KENTUCKY, USA — Senate Bill 151, known as the Kinship Bill, became law in July but it still has yet to be implemented due to an ongoing debate on how it will actually be funded.
The law gives children removed from an abusive home the power to give the court a list of relatives they believe could be their caregivers. It also gives those family members time to determine if they can financially support the child.
On Wednesday, State Auditor Allison Ball announced her office is looking into the financial dispute to potentially start helping families soon than later.
Longtime advocate for kinship care in Kentucky, Norma Hatfield, was the woman who convinced Ball to get involved.
"I have looked into the eyes of kids that have been abused or neglected," Hatfield said. "And once you've done that you have to do something."
While addressing legislators in a interim joint committee for families and children on Wednesday, Ball said this is just an inquiry to see if they can help resolve this financial dispute between them and Gov. Andy Beshear's cabinet.
"It's to get the actual facts," she said. "So that way, this issue can be resolved once and for all. Hopefully just implementing the bill that's already been passed."
Hatfield, who took in her granddaughters after navigating 18 months in the child welfare system, sat next to Ball during Wednesday's testimony.
"My grandchildren went into the child welfare system 10 years ago and they went straight into foster care we didn't get a phone call," Hatfield said. "I was supposed to pick them up the next day to take them to Disney World and instead they went to another county. It's confusing, it's complex, it's emotional not only for the child but for the caregiver. I don't sleep at night because I'm always thinking of those families."
The law aims to remove that barrier Hatfield endured, giving relatives time to determine if they can support the child before being placed in the foster care system.
"I mean we got elderly grandparents that are signing a form in a moment where children can be in the hospital and they don't know what they're signing," Hatfield said. "All they want to do is sign whatever form there is so they can take charge and care for that child."
Ball told legislators her office will be making all attempts to find a collaborative effort with Beshear and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
WHAS11 asked Beshear about the dispute in August. His office sent a letter to legislators on why his cabinet can't fund the extra $20 million of support to implement this bill.
"This is a regular thing that they've decided not to fund, that I think they should have funded, and are now looking to blame somebody else," the governor said.
Hatfield said she wants Beshear to bring everyone to the table.
"Show me, show the kids and families of Kentucky that you're serious and let's get something done," she said. "Don't just say there's a $20 million price tag and just step back because I know we can do more."
According to Kentucky Youth Advocates, there are about 60,000 children under kinship care that could benefit from this law.
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