Relating to monetary assistance provided by the Department of Family and Protective Services to certain parents.

HB 1155 creates a "Monitored Return Assistance Program" to provide monetary aid to low-income parents involved in court-ordered child reunification cases. The bill directly affects parents with family incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level who demonstrate economic barriers - such as unemployment, housing costs, or childcare expenses - as the primary obstacle to safely reunifying with their children. The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) will disburse assistance in the same manner as foster care payments, including aligning with existing rate increases, and may extend payments for up to six months after case closure to support family stability. This program applies retroactively to all relevant court orders, regardless of when they were issued.