the florida network of youth and family services, inc. title iv-e waiver training beverly dunn title...

THE THE FLORIDA NETWORK OF YOUTH FLORIDA NETWORK OF YOUTH

AND FAMILY SERVICES, INC.AND FAMILY SERVICES, INC.

TITLE IV-E WAIVER TITLE IV-E WAIVER TRAININGTRAINING

Beverly DunnBeverly DunnTitle IV-E ConsultantTitle IV-E Consultant

[email protected]@comcast.net

Title IV-E Waiver Training March 2007/ Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, Inc. 2

THE FLORIDA NETWORK OF YOUTH AND FAMILY

SERVICES, INC.

TITLE IV-E WAIVER TRAINING


Session Objectives

Understand the Title IV-E Waiver

Gain an Understanding of Why the IV-E Waiver is Important to me

Gain Understanding of Who Determines Title IV-E Eligibility

Learn the Title IV-E Foster Care (Substitute Care) Eligibility Simplification Process for Title

IV-E Presumptive Eligibility


The Title IV-E Waiver

The Federal government assists states in paying for out-of-home care for children and youth

It will ensure that the child’s safety is the first priority in administration of the IV-E Waiver program

Obtain reimbursement for allowable agency youth expenditures


The Title IV-E Waiver(continued)

Federal Agency: US Dept of Health & Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

History

Legal Authority: Social Security Act, Section 472 Public Law 96-272 45 CFR, Parts 1355 - 1357 Section 409.166, Florida Statutes



October 1, 2006 the IV-E Waiver was authorized by the HHS-ACF for a five-year period, under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act

Allows Florida the time and ability to demonstrate that flexibility in funding will result in improved services for families.



Because of this flexibility, the IV-E Waiver allows federal reimbursement for both “presumptive” IV-E eligible and Non-eligible placements

Technically, there are no more determinations of eligibility for IV-E. Thus, “presumptive” eligibility


Why IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Simplification?

Intent of Simplified Eligibility: To remove unnecessary eligibility related activities eliminated under the IV-E Waiver

Preserve a packet of information in youth’s case management file

Ensure that information needed for future Title IV-E eligibility is available


What’s in it For Me? Reimbursements pay for:

The cost of providing food, clothing and shelter

Daily supervision

School supplies

A child’s personal incidentals

Liability Insurance

Reasonable travel to the youth’s home for visitation


Who Determines What in Presumptive Eligibility?

Agency Shelter Staff:

Collects necessary information for a “Presumptive” IV-E eligibility determination on the FL Network Title IV-E Waiver Application

Completes the one-page DCF Checklist

Attaches back-up documentation to the one-page DCF Checklist.

NOTE: You no longer send the Application or Checklist to Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS) – Child in Care (CIC)


Who Determines What in Presumptive Eligibility?

(continued)

WHY? Because of the IV-E Waiver, CIC staff no longer provide a Notice of Case Action – NO MORE WAITING

Why is the Presumptive IV-E eligibility determination needed?* Federal Reporting

* Ensure that information needed for future Title IV-E eligibility is available if the Waiver ends


Long-Range Importance of Paperwork and Documentation

HHS - the Federal Title IV-E Agency or DCF can “opt out” of the IV-E Waiver at any point during the next five years

If this occurs, we would have to transition back to the standard non-waiver IV-E requirements of eligibility


What Was Not Waivedin the IV-E Waiver?

The Voluntary Placement Agreement

Licensed Placement – Youth must reside in a DCF licensed Child-Caring Facility (Safety of the Youth)


Title IV-E Foster Care (Substitute Care)

Eligibility Requirements


Basic Technical Factors The Youth must meet the definition of

a child: Under the age of 18 Never married Married and marriage annulled

Proof of Citizenship Status and Identity

Resident of the State of Florida


TITLE IV-E SUBSTITUTE CAREELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Youth’s Name

Youth’s Social Security Number

Copy of the youth’s Social Security Card, or

Proof of application for the SS#

Note: The youth’s case file should include the supporting documentation for each item.


