<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-527" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Child Care; Foster Care">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Department shall adopt rules and regulations that establish eligibility guidelines for payment for foster care for 1 or more classes of children, including children who are in need of special care.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>For a child who does not need special care, the Department shall pay for foster care in a single family home at a monthly rate that is not less than 55% of the monthly rate provided in subsection (c) of this section for a child who requires the most demanding special care in a single family home.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The monthly rate shall include increments based on the age of the child.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Department shall pay for foster care for a child who needs the most demanding special care in a single family home at a monthly rate that is not less than the higher of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the rate that the Department paid in fiscal year 1975; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the rate that the Department of Juvenile Services pays for the current fiscal year.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
