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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20051170.tiff RESOLUTION RE: APPROVE REVISIONS TO OPERATIONS MANUAL, SECTION 2.000, SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS,the Board has been presented with revisions to Section 2.000,Social Services Division Policies and Procedures,for the Department of Social Services Operations Manual, and WHEREAS,after review,the Board deems it advisable to approve said revisions,a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, ex-officio Board of Social Services,that the revisions to Section 2.000, Social Services Division Policies and Procedures for the Department of Social Services Operations Manual, be, and hereby are, approved. The above and foregoing Resolution was,on motion duly made and seconded,adopted by the following vote on the 11th day of April, A.D., 2005. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS !� WELD COUNTY, COLORADO • William H. J e, Chair C. Clerk to the Board 861 et." M. J. eile,Pro"Tem � Clerk to the Board EXCUSED David E. Long AP D AS T • EXCUSED Robert D. Masde ounty Attorney Glenn V a*' V� 4- Glenn Vaad Date of signature: 47 2005-1170 SS0032 (%(� SS a 41" DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES P.O. BOX A GREELEY, CO. 80632 Website; www.co.weld.co.us Administration and Public Assistance(970)352-1551 MEMORANDUM Child Support(970)352-6933 TO: William H. Jerke, Chair Date: April 4, 2005 Board of County Commissioners • COLORADO FR: Judy A. Griego, Director, Social Services. //61,014, Ci 4.,( RE: Revisions to Section 2.000, Social Serviceshivision Policies and Procedures, Weld County Department of Social Services Operations Manual Enclosed for Board approval are revisions to Section 2.000, Social Services Division Policies and Procedures, Weld County Department of Social Services Operations Manual. These revisions were reviewed at the Board's Work Session held on January 24, 2005, and April 4, 2005. The purposes of the revisions are to: Clarify certain adoption policies and procedures as requested by the Colorado Department of Human Services. Those revisions that are being clarified include: A. Section 2.322, Special Needs Rates for Developmentally Disabled and Physically Disabled, A. 1. a, and E. The Department included in its definition of"developmentally disabled" the notation that these children are eligible to received services through the local Community Center Board and clarified that the Depaiknent's Placement Review Committee must approve the service payment level for each child. B. Section 2.324, Subsidized Adoption Reimbursement,A. The Department reiterated its policies regarding how subsidized adoption subsidies are determined in this section and referenced sections regarding respite care and consideration of the special needs care. C. Revision to Adoption Forms. The Department labeled each form used for adoption purposes. 2. Conform to recent State Law and State rule changes regarding Institutional Abuse Investigations. Section 2.101.31,Procedures for Investigating Institutional Abuse Allegations,states that a supervisor must provide written approval in Trails (State computerized system) when it is determined that there is an investigative need to notify parents or legal guardians of uninvolved children that there is a child abuse or neglect investigation. This written approval will include the determination of the severity of the abuse or neglect and the reasons of why such notification is essential to the investigation and safety of the children in the care of the facility. If you have any questions, please telephone me at extension 6510. 2005-1170 Social Services Division Policies and Procedures 2.322 Special Needs Rates for Developmentally Disabled and Physically Disabled Effective 1/1/99 A. The Department may consider the additional needs of the child to Revised 1/05 determine which of the three additional rates is appropriate in accordance with the following criteria: 1. A special needs rate for professional services shall be determined by a physician that the child requires more than the normal amount of care, treatment and training, due to developmental disabilities and/or a serious physical disability. a. As used above, the term "developmentally disabled" means a child who is profoundly delayed up to and including the trainable child and is eligible to receive services through the local Community Center Board. b. The term "physically disabled" means the child who puts extra physical demands on foster parents; e.g., the child who cannot walk without assistance or has to be lifted; the child who has no bowel or bladder control, or must have extra attention by the foster parents under the supervision of a physician, etc. Effective 1/1/99 B. Foster care parents may need relief in some cases to provide the necessary 24-hour care. Effective 1/1/99 C. The developmentally disabled and physically disabled contract is reviewed and renewed each 6 months when eligibility for foster care is redetermined. Effective 1/1/99 D. At the time a child in need of a developmentally disabled or physically disabled allowance is placed, the Department and the provider shall enter into a contract (SS-22). The effective date of the contract is the date the child is placed. The termination date of the contract is the next 6 month review date. A new contract shall be signed at each 6 month review of the child's need for foster care. Effective 1/1/99 E. The Department's Placement Review Committee must approve the service payment level for each child. Revised 1/01/02 F. The amount of the payment for services, based on each child served and Revised 6/20/02 extent of services needed, the daily payment of$3.12, $4.64, or$6.25 is Admn\manss44.