Direct access to Title IV-E funds

Effective 10/09, subject to HHS approval, Indian Tribes or Tribal consortia are permitted to directly operate Title IV-E programs and claim federal reimbursement of eligible foster care maintenance, adoption assistance, or kinship guardianship assistance payments, and related administrative costs made on behalf of eligible children under Tribal responsibility.  Tribes are now also eligible to receive direct allocations of federal funds from the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program.  The Act allows states and Tribes to continue to operate or create Tribal/state agreements to administer the IV-E program.

One-time federal grants (Sec. 302)

HHS is authorized to make one-time grants of up to $300,000 to Tribes that apply for funding to assist in developing a Title IV-E plan to implement a Title IV-E program directly.

Federal technical assistance (Sec. 302)

The Act requires HHS to provide technical assistance and implementation services to Tribes seeking to operate Title IV-B and IV-E programs or enter into cooperative agreements with States under the new provisions of the Act.