HomeMy WebLinkAbout20000297 RESOLUTION
RE: APPROVE REVISIONS TO SECTION 2.000, SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION POLICIES
AND PROCEDURES SECTION OF THE WELD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
SERVICES OPERATIONS MANUAL
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 Department of Social Services has presented Revisions to
Section 2.000, Social Services Division Policies and Procedures Section of the Weld County
Department of Social Services Operations Manual, to the Board of County Commissioners of
Weld County, for consideration and approval, 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 proposed revisions to
Section 2.000, Social Services Division Policies and Procedures Section of the Weld County
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 7th day of February, A.D., 2000.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Lirmil La WELD COUNTY, COLO DO
ATTEST:
I8 1 O arbara . Kirkmeyer, Chair
Weld County Clerk to thj44M!Gei1e1t-Tem
oa
tom/ �i I
BY: 7214-, Y�
Deputy Clerk to the Board EXCUSED
orge E. Bax
APPROVED AS TO_FORy
r DOTS R. Hall
County Attorney 71a4y i
Glenn Wad-
pc:
.55 2000-0297
SS0027
0 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
r l PO BOX A
GREELEY,CO 80632
AdnuniaVation and Public Assistance(970)352-1561
'Kit
Child Support(970)352.8933
MEMORANDUM
COLORADOBarbara J. Kirkmeyer, Chair Date: February 4, 2000
Board of County Commissioners
•
FR: Judy A. Griego, Director, Social Services_. 3Q C�
RE: Revisions to Section 2.000, Social Services ivision 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.
1. 4% Cost of Living Increase to County Certified Foster Care Homes. The
revisions reflect an approximate 4% cost of living increase to the Department's
reimbursement rate for Weld County foster care homes and adoption subsidies.
These rate increases do not include rate increases for Child Placement Agencies,
Residential Child Care Facilities, or Residential Treatment Centers. The
Department projects a total cost of approximately $30,000 per year as follows:
Proposed
1999 Rate 2000 Rate
1. Children Ages Infant to Ten $368/mo. $386/mo.
2. Children Ages Eleven to Fourteen $411/mo. $429/mo.
3. Children Ages Fifteen to Twenty-one $442/mo. $460/mo.
(Revision Reference 2.321.1 and 2.322)
2. Additional Criteria that Combines Experience and Training for County
Certified Foster Care Homes to Qualify for the Critical Care Foster Care
Program. The revisions add and outline a combination of experience and
training criteria for a County Certified Foster Care Home to qualify for selection
as a Critical Care Foster Care Home. Current criterion focuses on higher
education requirements rather than a combination of experience and training
requirements. (Revision Reference 2.308.2)
5 Soca 7
3. Technical Amendment to Termination Hearing Procedures. The revision
excludes the need for a caseworker to complete Part 2 of the Family Services Plan
as a requirement for paperwork to the court. (Revision Reference 2.611)
If you have any questions, please telephone me at extension 6510.
Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
2.320 Provider Reimbursement
Effective 2/1/00 The Department has established rates for payments to providers. These rates are
similar to the State determined reimbursement for specific types of facilities. The
Department provided an approximate 4% cost of living increase effective January
1, 2000.
These provider reimbursement rates as described in Section 2.316 through
2.325.12 do not include rate changes for Child Placement Agencies (CPAs),
RTCs, or RCCFs. RTC treatment costs and the CHRP program are not
negotiable by counties.
2.321 Reimbursement for County Certified Foster Care Provider
Effective 1/1/99 The Department will reimburse a county certified foster care provider if such
foster care meets the State reimbursement requirements of Colorado State Rules,
Section 7.405, Volume VII, Social Services Programs, and the State requirements
for County Certified Providers of Colorado State Rules, Section 7.417.1, Volume
VII, Social Services Programs.
2.321.1 County Certified Foster Care Rate
Revised 3/29/99 According to the following table, the Department will reimburse for the care
provided by county certified foster care parents upon submittal in a timely fashion
on a form showing the number of days the child/ren were in care.
Table 1 1/
Personal Respite
Age of Food Clothing Shelter Education Supplies & Flat Care
Child Allowance Grant 2/ Allowance 3/
0 Mos. to $131 $58 $139 $ 8 $50 $386 $20
10 Yrs.
11-14Yrs. $152 $58 $139 $16 $64 $429 $20
15-21 Yrs. $161 $60 $150 $22 $67 $460 $20
1/ The rates established by the Department will be reimbursed within
the available appropriation. The rates effective January 1, 2000,
reflect an approximate 4% cost of living increase.
2/ If the child's birthday occurs during the month, placing him in a
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higher age grouping, the payment for that month is made on the
basis of the higher grouping rate.
3/ County Certified foster homes are paid the basic rate, plus an
additional Respite Care Allowance of$20.