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures Revised 8/5/02 entered in Section F of Form 5710.4. Table 2 will be used to calculate the Revised 10/29/02 rate payment. The payment to the foster care provider will be the basic Revised 12/03 maintenance rate for the child, according to his or her age, plus the Respite Revised 12/04 Care allowance if the child is in a County Certified Foster Home or Revised 1/05 Certified Kinship Home and the appropriate special needs rate. Table 2 Daily Professional Service Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 $3.12 $4.64 $6.25 1. Based on the level of service required, as determined and documented by a physician and approved by the Department's Placement Review Committee. Admn\manss44.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures 2.324 Subsidized Adoption Reimbursement Revised 1/05 /05 The Department determines the amount and kind of subsidy based on the following: 1. The child's documented special needs at the time of the adoptive placement. 2. The adoptive family's circumstances. 3. The need to purchase services that are not available in the community free of charge. Revised 9/24/01 A. The maximum subsidized adoption reimbursement that the Department Revised 6/03 will pay, in monetary reimbursement; to adoptive parents is the County Revised 1/05 Certified Foster Care basic maintenance rate. (Referenced in Section 2.321.1) Note: The monthly respite care payments that is provided under the foster care program is not a benefit under the subsidy program. Once a monetary child maintenance rate is established for a subsidy, this rate is not eligible for cost of living increases. The Department may consider the additional needs of the child to determine if the Special Needs Rate for the Developmentally Disabled and Physically disabled apply. (Referenced in Section 2.322) B. Available public programs and insurance benefits for which the child is eligible shall be used first to address the child's needs before subsidized adoption payments are used. C. In addition to the monetary reimbursement, paid to the adoptive parents as an adoption subsidy, the Department may also purchase services on behalf of the child. This assistance will include any assistance, excluding Medicaid, intended to help, or remove barriers to, the adoption of children with special needs. The Department will consider the monetary value of these services when negotiating the amount it will pay, in monetary reimbursement, to adoptive parents as an adoption subsidy. The services that may be considered for this purpose include, but are not limited to: 1. Special Circumstances Child Care as described in Section 2.801 2. Core Services Program as described in Section 2.802 3. Case Services Reimbursement. D. A special needs child is defined in Colorado Department of Human Services, Volume VII, Section 7.203.22(E) and C.R.S. § 26-7-101(2). E. Adoption subsidies will be reviewed every three years. The Department may renegotiate the current rate at the time of each review. If it is determined that there is no current need for a cash payment for a special Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures WELD COUNTY SUBSIDIZED ADOPTION INFORMTION WC-A-1 (4/03) This document is intended to answer"Frequently Asked Questions" about Subsidized Adoption. It is not intended to be a substitute for legal advice. If you have specific questions about an issue, the caseworker or county negotiator may be able to explain further but it is recommended that you seek legal advice from your own attorney if questions remain. SUBSIDIZED ADOPTION Colorado operates two subsidized adoption programs: The Title IV-E program (W-E) and the state and county—only program. The federal government participates in adoption assistance payments on behalf of children who meet the eligibility criteria for the Title IV-E program. The state and county participate in adoption assistance payments on behalf of children who do not qualify for the IV-E program. A child can only be eligible for one type of subsidy program. If a child is eligible for the Title IV-E program, the child is considered ineligible for the state and county—only program. Under the IV-E program, if a child is eligible, the state (through the county department) is required to enter into an adoption assistance agreement with the adoptive parents of a child with special needs (as defined in section 473(c) of the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999). All parties must sign this agreement before an adoption takes place. The adoptive parents can waive the assistance but they must do so in writing. If an agreement cannot be reached (including whether the child is IV-E eligible), the agency determines the amount of subsidy and the adoptive parents are entitled to a"fair hearing" in front of an administrative law judge if they continue to dispute the amount. There are time limits and other requirements for that appeal and adoptive parents should consult with an attorney if they have questions. Weld County DSS determines the amount and kind of subsidy based on the following: 1. The child's documented special needs at the time of the adoptive placement. 