4531. Private Child Placing Agencies

Purpose

This policy outlines definitions and the requirements for use of in-state private Child Placing Agencies (CPA) for the following services:

  1. Case Management
  2. Family Time
  3. Intensive Case Management
  4. Borrowed-Home
  5. Follow-Up Services
  6. Case Aide Services

Child Placing Agency Services Definition and Eligibility Requirements

  1. Children in the custody of DSHS-CA placed in a Child Placing Agency foster home may receive one or more of the following services:
    1. Case Management 
      1. Definition - Targeted Case Management Services provided by the Child Placing Agency. Case Management Services include coordinating or providing services to enable the child and caregivers to utilize medical, educational, social, and other services necessary for maintaining the child's physical, psychological, and/or developmental health. Responsibilities of the CPA include:
        1. Obtain initial and on-going medical screens under the published guidelines for the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program.
        2. Ensure the child and caregiver participate in scheduled Child Health and Education Track (CHET) screens.
        3. In conjunction with CA, develop a plan for follow up on medical, dental, mental health or substance abuse issues identified through either the EPSDT evaluation, the CHET screen or other assessment procedures.
        4. Work with education advocacy coordinators as available for services to school age children.
        5. Assist with the development and implementation of Individualized Education Plans (IEP) as needed.
        6. Monitor progress of school age children who are enrolled in school.
        7. Assist in keeping the child's school placement stable while in foster care. Provide support to children and caregivers to assist the child(ren) in making yearly academic progress.
        8. Implement recommendations for age appropriate socialization or developmental remediation for services to pre-school children (i.e. enroll in developmental pre-school, Head Start/Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT).
        9. Recognize culturally unique needs of each child and in conjunction with CA develop and implement a shared plan to maintain the connection between the child and his or her culture
        10. Assess and identify child strengths and talents and consider opportunities for the child to pursue those interests when developing shared plans.
        11. Support the foster parent in having contact with the birth parent, when appropriate, as determined by case manager or DCFS social worker.
        12. Offer youth age fourteen and over, appropriate opportunities for the youth to begin to acquire the skills necessary for a successful transition to adulthood.
        13. Refer eligible youth age 15 and over to Contracted IL services if available and appropriate.
        14. Support the ILS plan and services, as age appropriate.
        15. In conjunction with CA, ensure the Ansel-Casey Life Skills Assessment (ACLSA) is completed on all youth fifteen years (15) and older.
        16. Appear in court to testify as requested by CA
        17. Attend shared planning meetings as arranged or scheduled by CA.
        18. Arrange shared planning meetings as appropriate.
        19. Conduct 90-day Health and Safety visits.
      2. Eligibility - The social worker and the supervisor will determine if case management services are appropriate when a child is placed in a private agency home. Individual offices may create internal guidelines to determine when to use private agency case management services.
    2. Family Time
      1. Definition - Transportation and visitation supervision services for children in placement.
      2. Eligibility - All Children receiving Case Management services are eligible for weekly family time conducted by the CPA.
    3. Intensive Case Management
      1. Definition - Intensive Case Management (ICM) is the additional support provided to children receiving case management services when extensive coordination of services is required. Services requiring extensive coordination may include:
        1. Behavior that requires intensive supervision
        2. Case Aide Services
        3. Mental health, medical, substance abuse or other therapeutic services
        4. In-home modeling, training and support for a caregiver to manage challenging behaviors
        5. Supports to stabilize placement and prevent disruption
        6. Note - ICM services may be requested by CA or by the Child Placing Agency if there is a need for more intensive case management.
      2. Eligibility - A child is eligible for time limited ICM services when receiving basic case management services from a contracted Child Placing Agency and one of the following applies:
        1. The child has been in a Behavioral Rehabilitative Services (BRS) placement for a minimum of three (3) months and is "graduating" from a BRS placement and in need of Intensive Case Management.
        2. The child's case requires extensive coordination of service.