TITLE IV-E SUBSTITUTE CAREELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Removal/Placement Date:

(The date the youth is placed in shelter care) either by a:

Shelter/Removal/Placement Order (Judicial Removal)

A Voluntary Placement Agreement


RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLACEMENT & CARE

Section 472(a)(2) of the Social Security Act requires that the responsibility for placement and care of a child/youth be with the state agency administering the Title IV-E Plan (DCF) or any other public agency with whom the state agency has a written agreement in effect.


RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLACEMENT & CARE PLACEMENT

(CONTINUED)

How does the placement and care responsibility get placed with our agency?

DCF has a contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice to care for CINS/FINS children/youth.

DJJ has sub-contracted with the FL Network for CINS/FINS children/youth care


Judicial Removal

Shelter/Removal/Placement Order must contain:

•“Contrary to the Welfare” or “Best Interest” language

•“Reasonable Efforts to Prevent Removal” language

Shelter/Placement Petition


Judicial Removal(continued)

Judicial Removal Order:

Must give the Placement and Care responsibility of the child/youth to the Department of Juvenile Justice and your CINS/FIN Agency


Voluntary Removal/Placement

Updated CINS/FINS Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA)

VPA must give the placement and care responsibility to the Department of Juvenile Justice and your CINS/FIN Agency

VPA must be Signed and Dated by the Parent(s) or Legal Guardian

Court order must be obtained within 179 days of the VPA that contains “contrary to the welfare” language


Voluntary Removal/Placement(continued)

CINS/FINS Shelter Voluntary Placement Agreement

Statement in VPA Must Read:

I, voluntarily request that the Department of Juvenile Justice and

(Name of CINS/FINS Agency) assume responsibility for the placement, care and supervision of my child(ren).


Youth Receiving SSI or Kid-Care Health Insurance

DO NOT request reimbursement for a youth that collects SSI or is in the Kid-Care Health Insurance Program!

Request verification for back-up documentation


Proof of Citizenship Status and Identity

Provide one of the following:

Birth Certificate, or

Declaration of Citizenship, or

INS Documentation


Declaration of US Citizenship/Qualified Non-Citizenship Status

The Declaration of US Citizenship/Qualified Non-Citizenship Status form (CF-ES 2058) is used to verify US citizenship or Qualified Non-Citizenship status if other acceptable documentation is not available.


Proof of Identity(continued)

Photo of the Youth

School Records, if available


Absence From Home

Definition of “home”

Youth must be physically absent from his/her home:By way of a Voluntary

Placement Agreement, orA court order removing the

youth from his/her home


Youth’s Family Living Arrangements

Within Last Six Months

Look Back Six Months

---------------------- Did the youth live with a

“specified relative” within the past six months?


Specified Relative(Legal Specified Degree of Relationship)

Mother and/or Father - legal or biological

Brothers, sisters (including those of half blood)

Aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews

Grandparents, great-grandparents

First cousins (and 1st cousins once removed)


Specified Relative(Legal Specified Degree of Relationship)

continued

Stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, stepsister(Note: The parent of a stepparent is not a specified relative.)

Person who legally adopts the child, as long as they are within the specified degree

Legal spouses of any of the persons named even though the marriage terminated by death or divorce


Youth’s Income

Earned– Source of Income– Monthly amount

Unearned Income (Example: Deceased parent’s Social Security dependent care)– Source of Income– Monthly Amount


Youth’s Assets

Does the youth have his/her own assets?

If yes, list type of asset, dollar value and financial institution type

Does the youth have a trust fund? Note: This does not refer to a “Master Trust” Fund

Are total assets for the youth less than $10,000?


Parent’s Earned Income and Assets

Employer’s name

Employer’s address

Number of hours worked per month

Total gross earned income for the month

Assets (Limit is $10,000) Example: Savings Account(s), checking

account(s), stocks, bonds, etc.


Unearned Parent Income and Assets

Source of Income

Amount per month

Assets (Limit is $10,000) Example: Savings Account(s), checking

account(s), stocks, bonds, etc.


