The Kinship Permanency Incentive (KPI) program was created to support children in the homes of family or friends who have committed to caring for them when birth parents cannot. KPI provides time-limited incentive payments to families caring for their kin. Eligible kinship caregivers will receive an initial payment of $525.00 per child to defray costs of initial placement and may receive subsequent payments of $300.00 per child at six-month intervals to support the stability of the child's placement in the home. The maximum incentive amount may not exceed eight payments and will not be provided for longer than forty-eight consecutive months. KPI payments are in addition to Ohio Works First (OWF) cash assistance received for the child.

Eligibility requirements for Ohio's Kinship Permanency Incentive Program include:

• The court must have awarded legal custody or guardianship of the child on or after July 1, 2005 to the kinship caregiver, based on the best interest of the child.
• The gross income of the caregiver's family, including the child, may not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
• The public children services agency must have the following prior to the initial payment:
  • A completed Relative or Non-Relative Substitute Placement Approval Process
  • Agree to a criminal background check and fingerprints
  • Provide proof of income and the most recent report card or attendance record for each child
  • Completion of an application form. All subsequent payments will need a completed application form only.