Title IV-E Program

IV-E Guardianship Assistance is intended to help prevent a child from remaining in foster care when reunification with parents and adoption are not appropriate permanency options.

Guardianship assistance supports relatives assuming legal guardianship by providing financial and medical assistance to guardians who are not able to meet their child’s needs without assistance.

A child in the care or custody of the Navajo Nation Department of Family Services has met the following requirements:

• The child must have been removed and complete all eligibility requirements of Title IV-E Foster Care.
• The child is placed with a potential guardian who is considered a relative or kin.
• The child must have resided in the home of the potential guardian for a period of at least six consecutive months during with the potential guardian was a fully licensed foster/kinship home.
• The child demonstrates a strong attachment to the potential guardian.
• The child has special needs or is placed with the potential guardian who indicates an economic need for the child.

• Initial Guardianship Assistance Agreement will be provided before the guardianship is completed.
• Annual Guardianship Assistance Agreement.
• Verification that the child/youth is completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential, enrolled in a post-secondary or vocational education, or participating in a program or activity designed to promote or remove barriers to employment.

IV-E Adoption Assistance is intended to help prevent a child from remaining in foster care when reunification with parents is not an appropriate permanency option. Adoption assistance supports adoptive families assuming legal adoption by providing the following support:

• One-time assistance to assist with the costs of adopting a child.
• Monthly adoption assistance payments to adoptive families to assist with the care of an eligible child.

A child in the care or custody of the Navajo Nation Department of Family Services has met the following requirements:

• The child must have been removed and complete all eligibility requirements of Title IV-E Foster Care.
• The child is placed with a potential guardian who is considered a relative or kin.
• The child must have resided in the home of the potential guardian for a period of at least six consecutive months during with the potential guardian was a fully licensed foster/kinship home.
• The child demonstrates a strong attachment to the potential guardian.
• The child has special needs or is placed with the potential guardian who indicates an economic need for the child.

• Initial Adoption Assistance Agreement will be provided before the adoption is completed.
• Annual Adoption Assistance Agreement.
• Verification that the child/youth is completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential, enrolled in a post-secondary or vocational education, participating in a program or activity designed to promote or remove barriers to employment.