Foster Parenting & Kinship Care

Caregiver Supports Project

Background

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families has replaced the previous four-level rate assessment system with a new, seven-level caregiver supports model effective Jan. 1, 2024. Each Caregiver Supports Level is associated with foster care payment rates for licensed caregivers and placement support services available to all licensed and unlicensed caregivers.

When children and youth enter care, DCYF staff will gather information from multiple sources such as the youth, parent, Health Care Authority, and other significant people in the child’s or youth’s life etc., to determine the support needs of the child or youth.

Review the FAQ document for more information about the project:

Caregiver Supports Project FAQ

New Caregiver Supports Rate Assessment (Effective Jan. 1, 2024)

The Washington Administrative Code (WAC) will be updated to reflect the new seven level system and process. There are upcoming opportunities to review the changes and comment on them.

Rate Assessment Timelines

The timelines for completing rate assessments will also be changing. DCYF staff will make an initial assessment within the first seven days. Next, we will validate that level using information about the youth that we will get from Health Care Authority information.

If a caregiver believes information about the child's needs was not considered in a level determination, they can appeal to make sure that information is reviewed and considered.

Caregivers can request rate determination review at any time there is a change in circumstances or a new diagnosis.

Payments

For more payment information, visit All Families & Caregivers Supports & Resources

Phase Two Overview

Phase two of the Caregiver Supports Project is the implementation of a new Caregiver Supports Contract to provide Placement Supports to both licensed and unlicensed caregivers, including relative and kin caregivers. The Caregiver Supports Contracts will be awarded to contractors through a bidding process and the contracts will be executed by catchment areas with implementations starting in mid-2024 and all catchment area contracts executed statewide in 2026. The contracts will roll out according to an implementation plan that is based on capacity to provide services and allowed Legislative project funding for the next few years.

Timeline for Catchment Area Rollout

DCYF will award one Caregiver Supports Contract per catchment area. Contractors may submit proposals during two separate procurements, one for catchment areas one through eight and one for catchment areas nine through 14. DCYF’s request for proposals for the first procurement is closed and the review and selection process for contractors is underway. The second procurement will be posted in 2025.

Tribes have the option to serve their own Tribal jurisdiction children or opt out of services. Please see the Office of Tribal Relations website for more information.

DCYF Regional Map

Order	Catchment Area	Approx. # Youth	Area Awarded	Period of Growth	Date of Execution	Counties
1	Southwest	491	Sept. 1, 2024	Sept. to Nov. 2024	Dec. 1, 2024	Clark, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Skamania
2	South Central	335	Sept. 1, 2024	Sept. to Nov. 2024	Dec. 1, 2024	Klickitat, Yakima
3	King North	320	July 1, 2024	July to Sept. 2024	Oct. 1, 2024	King
4	King South	308	July 1, 2024	July to Sept. 2024	Oct. 1, 2024	King
5	Northeast	708	Oct. 1, 2024	Oct. to Dec. 2024	Jan. 1, 2025	Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Spokane
6	Snohomish	378	Oct. 1, 2024	Oct. to Dec. 2024	Jan. 1, 2025	Snohomish
7	Pierce East	366	Jan. 1, 2025	Jan. to March 2025	April 1, 2025	Pierce
8	Pierce West	383	Jan. 1, 2025	Jan. to March 2025	April 1, 2025	Pierce
9	Southeast	380	April 1, 2025	April to June, 2025	July 1, 2025	Adams, Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Walla Walla, Whitman
10	Pacific Mountain	558	April 1, 2025	April to June, 2025	July 1, 2025	Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Thurston
11	Central	238	Oct. 1, 2025	Oct. to Jan., 2026	Jan. 1, 2026	Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas
12	Northwest	217	Oct. 1, 2025	Oct. to Jan., 2026	Jan. 1, 2026	Island, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom
13	Olympic	248	April 1, 2026	April to June, 2026	July 1, 2026	Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap
14	North Central	67	April 1, 2026	April to June, 2026	July 1, 2026	Ferry, Okanogan

Placement Supports

Caregiver Supports Placement Supports provided by contractors generally fall into the areas of education advocacy, health and well-being coordination, finding local child care, culturally and developmentally appropriate care, transition to adulthood, developing specific strategies to address a child’s or youth’s support needs, and crisis supports.