2. The adoptive family's circumstances. 3. The need to purchase services that are not available in the community free of charge. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS In order for a child to be eligible for subsidized adoption, all of the following factors must be present at the time the child is placed for adoption: 1. The goal for the child is adoption and the court has determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to the home of his/her parents and all parent-child legal relationships are terminated. Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures 2. The county department, agency, or relative requesting the adoption subsidy is financially responsible for the care of the child. 3. The county must determine that in each case a reasonable, but unsuccessful, effort to place the child for adoption has been made before providing a subsidy, unless the best interests of the child would not be served by such an effort. 4. Children who are in the custody of licensed non-profit private agencies or who are living with relatives must meet federal IV-E eligibility requirements. 5. The child is one with"special needs." a) Physical disability (such as hearing, vision, or physical impairment; neurological conditions; disfiguring defects; and heart defects). b) Mental retardation (such as developmental delay or disability, perceptual or speech/language disability, or a metabolic disorder). c) Developmental disability resulting in educational delays or significant learning processing difficulties. d) Educational disability,which qualifies for Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or special educational services. e) Emotional disturbance. I) Hereditary factors that have been documented by a physician or psychologist. g) High-risk children(such as HD/-positive,drug-exposed,or alcohol-exposed in utero). h) Other conditions that act as a serious barrier to the child's adoption. Conditions may include but are not limited to a healthy child over the age of seven or a sibling group that should remain intact and medical conditions likely to require further treatment. SUBSIDIZED ADOPTION SERVICES AVAILABLE 1. Medicaid— Children with an effective subsidized adoption agreement are eligible for Medicaid. 2. Non-recurring Adoption Expenses—The department may reimburse the adoptive parent(s) for expenses that are reasonable and necessary for the adoption to occur, subject Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures to a maximum of$800.00. The expenses must; a) directly relate to the legal adoption; and b) not be in violation of state or federal law; and c) not have been reimbursed from other sources of funds. Reimbursement may only be requested after adoption finalization. The request for reimbursement must be submitted within (1) year after the date of the finalization. 3. Adoption Assistance—The county department may authorize the following types of adoption assistance subsidies: A. Long-Term Subsidy (Available for IV-E and State/County subsidies)—To partially meet the everyday needs of the child. The payment that is agreed upon should combine with the parents' resources to cover the ordinary and special needs of the child. The circumstances of the adopting parents must be considered together with the needs of the child. However, families with the same incomes or circumstances will not necessarily receive the same amount since each child is unique. Termination or reduction in the amount is discussed below. Increases in the payment may be considered by written request from the adoptive parent, when the maintenance foster care rate is increased or; if the subsidy was not at the maximum amount, there may be negotiated increases if documentation is provided that the situation justifies it. B. Time-Limited Subsidy (Available for State/County-only subsidies)—To partially meet the everyday needs of the child for a specified period. These are start-up costs for those things that children placed for adoption do not always have, such as sufficient clothing or day care before a child is of school age. This subsidy partially covers unmet needs that are time limited and non-renewable. C. Dormant Subsidy(Available for State/County-only subsidies)—No adoption assistance is provided at this time. Weld DSS will document special needs for the child in the services record and in the automated system, that the potential need for a financial subsidy exists and may need be activated at a future time. Documentation will have to be provided before a dormant subsidy is activated. 