Provides that all extended benefits offered by DCYF to foster children shall be extended to children placed in guardianship.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require Rhode Island's Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to provide the same extended support benefits to children in guardianship arrangements that are currently available to children in foster care. Right now, foster children can access certain extended benefits — such as continued services or support after a certain age — but children placed in guardianship with a relative or other caregiver may not automatically qualify for those same benefits.

The bill aims to close that gap by ensuring that a child's legal placement type doesn't determine whether they can access extended support. In practice, this means children living with a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other guardian would have access to the same resources and services as children in traditional foster care placements.

The people most directly affected would be children currently living with guardians rather than in foster families or group homes, as well as the adults who care for them. Guardians — who are often relatives stepping in to care for a child — could also benefit from having access to the same support systems that foster parents currently rely on.

The bill was introduced in the Rhode Island House and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, which has recommended holding it for further study. A hearing is scheduled for February 2026, meaning lawmakers are still reviewing and discussing the proposal before deciding whether to move it forward.