States and Territories That Have Adopted Separate Licensing or Approval Standards for Relative or Kinship Foster Family Homes
A final rule approved in 2023 allows title IV-E agencies to adopt separate licensing or approval standards for relative kinship foster family homes to increase the utilization of kinship family placements and states that licensed or approved relative or kinship foster family homes should receive the same foster care maintenance payment amount that would have been made if the child was placed in a non-related/non-kinship foster family home. A new Information Memorandum provides an update to the National Model Foster Family Home Licensing Standards to reduce unnecessary administrative burden and clarify how the standards apply to non-kinship foster families as title IV-E agencies adopt kin-specific licensing standards.
This map highlights which states and territories have federally approved amendments to their title IV-E plans and adopted separate licensing standards. As of April 2026, 20 state plans have been approved: Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington. This map will be updated on a quarterly basis as state and territory plan amendments are approved. CB is reviewing the plans for two additional states.
The Children’s Bureau has also approved the separate licensing standards from 5 tribes: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (NC), Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Pascua Yaqui Tribe (AZ), Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (AZ), and Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe (WA).
For questions regarding these approved amendments or a specific state, territory or tribe, please contact your regional program manager.