West Virginia2026Enacted

HB4390

Temporary Higher Payments for Kinship Parents

Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 11:08 AM

In one sentence

This law allows kinship parents to receive a temporary payment equal to foster parent rates if they submit criminal history checks within five days of placement and fix life safety issues found in an initial home screening.

Requires the Department of Human Services to pay kinship parents an amount equal to foster parent subsidies for up to six months.
Mandates that kinship parents submit state and national criminal history record checks within five days of a child's initial placement.
Requires kinship parents to complete an initial home screening to identify and correct life safety issues before receiving the higher payment.
Sets the start date for these payments as 30 days after the child is placed with the kinship parent.
Stops the temporary increase in pay if the kinship parent does not become certified as a foster parent within six months.

Kinship parents who care for children
The West Virginia Department of Human Services, which manages payments and background checks
Child placing agencies that help kinship parents get certified as foster parents

Kinship parents must pay their own costs for fingerprinting and criminal history record checks.
The temporary higher payment ends after six months if the parent is not certified as a foster parent, though other resources remain available.
Criminal history records created under this law are not public records.

Plain language

Kinship parent: A relative or other person who cares for a child instead of the biological parents.
Foster parent subsidy: The monthly payment amount given to certified foster parents by the state.
Initial placement: The first day a child moves into the care of the kinship parent.

Official record

Validated

Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent

Official activity