Page 46

July 1, 2026 | 46

the Level I Licensure within six months or the dependency case closes within six months, the payment increase will reduce back to the original payment levels.

Restriction on the Amount, Duration, or Frequency of Services or Payments: The program pays a special monthly relative caregiver benefit based on the child's age within a payment schedule set by DCF. Children placed in Florida from another state or placed by Florida in another state are not eligible for the program. Use of federal TANF and state MOE is limited to relative caregivers only. The state uses separate state non-MOE funds for non-relative caregivers.

Major Activities: The program assures children otherwise at risk of foster care placement, achieve a sense of permanence and stability in a supportive home that provides for their well-being and support services, including, but not limited to, access to immunizations, education, any necessary mental health services, and other services as needed.

Referral Mechanisms to Other Programs to Assist Transition from Welfare to Work: N/A

5.8 DEFINITION OF UNWED BIRTHS AND FLORIDA’S GOALS FOR REDUCING OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS

Florida defines “out-of-wedlock” as: “The mother is not married at the time of delivery.” If the parents were married at time of conception, but are not married at time of delivery, this is termed an “unwed birth.” If the father dies prior to delivery, this is termed an “unwed birth.”

The birth rate among teens 19 and under in Florida and the nation is steadily declining. In Florida, the birth rate for female teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 was 50.6 per 1,000 females in 2000. In 2018, this rate declined to 16.7 per 1,000 females. The state has a broad array of programming directed toward reducing out-of-wedlock births and teenage pregnancy. They are not in this plan because they are offered through public agencies and private or community-based groups that make them available to individuals and families without regard to specialized eligibility criteria and they are not receiving TANF or MOE funding.

The Department of Education offers programs and initiatives extensively throughout Florida through its school districts, the Department of Health through its local health agencies, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Legal Affairs, the Urban League, and a variety of community and church groups. All provide for outreach and education and seek non-restricted participation in their activities.

Examples: • Education Now and Babies Later (ENABL) • Teen Pregnancy Programs in school districts • Sexual Risk Avoidance Programs