FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky auditor Allison Ball, R-Ky., announced she has launched an inquiry into whether Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration can implement Senate Bill 151, a bill pertaining to kinship care.
Ball said, “We do this all the time we look at the books, we figure out what money is available how we budget it. This is an area of expertise for us.”
The new law, which went into effect in July, seeks to allow kinship or fictive kin caregivers caring for a minor relative the ability to change their placement status from temporary custody to a child-specific foster home and provide financial help. Norma Hatfield, president of Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky, advocated for the bill.
“Whatever that circumstance is that has them removed that in itself is stressful and placing them with somebody they know they’re going to sleep a little better that night, they’re going to do better in school,” Hatfield said.
Hatfield is a grandmother raising her two grandchildren. The law has not been implemented as the Cabinet for Health and Family Services says they weren’t provided the funding by lawmakers. Hatfield, dismayed at the law not doing what it’s intended, asked Ball to step in.
“Perhaps there’s federal dollars that are just being overlooked and discretionary money that’s been overlooked so my job is to find out what’s really going on and look at the facts so that way the people who are in charge of implementation can go ahead and do that,” Ball said.
The law requires CHFS to write regulations and, if necessary, apply for state or federal waivers. Gov. Andy Beshear, R-Ky., signed the bill into law in April, but also asked lawmakers to provide $20 million for implementation.
“You can’t come up with a dollar figure of what it’s going to cost from the state general fund until those two things happen,” said State Senator Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville.
Raque Adams was the primary sponsor of the bill. She said she is thrilled to see the auditor’s office step in.
“You can’t pick and choose what law you decide to faithfully execute and which laws you choose to ignore that is his [Beshear’s] constitutional duty is to faithfully execute those laws and the mechanics of the bill have not been met,” Raque Adams said.
Hatfield is grateful for the auditor hearing her plea. Her only goal is to help families in Kentucky like hers.
“My goal is one thing, let’s add some humanity back into a distressful child welfare system and that’s what I want, I don’t care how that gets resolved as long as we do what the bill intends to be done,” Hatfield said.
The governor’s office sent Spectrum News 1 a statement that reads:
“While the Governor signed and supports the bill that would help our children and families, about $20 million would be needed to provide the services, and, on multiple occasions, the administration relayed this information to the bill sponsor, LRC staff and members of the General Assembly. Lawmakers had the opportunity to deliver the funding during the session but chose not to. It is simple: The state cannot implement programs and policies if we don’t have the funding needed to do so—and the Kentucky Supreme Court agrees.”