<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" citation="COMAR 07.02.29.03" title_num="07" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="29" heading="General Requirements.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Both the child and the relative caregiver shall meet the eligibility requirements stated in Regulations .04 and .05 of this chapter, respectively; and</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The child shall be placed with the relative caregiver for at least the last 6 consecutive months prior to the establishment of a guardianship assistance; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The relative caregiver home shall be approved as a resource home or kinship care home for the last 6 consecutive months in which the child resided with the relative caregiver.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>The local department shall negotiate and enter into a binding guardianship assistance agreement with the proposed relative caregiver prior to the court decree of custody and guardianship to the relative caregiver.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>The effective date of the guardianship assistance payment shall be the date the court awards custody and guardianship to the relative caregiver.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Guardianship assistance program participation may not be:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Transferred to a person who is not a party to the guardianship assistance agreement including the spouse of the relative guardian who has chosen not to be a party to the agreement or the guardianship; or</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Applied retroactively to a time prior to the execution of the guardianship assistance agreement and guardianship decree of the court.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>