The Permanency Care Assistance program gives financial support to kinship caregivers who want to provide a permanent home to children who can't be reunited with their parents. In most cases, kinship caregivers are relatives such as aunts, uncles, or grandparents.

Monthly payments are $400 - $545 per month, depending upon the each child's needs.

To qualify, you must:

  1. Apply to become foster parents.
  2. Care for the child as foster parents for at least six months.
  3. Negotiate and sign a Permanency Care Agreement.
  4. Go to court to get legal custody of the child.

PCA benefits continue until children turn 18 or 21 if the child is 16 years old or older when adopted. The PCA process and monthly payments are the same as those in the adoption assistance program. 

History

The 81st Texas legislature approved the PCA program in 2009. DFPS adopted the necessary rules on March 1, 2010 (TAC 700.1025--700.1057) and the policy took effect on September 1, 2010 (CPS Handbook 6680). Kinship caregivers began receiving PCA benefits on October 1, 2010.