4. Medical Subsidy a) Medical subsidies are payments made directly to adoptive parents for a service already received or to a vendor for treatment of physical or developmental disabilities or an emotional disturbance. A medical subsidy shall relate directly to the barrier or barriers identified at the time the initial subsidy is approved. b) Medical subsidies are not available for treatment of any physical or developmental Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures disability or emotional disturbance diagnosed after finalization of the adoption. c) Medical subsidies may be used to supplement any other available resource such as an adoptive family's private insurance that pays part but not all for the child's treatment (physical, mental, and emotional). d) Subsidized adoption payments for medical services shall reflect the reasonable costs of those services in the child's community. 5. Reimbursable and Non-Reimbursable Subsidized Adoption Case Services— Case Services are a type of purchased program services that support a case plan for children in a subsidized adoption. Case services are provided to meet a child's special needs identified when the child is placed for adoption and which are not covered by the adoption assistance or Medicaid subsidies. The following are examples of reimbursable and non- reimbursable expenses allowed under Case Services: A. Medical 1) Orthodontia a. Cosmetic reasons—not reimbursable. b. Special needs directly related to the reason for which the child was classified as special needs, e.g. cleft palate or injury related to an abuse will be reimbursable. 2) Eye Glasses Payment for eye glasses or contacts related to the child's special need's identified at the time of the initial subsidized adoption agreement are reimbursable. 3) Medication a. Routine that is not related to the child's special needs—not reimbursable. b. If related to the child special needs—reimbursable. The medication must be prescribed by a licensed physician and related to the special need identified at the time the child was approved for subsidized adoption. 4) Special Therapies— Speech, Occupational, and Physical If not available through other community and family resources—reimbursable. School-age children should receive these services through the school system. 5) Special Equipment—Special medical need/equipment, as prescribed by a physician may be reimbursable. For severely physically challenged children, special exceptions should not exceed $2,000 without supervisors written authorization. Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures B. Psychological Services 1) Time-limited out-patient therapy for children living in states that do not accept Medicaid for this service—reimbursable, if related to the child's special needs and a written plan is obtained from the service provider which contains: a. Diagnosis. b. Prognosis. c. Length of service. d. Individuals who will be seen in therapy. e. A cap on the amount of money to be spent for the psychological exam or therapy. f Frequency of contact (i.e., once a week, twice a month, etc.). g. Type of therapy being provided (i.e. individual, group, family, etc.) 2) Day treatment- not reimbursable. 3) Residential Child Care Facility- not reimbursable. 4) In-patient psychiatric hospitalization- not reimbursable. (Children who are Medicaid eligible may receive some in-patient psychiatric services under the Medicaid Program.) C. Educational Costs 1) Tutoring—not reimbursable. School systems are mandated to provide all children with special needs a free appropriate public education. 2) School tuition—not reimbursable. There will be no reimbursement for tuition expenses through the adoption subsidy program. If the family wants the child to remain in his/her current private school placement, this is an expense for which they are responsible. D. Respite and Day Care 1. Respite Care- reimbursable. 2. Day Care- Not reimbursable expect for IV-E children. If day care services are needed and the child is IV-E eligible at the time of adoption, the family should be referred for day care services, as they are eligible for Title XX services. E. Other Subsidies Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures A subsidy may be provided for a specified time to provide needed services, such as transportation to facilitate adoptive placement. TERMINATION OF A SUBSIDY Weld County DSS will terminate adoption assistance payments for subsidized adoption when the: 1. Family requests payments end; or, 2. Child reaches age 18 or until age 21, if the county has determined that the child has developmental or physical disability which warrants continuation of assistance; or, 3. Adoptive parents(s) are no longer legally responsible for the support of the child; or, 4. Child is not longer receiving any support from the adoptive family; or, 5. County of responsibility verifies the child's death, or marriage; or, 6. Child is removed from the adoptive home because of abuse or neglect. CONTINUING SUBSIDIES BEYOND AGE EIGHTEEN 1. If a child is receiving a IV-E subsidy and is 18 years of age and has not graduated with a high school equivalency, the county may continue the subsidy funded by State/County-only until the child finishes high school or is 19 years of age. At 19 years of age, the subsidy terminates regardless if the child is still in high school. Post-high school vocational schools or college classes do not qualify for the continuance of a subsidy. The adoptive parents shall provide documentation that the child is enrolled full-time in high school and making progress in the program. Continuation of the subsidy may depend on available county funds. 