Youth’s Deprivation and Financial Need

Youth must be deprived of parental support or care of one or both parents by either:

Continued Absence due to death, separation, divorce or incarceration

Incapacity (disabled)

Unemployment

Underemployment


Income GuideFamily Size Parent(s) Household Gross Income

Equal to or Less than:

1 $ 6452 $ 8643 $1,0824 $1,3005 $1,5196 $1,7377 $1,9558 $2,1749 $2,392

10 $2,610 Add* $ 218 *For each additional member beyond 10 add this amount to the Consolidated

Need Standard.


Licensed Placement Date Placed

Name of Child Caring Facility

Address

Type of Setting

Effective Date of Most Recent License

Monthly Board Rate


Licensed Placement(continued)

Affidavit of Compliance(CF-FSP 5218)

Employee Background Screening Status Form

Must be up to date!


Required Employee Criminal Background Screenings

Required for employees in a position of trust or in contact with the youth

Initial Hire – FBI

Every Year – Local Law Enforcement

Every 5 Years - FDLE


Required Employee Criminal Background Screenings

(continued)

For Safety of the Youth and for Audit Purposes:

The results of the screenings must have been received by the agency or in pending status. Documentation that a request has been made is required for licensure!


Florida Network Title IV-E Waiver

Application


Florida NetworkTitle IV-E Waiver Application

Youth’s name, DOB, SS#, etc.

Court Ordered Removal/Placement or Voluntary Placement

Placement and Care Responsibility with DJJ and the CINS/FINS agency

Resided with a Specified Relative

Parent(s) Income/Assets

Youth’s Income/Assets


Florida NetworkTitle IV-E Waiver Application

Presumptively Eligible

Presumptively Ineligible


Title IV-E Foster Care

Initial Checklist


Title IV-E Foster CareInitial Checklist

Youth’s Name & SS#

Removal/Placement Date

Judicial Removal/Voluntary Placement

SSI-Related Documentation

AFDC/Eligibility Related Documentation



(continued)

Title IV-E Adoption Subsidy Eligibility Determination – If this occurs

Call Me!



(Continued)

Foster Care/Substitute Care Eligibility:

IV-E FC Eligible (Presumptively)

IV-E Non-Reimbursable

Non-IV-E Eligible


Shelter Care/Foster CareEligibility

(continued)

Sign and Date

Note: Sign on line as the Revenue Maximization Specialist. This is a DCF form that cannot be changed.

Comments:

State why or why not the youth is “presumptively” IV-E eligible, Non IV-E eligible or IV-E Non-Reimbursable


Now What Do We Do?

Organize Your Paperwork and Documentation

Gather the documents to be sent to the Florida Network for reimbursement for a youth’s placement


Five Documents Required by the

Florida Network for Reimbursement


#1 - Citizenship Documentation

Birth Certificate, or

Declaration of United States Citizenship/Qualified Non-Citizenship Status, or

INS Documentation


#2 - Income Documentation

Parent(s) W-2, Pay Stubs, etc.

Youth’s W-2, Pay Stubs, etc.


#3 – Updated Voluntary Placement

Agreement


#4 - Florida Network Title IV-E Waiver Application

Completely Filled Out – No Blank Spaces

Signed and Dated


#5 – Title IV-E Foster Care Initial Checklist

Completely Filled Out –No Blank Spaces

Signed and Dated


What Do I Do with the Other Documentation?

File it in the Youth’s Case Record!


Florida NetworkMonitoring

Random Selection of Cases

Questionable Presumptive Eligibility Determinations


Remember

File Retention – All placements/cases that are federally reimbursed must be retained for a period of seven years after the last entry.

Federal and State Audits are REAL!


IV-E Waiver Opt Out

State of Florida or HHS-ACF can “opt out” of the IV-E Waiver

Transition back to the standard non-waiver IV-E requirements


Questions?


Thank You!

Have Questions or Need Technical Assistance?

[email protected]

Cell: (850) 508-1322

mailto:bkdtallahassee@comcast

mailto:bkdtallahassee@comcast