450 per month for each eligible child who resides with a qualified relative other than a parent.

Who Is Eligible?

To be eligible for KCSP, the family must meet ALL conditions listed below:

• The child must live in the home of one of the following qualified relatives (either biological or adoptive): grandfather or grandmother (extends to great-great-great), brother or sister (including half), uncle or aunt (extends to great-great), stepbrother, stepsister, first cousin, including first cousin once removed, and nephew or niece (extends to great-great) or the legal spouse of the above-listed relatives even after the marriage is terminated by death or divorce.
• The child must have income of less than $450 per month.
• The child must be under 18 years of age.
• The child must be a resident of Louisiana.
• The qualified relative must have legal custody or obtain it within one year of certification. Legal custody may be through a court and verified through court records or other reliable
  documents, or provisional custody by mandate. Provisional custody by mandate is a notarized authorization made by the person who has custodial rights of the child to a person of legal age to provide care, custody and control of a minor child.
• The qualified relative must have an annual income of less than 150% of the federal poverty threshold, in accordance with the qualified relative’s family size. Income from all sources, except income for children receiving foster care payments or SSI, is considered a determination of eligibility. This includes income from Social Security, Veteran’s benefits, Railroad Retirement, wages and any other regular income.
• The child must not receive SSI or foster care payments.
• The qualified relative must assign to the state all rights to child support from any other person and cooperate with Child Support Enforcement in obtaining child support for the child unless good cause is established.
• The qualified relative must furnish or apply for a social security number for the child.
• The parent(s) of the child must not live in the home of the qualified relative.

How Do I Apply?

YOU MUST:

• Complete the application form.
• Be interviewed.
• Answer all questions completely and honestly.
• Provide proof of statements made in the application regarding eligibility. This proof may include documentation of income, birth, or baptismal record to show the child’s age/relationship, a copy of the court-awarded custody documents or notarized statement, or other documents needed to establish the child’s relationship to the qualified relative.

Visit the CAFÉ Portal to apply online. If you require application assistance, go to a community partner in your area. To request an application by mail, call 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578).

How can I get personal assistance with my KCSP benefits?

• Contact the LAHelpU Customer Service Center with a brief explanation of your reason for writing.
• If you are a current KCSP recipient, please include your full name as it appears in our records, all of your contact information and your case identification number (the smaller number below the 16-digit number on the front of your EBT card).
• If you are not a current KCSP recipient, please include your full name as it appears in our records, all of your contact information, your date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Can I contact my caseworker through CAFE? How?

Yes, KCSP clients can contact their caseworkers through the upgraded CAFÉ Self-Service Portal.

• Log into your CAFÉ account
• Click on “Check My Cases” on your My Account page
• Click on the “Details” link next to the case you are asking about (for example, “KCSP Details” next to your KCSP case) under “Case Summary.” This will take you to the Case Details page.
• On the Case Details page, scroll down to the section labeled “Questions About Your Case?”
• Select your question or topic from the drop-down menu (for example, “I would like to reschedule my interview” or “Why did my case close or benefit amount change?”)
• Click the “Submit Now” button to notify your caseworker of your question
• A message will then be sent to your caseworker for a response. Please note that the response can take up to two business days.
• When your caseworker responds, you will receive a Notification in your CAFÉ account Inbox. Please check your CAFÉ account regularly.

NOTE: If you just need general information about CAFÉ, please use the HELP or FAQs section within CAFÉ. If you would like to request changes or the closure of your case, please complete and submit a Change Report. For other questions, use the “Questions About Your Case?” feature described above. If your question or concern does not appear in this section, you may contact our Customer Service Center at 1-888-LA-HELP-U (1-888-524-3578).

Reporting Misuse of KCSP Benefits

The agency relies on retailers and the public to report the misuse of benefits. To report a complaint to the Fraud & Recovery Unit:

Call: 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) and select Option 6 from the main menu.

Email: [email protected]

Fax: (225) 219-1663

Write:
Fraud and Recovery Unit
P.O. Box 91147
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9147