Updated National Model Foster Family Home Licensing Standards, Kin-Specific Foster Family Home Licensing Standards, and Updates to the Responsibilities and Recommendations for Licensing Agencies

The purpose of this Information Memorandum (IM) is to update 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.

The IM encourages title IV-E agencies to review and streamline foster family home licensing standards, adopt kin-specific standards where appropriate, and remove barriers that may delay safe placements for children. It includes updated National Model Foster Family Home Licensing Standards and Kin-Specific Foster Family Home Licensing Standards, as well as recommended licensing agency practices to improve timeliness, responsiveness, and support for prospective foster families.