        3. This is determined on a case-by-case basis. See referral procedures for more information.
    4. Borrowed-Home Services
      1. Definition - Children's Administration (CA) borrows a foster home/bed from a Child Placing Agency.
      2. Eligibility - A child is eligible for Borrowed-Home services when the child is placed in a Child Placing Agency home and case management services are provided by CA.
        CA only pays the private agency to maintain the foster care license and provide any related licensing services. This service also covers maintenance of a foster care license for foster parent guardianships in a private agency home.
    5. Follow-Up Services
      1. Definition - Follow-up care services are case management services provided by the Child Placing Agency after the child has left the CPA foster home.
      2. Eligibility - A child is eligible for Follow-Up Services when the child has moved out of Child Placing Agency foster care and returned home, in relative care, or in extended family/non-relative care and the private agency agrees to continue case management services to the child. Follow-up Services may be provided for up to six months.
    6. Case Aide Services
      1. Definition - Case aide services are used to meet supervision and monitoring requirements for children in foster care. Case Aide (case aide) Services are intended to augment supervision and activity plans for children whose behaviors or developmental needs cannot be managed in a foster home without additional assistance.
      2. Case Aide Services must not be used when respite or childcare services are more appropriate.
        Eligibility - Case Aide services are for children with behaviors that require intense one-on-one supervision.
  2. Caseworkers Responsibilities
    1. Referral to CPA
      1. When making a referral to a CPA, caseworkers must use the Child Placing Agency (CPA) Referral DCYF 10-402 form ; the Child Information and Placement Referral DCYF 15- 300 form, and the Family Time/Sibling Visit Referral DCYF 15-209C  form.
      2. Emergency Placements - If the DCYF caseworker is unable to make a written referral prior to placement, the caseworker must complete the referral within five  calendar days of placement.
      3. Timeframe for Post Referral Follow up - The caseworker must contact the CPA worker within 7 calendar of the referral and discuss required case management services, coordination, roles, and responsibilities.
      4. Additional referral requirements related to specific services include:
        Referral for Family Time.
        The completed visit plan (15-209C) must be attached to the referral.
        Requests/Referral for Intensive Case Management. (ICM)
        The social worker must ensure all requests received from or for the Child Placing Agency for ICM services include:
        • Child's name
        • Intended length of ICM service
        • Reason(s) for ICM services
        • Description of ICM services above regular case management
        • Additional number of case management hours expected
        • Level of ICM requested ($200 or $400)
      5. If the referral for ICM is not complete, the social worker must immediately return the referral to the Child Placing Agency with the reason(s) it was not accepted.
        When the social worker receives or makes a request for ICM services, the social worker must obtain supervisory approval and forward the ICM request to the Regional Gatekeeper within five (5) days.
    2. Authorization ICM Regional Gatekeeper Responsibilities
    3. The ICM Regional Gatekeeper will have an additional five (5) days, for a total of ten (10) working days to review and approve or deny the request.
      If the request is denied, the ICM Regional Gatekeeper will return the request to the social worker with a statement citing the reason(s) for denial.
      This approval process may be done via e-mail. The social worker must use the e-mail as the approval or denial of the request and document the activities in the case file.
      The Regional Gatekeeper must track all requests and the decision of each request and reason for approval or denial.
    4. Follow-up Care Services. Follow-up care services are limited to six months. Requests for extensions must be in writing and approved by the CA Regional Administrator or designee.
    5. Monitoring
      1. The CA social worker is expected to monitor CPA placements in the following ways:
        1. Review quarterly progress reports from the CPA regarding the child. The CA social worker may return any CPA quarterly report that does not meet the expectations of CA. The social worker shall send a letter outlining the concerns to the CPA with copies to the regional office licenser and contracts coordinator.
        2. Inform the regional licenser and contracts manager if there are on-going problems with reports or reason to believe that the health and safety of children in a CPA home is jeopardized.
        3. Visit with the child and caregiver as outlined in Monthly Social Worker Visit policy in section 4420 of Practices and Procedures manual 4000.