Section 17-1425-2 - Eligibility requirements for foster grandparents(a) In order to qualify as a foster grandparent, a person shall: (1) Be sixty years of age or older;(2) Have a total annual cash income from all resources at or below the income eligibility level established and revised annually by the director of ACTION for the State. (A) Income eligibility levels shall be reviewed at least once a year;(B) A foster grandparent shall remain eligible to serve and to receive a stipend as long as the individual's income does not exceed ACTION'S income guidelines by twenty percent;(3) Be physically and mentally able to serve as verified by a physical examination conducted by a licensed physician;(4) Not be in the regular work force;(5) Be willing to accept required supervision, and be capable of serving assigned persons with special or exceptional needs on a personalized and regular basis without detriment either to themselves or the individuals served;(6) Be able to regularly participate in the program, generally four hours a day, for a total of not more than twenty hours a week;(7) Understand the exceptional needs of children served and have a desire to help the children's individual growth and development; and(8) Not have a criminal, employment, or other background history which poses a risk to the individuals served by the program. (A) Applicants and current program participants who have not done so, shall provide the program with information concerning any criminal, employment, and other background history, and consent to history checks by the program. Such information and consent shall be given on forms provided by the program. Applicants shall include those individuals reapplying to the program more than one year after terminating their participation in the program.(B) The program shall submit the names of applicants and current program participants to the Hawaii criminal justice data center and the child abuse and neglect registry for background history checks. All information received from the Hawaii criminal justice data center and the child abuse and neglect registry shall be kept confidential.(C) An application may be denied or a participant terminated from the program when the individual has: (i) A conviction for a crime involving violence, alcohol or drug abuse, a sex offense, or any other crime, the circumstances of which indicate that the individual may pose a danger to the individuals served by the program;(ii) Been identified as the perpetrator of child abuse or neglect; or(iii) An employment history indicating violence, alcohol or drug abuse, and any other violation of employer rule or policy the circumstances of which indicate that the applicant or participant may pose a danger to the individuals served.(D) The type of offense, when it occurred, and evidence of rehabilitation will be considered in determining whether the individual's criminal or employment history poses a risk to the health, safety, or well-being of the individuals served.(E) Refusal to sign the consent form for history checks shall be cause for denying an application or terminating a participant.(F) Applicants and program participants may request to review the information provided by the Hawaii criminal justice data center and the child abuse and neglect registry and shall have the opportunity to explain, refute, and provide additional information.(b) There shall be no enrollment barriers relating to experience, citizenship, education, race, sex, color, creed, belief, national origin, or political affiliation.(c) Married couples may serve jointly as foster grandparents when: (1) The couple marries after enrollment. Under this condition each individual may continue to receive a stipend; or(2) Either husband or wife serves without receiving a stipend.(d) Individuals aged sixty or older may be enrolled in the foster grandparent program as volunteers without stipends when: (1) The individual's income exceeds ACTION'S income eligibility guidelines; and(2) There is no retired senior volunteer program (RSVP) project co-located with the foster grandparent program; or(3) The RSVP project is unable or unwilling to provide the management role of placing the volunteer at the foster grandparent program's volunteer station.(e) Volunteers enrolled in the foster grandparent program without stipends shall: (1) Be encouraged to serve twenty hours a week and, to the extent possible, to serve a minimum of two clients on a regular basis; and(2) Be entitled to all foster grandparent benefits except for the stipend. No appropriated funds shall be used to pay for the benefits.[Eff 6/29/92; am 8/05/93] (Auth: HRS § 346-56; HRS §§ 346-14) (Imp: 45 C.F.R. §1208.3-5)