LEGISLATION TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES

In response to the Trump Administration's immigration policies as well as recent ICE raids here in DC, we submitted a recommendation to Councilmember Brianne Nadeau to amend the DC Standby Guardianship Act to expand the definition of “triggering event” to include “adverse immigration action.” This expansion will allow parents to designate a standby guardian for their children not only in the case of parental death or incapacity, but also deportation or detention . On July 9, 2019, Councilmember Nadeau, joined by ALL of her colleagues, introduced the Standby Guardian Emergency Amendment Act of 2019 (Bill 23-0384) to create this expansion,and it was approved as emergency legislation by unanimous vote ! In her speech from the dais announcing the legislation, Councilmember Nadeau thanked DC KinCare Alliance for our help.

DC is only the third jurisdiction in the country to pass this type of legislation!

LEGISLATION TO HELP RELATIVE CAREGIVERS RAISE DC CHILDREN

On July 16, 2019, Mayor Bowser signed into law the Close Relative Caregiver Subsidy Pilot Program Establishment Emergency Amendment Act of 2019 (Bill 23-0358), which had been unanimously approved by the DC City Council. This Act will expand the Grandparent Caregiver Program Subsidy to aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces, and nephews who are caring for DC children . For more than 10 years, the subsidy was limited to grandparents, great aunts and great uncles. Expanding this subsidy to other relatives will make a real difference in the lives of kinship families -- making it possible for ALL relative caregivers to have food and housing stability while caring for DC at-risk children. Significantly, DC's FY 2020 budget provides $500,000 to fund expansion of the subsidy to these additional relative caregivers! Implementation is expected on or about October 1, 2019. We want to thank our relative caregiver clients who testified and submitted written statements to the DC City Council in support of this expansion . We could not have done this without you!