2. If a child is receiving a State/County-only subsidy and is 18 years of age and has not graduated with a high school equivalency, the county may continue the subsidy until the child finishes high school or is 19 years of age. At 19 years of age, the subsidy terminates regardless if the child is still in high school. Post-high school vocational schools or college classes do not qualify for the continuance of a subsidy. The adoptive parents shall provide documentation that the child is enrolled full-time in high school and making progress in the program. Continuation of the subsidy may depend on available county funds. 3. A child who is identified in the original subsidy agreement as being developmentally Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures disabled or physically handicapped, is between the age of 18-21, and continues to live at home, may continue to be eligible for the adoption assistance program. REDUCTION OR DISCONTINUANCE OF ADOPTION SUBSIDY 1. If the adoptive parents are receiving state/county adoption assistance payments and the child is placed into the custody of the Department for an out-of-home placement for a duration of over 30 calendar days, the state/county adoption assistance payment will be discontinued to the adoptive parents. The state/county adoption assistance payment will not be reinstated to the adoptive parents because the child returns to the home of the adoptive parents for holidays or visits while the child is in the custody of the Department. A state/county subsidy can only be resumed when the child is returned home and the out- of-home placement has been discontinued on the Department's automated reporting system. 2. If the adoptive parents have an approved IV-E adoption assistance payment and the child is placed into the custody of the Department for an out-of-home placement for a duration longer than 30 calendar days, the department will assess a parental share fee not to exceed the amount of the approved adoption assistance payment. The parental fee will not be discontinued because the child returns to the home of the adoptive parents for holidays or visits while the child is in the custody of the Department. REVIEW OF ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL ONGOING SUBSIDIES 1. The county shall review the current subsidy agreement every three years. You will be contacted by the department prior to the tri-annual due date. The subsidy renewal form, along with proper documentation regarding current/ongoing special needs of the child must be submitted to the department in order for the subsidy to continue. If a renewal is not received prior to the tri-annual due date, please contact your current adoption caseworker so that no disruption in the adoption subsidy will take place. 2. The adoptive family may request a review of the subsidy prior to the three-year review if changes in the needs of the child or family circumstances occur. 3. Any changes in the subsidy, must be related to the needs of the child, which were identified as the original barrier(s) to the adoption. Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures RIGHT TO APPEAL 1. When the county department denies an application for adoption subsidy, or reduces or terminates the subsidy grant, the applicant or recipient shall have a right to appeal and may be represented by counsel. When either state or federal law requires or results in a reduction or deletion of services, no hearing is required. See C.R.S. § 26-7-107 and Code of Federal Regulations for more information. 2. Examples of issues which may be appealed: A. Relevant facts regarding the child were known by Weld County DSS and were not presented to the adoptive parents prior to finalization of the adoption. B. Denial of assistance based on a means test of an adoptive family. C. Disagreement with the determination on whether the state is eligible for adoption assistance. D. Failure to advise the adoptive parents that adoption assistance is available. E. Decrease in the amount of adoptive assistance without the agreement of the adoptive parents. F. Denial of a request for change in payment level due to a change in the adoptive parents circumstances. 