Pre-authorized Case Aide hours up to a maximum amount depending on the level will be part of the Placement Supports available for Caregiver Supports Levels 3 through 7. Funding was not approved for pre-authorized case aide hours for levels 1 and 2.

The chart shows the seven new caregiver support levels, the support needs that are part of each level, the case aide hours for each level and the rates for each level. The rates listed for levels 2-7 are inclusive of the Basic Foster Care rates. Caregiver Support Level 1 is for Basic Maintenance Foster Care, case aide hours and not applicable at any age and the monthly rate is $722 for ages 0-5, $846 for ages 6-11 and $860 for ages 12 and up. Caregiver Support Level 2 is for adolescents with low support needs, the case aide hours are not applicable at any age. The monthly rates are not applicable for ages 0-5, not applicable for ages 6-11, and $1,202.50 for ages 12 and up. Caregiver Support Level 3 is for children and youth with chronic physical health needs, this level offers nine case aide hours, and the monthly rates are $1,407 for ages 0-5, $1,531 for ages 6-11, and $1,545 for ages 12 and up. Caregiver Support Level 4 is for children and youth with Development Disabilities, this level offers 12 case aide hours, and the monthly rates are $1,749.50 for ages 0-5, $1,873.50 for ages 6-11, and $1,887.50 for ages 12 and up. Caregiver Support Level 5 is for children and youth with Development Disability and Chronic Physical Health needs, this level offers 15 case aide hours, and the monthly rates are $2,092 for ages 0-5, $2,216 for ages 6-11, and $2,230 for ages 12 and up. Caregiver Support Level 6 is for children and youth with Moderate Mental Health needs, this level offers 17 case aide hours, and the monthly rates are $2,434.50 for ages 0-5, $2,558,50 for ages 6-11, and $2,572.50 for ages 12 and up. Caregiver Support Level 7 is for children and youth with Complex Mental Health needs, this level offers 20 case aide hours and the monthly rates are $2,777 for ages 0-5, $2,901 for ages 6-11, and $2,915 for ages 12 and up.

Placement supports are grouped into basic services for levels 1-3 and enhanced services for levels 4-7. Increase in a child or youth's support level will initiate more funding to allow a service provider to offer intensified caregiver support services to the caregiver.

Why are changes being made?

Our previous rate assessment tool assessed the amount of time and energy caregivers spend parenting young people placed in their care, and it does not provide corresponding services or supports. DCYF has repaced the current 4-level rate assessment system with a new, 7-level caregiver supports model that aligns supports with known information about the child or youth. The Caregiver Supports Project will implement a continuum of new placement support resources that will:

Increase access to caregiver supports and align supports to the diverse needs of children and youth in out-of-home placement.
Increase resources for kinship caregivers, as all licensed and unlicensed caregivers will have access to standard supports.
Increase placement stability by enhancing caregivers' preparedness to support children and youth placed in their care.
Address bias and racial inequality in the current system by implementing a data-informed, objective, and standard process to ensure caregivers have the resources and supports needed to care for a child based on the child's needs.

Tribal Engagement

DCYF is engaging with Tribal partners to understand the impacts of the Caregiver Supports Project for each Tribe and ensure a successful transition that best serves Tribal children and families.

Tribes have the option to do their own rate assessments on tribally dependent children and to provide placement supports to their own members instead of using a contracted provider in their catchment area. DCYF will engage in a formal consultation with Tribes to determine project impacts and engage Tribes in project implementation. For more information about this Tribal Consultation, email the Office of Tribal Relations at tribalrelations@dcyf.wa.gov.

If you would like to meet with DCYF to discuss the Caregiver Supports Project and impacts to your Tribe, email Mandy Morlin at mandy.morlin@dcyf.wa.gov.

Review the Tribal presentations available in the Previous Communications section below for additional information.