Effective 1/1/99 A. The Department shall negotiate rates with certified kinship care providers
based on the child's needs and within the County Certified Foster Care
Rate. The range shall be upward from the prevailing federal TANF
payments and is to be based on the needs of the child, plus the $20
additional respite care allowance. Certified kinship care providers may
elect not to receive a money payment and may follow the grievance
process for foster care providers when there is disagreement about such
reimbursement rate. A child in the care of his or her parents is not
considered living in a foster home, and, therefore, is ineligible for foster
care payments, including kinship care payments. IV-E reimbursable foster
care payments may only be made to kin who are defined as an adult who is
not a parent, but who is in one of the following groups:
1. Any blood relative, including those of half-blood, and including
first cousins, nephews or nieces, and persons of preceding
generations as denoted by prefixes of grand, great, or great-great.
2. Stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, and stepsister.
3. Persons who legally adopt a child or his or her parent, as well as
the natural and other legally adopted children of such persons, and
other relatives of the adoptive parents in accordance with State
law.
4. Spouses of any persons named in the above groups even after the
marriage is terminated by death or divorce.
Effective 1/1/99 B. The Department will not provide nonreimbursable IV-E foster care
payments to certified kinship care providers who do not meet IV-E
requirements for payment.
Effective 1/1/99 C. The Department, under contract with a physician or health department,
will pay for annual physicals for County Certified Foster Care Home
providers and other residents of the County Certified Foster Care Home.
The County Certified Foster Care Home may obtain their own annual
physicals; however, the Department will pay for co-payments, not to
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
exceed 555 per person and excluding foster children.
Effective January 1, 1999, the contract with a physician for a physical and
tuberculosis testing is at a cost of$55 per person or less in the County
Certified Foster Care Home, excluding the foster child/ren. The maximum
reimbursable amount under the contract for a calendar year is $11,000.
2.321.11 County Certified Foster Care Rate is the Basic Maintenance Rate for All
Foster Care Facilities
Effective 1/1/99 A. The County Certified Foster Care Rate is a flat grant that pays for the basic
maintenance needs for a child placed in any foster care facility. The basic
maintenance needs include food, clothing, shelter, education, personal
supplies and allowance.
Effective 1/1/99 B. A Respite Care Allowance is paid for each child placed in a County
Certified Foster Care Home or a Child Placement Agency, and in certified
kinship care homes. It is not paid to a Specialized Group Home or Center,
or for Independent Living.
Effective 1/1/99 C. The County Certified Foster Care Rate is used as the basic maintenance
rate (flat grant portion) when computing the rate in Receiving Homes,
Group Homes/Centers, Independent Living and Subsidized Adoption
Homes.
Effective 1/1/99 D. Foster Care facilities are reimbursed by the Department as stated in
Colorado State Rules, Volume VII, and according to this Weld County
Manual. Facilities must be licensed or certified in order for the
Department to be reimbursed by the State. The foster care facilities are
reimbursed for the day in which the child is placed in the home, but are not
reimbursed for the day the child leaves it, unless the child was placed and
removed on the same day.
Effective 1/1/99 E. All certified foster care facilities will sign and use the relevant provider
contract when they are certified and recertified.
Effective 1/1/99 F. When a child is placed, the information shall be entered on the CWS-7B
Child Placement Log by the Department caseworker and the provider and
copies of the updated log shall be maintained in the provider file and by
the provider of the facility.
Effective 1/1/99 G. An initial clothing allowance of$150 may be made at the time of
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
placement out of the home to ensure that the child has an adequate
beginning wardrobe. If a child's wardrobe is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the
Department may again approve an additional clothing allowance, the
reason for which shall be thoroughly documented in the child's record.
The clothing allowance may be made for children in any type of out-of-
home placement made by the Department, including hospitalization, when
the Department has legal authority for placement.
2.321.12 Temporary Absence
Effective 1/1/99 The Department, as allowed by the State Department, will reimburse a foster care
facility for a period not to exceed seven days of a child's temporary absence from
a foster care facility. Only one such seven-day reimbursement will be made for
absences that occur within 30 calendar days. For children enrolled in the
Children's Habilitation Residential Program Waiver, the Department, as allowed
by the State Department, will reimburse the foster care facility for all absent days.
2.321.13 30-Day Absence Leave Due to Hospitalization
When a child is absent due to hospitalization and if the plan is for the child to
return to the foster care facility immediately following the hospitalization, and if
the Department documents in the child's record the fact that the bed space will be
kept open for the child during the absence, the foster care facility may be paid its
full regular rate during the first 30 days of hospitalization. In cases of children
enrolled in the Children's Habilitation Residential Program Waiver, the
Department may pay the full daily rate for medical services, approved by the
Waiver Administrator for days 15 through 30 only. The provider of these children
will be receiving the equivalent of the maximum Federal SSI monthly benefit that
will assist to defray expenses for the first fourteen days of hospitalization. At the
end of 30 days, the child's situation will be documented in writing to the Foster
Care Program Manager to obtain approval to continue to hold the space in the
facility. Approval of continued reimbursement will be reviewed by the State
Department. The State Department will notify the Department of the State's
decision.
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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
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.
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 Foster Care Review Committee must approve the
service payment level for each child.
