49-1-8. Website access for social services for kinship caregivers and children in their care.

As used in this Code section, the term:#

1. (1)

   “Basic necessities” means water, electricity, gas, power, light, heat, telephone, or other public utility services.#

2. (2)

   “Child” means any person under 18 years of age.#

3. (3)

   “Kinship caregiver” means a grandparent, aunt, uncle, great aunt, great uncle, cousin, sibling, or close family friend of a child who has assumed responsibility for raising such child in an informal, noncustodial, or guardianship capacity upon the parents of such child losing or abdicating the ability to care for or provide basic necessities for such child.#

4. (4)

   “Parents” means the legal father and the legal mother of a child.#

The department shall have the authority to provide and shall take all necessary steps to so provide a separate link or portal on its website which provides access to social services that are specific to kinship caregivers and the children in their care. Such link or portal shall provide specific information and access for applying for public assistance benefits in this state as a kinship caregiver and on behalf of children in the care of a kinship caregiver.#