1. (1) Families with children or youth at imminent risk of out-of-home placement are eligible for emergency assistance. Assistance is available to or on behalf of a needy child or youth who is less than twenty-one years of age and any other member of the household in which the child or youth lives if:

   1. (a) The child or youth is living with kin, as defined in section 26-6-903, in a place of residence maintained by the kin;
   2. (b) Such child is without resources immediately accessible to meet the child's needs; and
   3. (c) The emergency assistance is necessary to avoid destitution or to provide living arrangements for the child in a home.
2. (2) Assistance shall be authorized for a family no more than once during a twelve-month period.

3. (3) Emergency assistance provided pursuant to this article 5.3 may be used for, but is not limited to:

   1. (a) Twenty-four-hour emergency shelter facilities or caretakers for children who must be removed from their homes in emergency situations;
   2. (b) Counseling, including crisis counseling available by telephone twenty-four hours a day;
   3. (c) Information referral;
   4. (d) Intensive family preservation services;
   5. (e) Repealed.
   6. (f) Services used to develop and implement a discrete case plan, as provided by the federal Social Security Act;
   7. (g) Day treatment services for children.
   8. (h) Goods needed for the child's basic care, including beds, clothing, and transportation costs; and
   9. (i) Limited rental or housing assistance, not to exceed a sixty-day subsidy.

Source: L. 93: Entire article added, p. 2000, § 1, effective June 9. L. 97: (3)(f) amended, p. 1244, § 49, effective July 1. L. 2024: IP(1), (1)(a), and IP(3) amended, (3)(e) repealed, and (3)(h) and (3)(i) added, (SB 24-008), ch. 289, p. 1932, § 4, effective September 1.