3. When a family who has been denied Title IV-E Subsidized Adoption benefits requests a state level Fair Hearing, it is the responsibility of the Administrative Law Judge to determine whether the applicant or recipient was wrongly denied eligibility or whether the amount of the subsidy was determined correctly. (See Section 7.203.24, C, for fair hearing circumstances.) The adoptive parents have the burden of proving extenuating circumstances and adoption assistance eligibility at a state level Fair Hearing. The state or/its designee can provide factual information to assist the family in establishing eligibility for Title IV-E Subsidized Adoption. 4. A successful appeal can reverse the decision and if the child meets all eligibility criteria, IV-E subsidies are available starting with the earliest date the child became eligible. Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures Weld County Department of Social Services Adoption Subsidy Information Acknowledgment WC-A-2(4/03) 1. Adoption Expenses - (Check One) Eligible n Ineligible Non-Recurring Adoption Expenses (applicable for initial agreement only). There is an $800 ceiling for non-recurring adoption expenses for legal fees, and adoption fees. 2. Medicaid - (Check One) n Eligible n Ineligible Type: Title IV-E Medicaid n State/County Only Medicaid n 4. Maintenance - (Check One) n Eligible n Ineligible (Select one Adoption Assistance below) Title IV-E Assistance n A. Medicaid Only ❑ B. Long-Term (ongoing) $ Daily Rate: $ State/County Only Adoption Assistance Program n A. Medicaid Only B. Time-Limited - Number of years $ C. Long-Term (ongoing) $ D. Dormant: (Type Dormant on line) $ Dormant means, no adoption assistance payment is provided at this time; however, due to the previously described special needs, there exists the potential need for services. If there is a dormant financial subsidy, it will be reviewed as the child ages or the family circumstance changes. Daily Rate: $ 5. Adoption Case Services Not applicable n One-Time n Ongoing (Description) 6. Other(Description) I/We do hereby acknowledge receipt of the following information on an adoption subsidy and agree that we discussed an adoption subsidy with the county negotiator and have AGREED /DISAGREED on the above information, relative to adopting Adoptive Parent Signature Date Adoptive Parent Signature Date County Negotiator Signature Date Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures SPECIAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET FOR SUBSIDIZED ADOPTIONS WC-A-3 (4/03) 1. BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT - Does the child have emotional impairment and/or behaviors which require special or extensive involvement by the adoptive parent(s) in scheduling and monitoring of time and/or activities and/or crisis management? If yes, please explain. 2. THERAPY/COUNSELING - Does the child attend therapy/counseling sessions? If yes, what is the reason and how often does the child go? 3. EDUCATION - Does the child have any special educational requirements? If yes, please explain. 4. PHYSICAL OR MEDICAL IMPAIRMENTS -Does the child have any physical or medical impairments requiring daily medically prescribed therapy or procedures (i.e. daily medication, etc.) If yes, please explain. 5. OTHER NEEDS TO CONSIDER - Does the child have any other special needs that should be considered for adoption subsidy? If yes, please explain. *** Please include professional documentation on questions answered "Yes". (i.e. letters from doctors, therapist, etc.) Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures ADOPTIVE FAMILY RESOURCE QUESTIONNAIRE WC-A-4(12/04) Adoptive child's name: Date: Please complete the following questions regarding your family resources. 1) What is your family's gross monthly income?(Do not include foster or subsidy payments)$ 2) Number of persons supported by that income: 3) Total of persons in home: 4)List additional financial sources and amounts available to members of the household(i.e. foster care,guardian assistance, child support, social security, rental property,etc.): Business Office Use Only Current Foster Care Rate without respite: Current Foster Care Rate with respite: 5)Does anyone in your family have unusual costs, such as medical or educational? _If yes,please explain: 6) What financial resources,other than your income,are available to meet the child's needs? (Indicate amount by appropriate category) $ SSD(disability of parent)include a copy of letter from Social Security Admin. (SSA) $ SSA(survivor's/death of birth parent)include copy of the letter from SSA. $ SSI (child's disability) include a copy of the letter from SSA. $ Child Support(being received by adoptive family) $ Other(Specify) 7)Will the child become eligible for additional benefits based on adoption by you? (Indicate kid of benefits and amounts) 8)In thinking about the needs of this child and the resources(financial, extended family, community services,etc.) available to your family,what will be REQUIRED in addition to those resources to continue support of this child in your household? (If a monetary subsidy/or services are being requested please indicate the reason and provide documentation for the request)Attach additional page of needed. 