State of Hawaii Foster Parent Licensing Guidelines

• Criminal History Checks/ FBI clearance on all family members 18+ years old.
• Child Abuse and Neglect registry clearances on all family members 18+ years old.
• Safe and clean household. Protection from hazardous items such as poisons, drugs or weapons.
• Ability to appropriately care for children:
  1. Commitment.
  2. Flexibility.
  3. Work cooperatively with Department of Human Services.
  4. Support child’s biological family.
• Medical clearances/ TB clearance on all family members.
• Physical standards of the home:
  1. Children over one year old can not sleep in same room as married couple or with adult of opposite sex.
  2. Children over six years old can not sleep in same room as children over six years old of the opposite sex.
  3. Children must sleep in attached area of home with supervision. Room must be furnished.
  4. Beds must be place three feet apart to provide sufficient passageway.
  5. Bedroom must be at least forty square feet for children under twelve years old or fifty square feet for children over twelve.
• Enough financial stability to support entire family without foster board payments.
• Verification of marriage.
• Two personal references.
• Employment history.

Hawaii Behavioral Health (HBH)

• HBH is a private agency contracted by The Department of Human Services to recruit, train and provide home studies for prospective foster or adoptive parents interested in the general license.
• Applicants must go through PRIDE, an 18 hour pre-service training provided by an HBH trainer and a Foster Parent co-trainer. The purpose of the training is to educate families about the Child Welfare System, on who the children in the CPS system are, what they have experienced and how to meet their needs.
• HBH also performs home studies to confirm that families meet all of the licensing standards. HBH does not license the home nor do they place the children. DHS handles both of these responsibilites.
• Upon completing the application process, the PRIDE training, and having a home study, the foster parent's file is given to DHS. DHS will review the file and issue a general license. This allows the family to accept children in need from their community.

Boarding Payment

• The Department of Human Services pays $529 per foster child. Initial payments can take up to two months to receive.
• Families should be prepared to spend personal finances until they are reimbursed by the state.

Respite Care

• Funds may be available to pay someone to watch foster children if parent(s) need a break. $25 a day when funds available.

Difficulty of Care Payment

• Up to $570 per foster child for higher levels of care.

Additional Medical Treatments

• Up to $500 per child for special medical treatments or medications a child may need upon doctor's recommendation.

Mileage

• Reimbursement of $0.37 a mile when transporting a foster child to appointments, visitations, child-related trainings.

Clothing Allowance

• Up to $125 per year for a child towards proms, uniforms, etc.