9) Will the child being adopted be added to your medical insurance policy? Yes No If yes,please complete the following: Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures Effective Date of Child' Coverage: Name of the Insurance Company: Address(street, city,state,zip): Name of Policy Holder: Social Security Number: Group/Plan#: Policy ID#: 10)Attach a copy of your last tax return. (This is required information in order to complete the adoption.) Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures REFUSAL OF ADOPTION SUBSIDY I/We, do affirm that on this day Name of Adoptive Parents Date the Weld County Department of Social Services has informed me of the availability of an adoption subsidy in the adoption of . I have Child/Children's Name conferred with my legal council and I do acknowledge that adoption subsidies are optional. At this time, I am informing you of my refusal of any adoption subsidy that the Weld County Department Social Services has advised me of. Adoptive Parent Signature Date Adoptive Parent Signature Date Notary Signature Date Department Signature Date Notary Seal My commission Expires: Adm\manss46.jag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures by the Intake Screener from such sources as the Department's computer data base, case records, Central Registry, and CWSEST. B. The caseworker, if one is currently assigned, and two child protection managers shall review the case and all reports before a decision to investigate or not investigate is decided by the two child protection managers. C. The review shall be documented in the file on the investigation summary fonn. An Intake Manager is to ensure that the review and the documentation have occurred and are appropriately documented. 2.101.3 Institutional Abuse Investigations Revised 3/29/99 Institutional abuse or neglect is defined as abuse or neglect occurring in twenty- four hour or day care settings. Investigations of institutional abuse allegations will be conducted according to Volume VII. 2.101.31 Procedures for Investigating Institutional Abuse Allegations Revised 3/29/99 A. Referrals regarding institutional abuse allegations will be screened Revised 4/05 to determine whether they meet the criteria for investigation. All institutional referrals that are assigned will be given a twenty-four hour response time to investigate. Front Range Childcare Licensing is responsible for day care licensing and will be notified by the caseworker as part of the twenty-four hour response time on any investigations regarding licensed childcare providers. B. The caseworker will contact the reporting party for additional information. C. The appropriate law enforcement agency will be notified if the allegation involves any criminal violation. D. The investigation will include an observation of, and an interview with the alleged victim; any identified potential victims, witness, and staff members. The investigating worker will review incident reports and any other relevant documentation. The investigating worker will review any prior child protection investigations on the facility. Parents of any alleged victim will be notified of the allegations and interviewed regarding any information they may have about the incident. Adm/manss 10.j ag Social Services Division Policies and Procedures E. Parents or legal guardians of uninvolved children in less than 24 hour licensed care setting shall be given notice of an investigation within 72 hours when it has been determined by the State or county department that: 1. The incident of alleged child abuse or neglect that prompted the investigation is at the level of medium, sever, or fatal incident of abuse or neglect, as defined by State rule at Sections 7.202.6, F., and 7.202.602, A., or involves sexual abuse; 2. The State Department or county department has made a determination that notice to the parents or legal guardians of the uninvolved children is essential to the investigation of the specific allegation or its necessary for the safety of children cared for at the facility; 3. The State Department or county department has documented in writing the basis for the determination, and a state Department or county department supervisor has provided written approval of the determination for which basis and approval may be in electronic form; and 4. The Manager of Institutional Investigations will be responsible to provide written approval in Trails when it has been determined that it is necessary to notify parents or legal guardians of uninvolved children that there is a child abuse or neglect investigation. The written approval will contain the determination for the severity level of abuse or neglect; and the reasons notification is essential to the investigation and safety of children cared for at the facility. F. A report will be prepared documenting the investigation, and any recommended corrective action to be taken by the facility. This report will be distributed to the facility, the licensing authority for the facility, and the State Institutional Abuse Review Team G. When the caseworker enters a finding in Trails confirming abuse or neglect in a day care center or home, the Front Range Childcare Licensing Department will be notified within 24 hours of the finding. Adm/manssl0.jag Hello