Revised 2/1/00 F. The amount of the payment for services, based on each child served and
extent of services needed, the payment of$95, $141, or$190 is entered in
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
Section F of Form 5710.4. Table 2 will be used to calculate the rate
payment. The payment to the foster care provider will be the basic
maintenance rate for the child, according to his or her age, plus the Respite
Care allowance if the child is in a County Certified Foster Home or
Certified Kinship Home and the appropriate special needs rate.
Table 2 1/
Age of Professional Service Range 2/ Flat Grant 1 Respite Care
Child Allowance 4/
0 Mos. to
10 Yrs. $95 $141 $190 $386 $20
11-14 Yrs. $95 $141 $190 $429 $20
15-21 Yrs. $95 $141 $190 $460 $20
1/ The rates established by the Department will be reimbursed within
the available appropriation. The rates effective January 1, 2000,
reflect an approximate 4% cost of living increase.
2/ Based on the range and degrees of service required, as determined
by a physician and approved the Department's Foster Care Review
Committee.
3/ For the flat grant breakdown, see the County Certified Foster Care
Homes Reimbursement Section of this manual.
4/ The respite care allowance is paid only to County Certified Foster
Care Homes and Certified Kinship Care Homes certified by the
Department.
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
2.308 Critical Care Foster Care Program
Revised 3/29/99 Critical Care Foster Care Program is provided for children who have special needs
and cannot have their needs met through services described in Sections 2.320.1 -
2.325.12. These children require more intensive and professional services to
prepare children for reunification with the family, adoption, and other permanency
goals.
2.308.1 Children Who are Eligible for Critical Care Foster Care
Revised 3/29/99 A child who meets the definition of special needs as described in Volume VII,
must be assessed and approved to enter the Critical Care Foster Care Program by
the Placement Review Committee. The child must have more than one special
needs factor that is special, unusual, or significant as follows:
A. Physical disability such as hearing, vision, or physical impairment,
neurological conditions, disfiguring defects, and heart defects.
B Developmentally disabled such as developmental delay or disability,
perceptual or speech/language disability or metabolic disorder, except
those children defined in Section 2.322.
C. Emotional disturbance documented by a psychologist.
D. Hereditary factors documented by a physician or psychologist.
E. High risk infants such as HIV-positive, Drug or Alcohol Exposed.
F. Conditions that pose a serious barrier to the child's adoption, reunification
with parents, and other permanency goals including keeping a sibling
group intact and behavioral conditions. Behavioral conditions are those
that will not allow child or youth to be placed in a less restrictive setting.
2.308.2 County Certified Foster Care Homes that Qualify and are Selected for
Critical Care Foster Care Program
Revised 2/1/00 County Certified Foster Care homes that qualify for Critical Care Foster Care
Rates are defined as follows:
A. The County Certified Foster Care home must have the initial education or
experience as follows:
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
1. Both parents must have more than five consecutive years of foster
care experience, no negative licensing actions for the last ten-year
period, met yearly minimum training requirements for foster care
parents for the five-year period, or
2. Both parents must have more than three consecutive years of foster
care experience, no negative licensing actions for the last ten-year
period, met yearly minimum training requirements for foster care
parents for the three-year period and have ten (10) additional
training credit hours from education or other training specific to
child welfare. All training hours to be approved by Resource
Services' staff, or
3. Both parents must have more than one year of foster care
experience, no negative licensing actions for the last ten-year
period, met yearly minimum training requirements for foster care
parents for the one-year period and have twenty (20) additional
training credit hours from education or other training specific to
child welfare. All training hours to be approved by Resource
Services' staff, or
4. At least one parent must have a bachelor' degree in one of the
human behavioral science fields with one-year full-time
professional position in a public or private social services agency
in an assignment appropriate to foster care and meet the criteria for
a County Certified Foster Care home.
B. A County Certified Foster Care Home cannot participate in the Critical
Foster Care Program if they are providing kinship care.
C. The County Certified Foster Care Parent(s) shall commit to certain
conditions to continue to qualify for Critical Care Foster Care Program as
follows:
1. Must participate in the County Certified Foster Care Home
Consultation Program as described in Section 2.307.
2. Maintains the home's good standing as a County Certified Foster
Care Home by adhering to all requirements for permanent
certification, having no negative licensing actions, and meeting
yearly minimum training requirements of twenty hours as required
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
by the Resource Services Unit.
3. Participates in other special training as required by the Resources
Services Unit.
4. Submits a request, qualifies, and is approved by the Resource
Services Unit, as either a two-bed critical care home or a four-bed
critical care home.
D. The Critical Care Foster Care Program is part of the Foster Care Program
only and will not be considered a source for permanency.
E. Reimbursement provided under the Critical Care Foster Care Program is
not guaranteed by the Department for the duration of a child's placement.
The Department provides the reimbursement only during the child's
eligibility, as determined by the Placement Review Committee. If the
reimbursement changes and the definition of critical care foster care is not
met, the bed converts to a non-critical care bed.
2.308.21 Two-Bed Critical Care Foster Care Home
Revised 3/29/99 A two-bed Critical Care Foster Care Home is defined as follows:
A. Meets all licensing requirements. The County Certified Foster Care Home
may be licensed to have up to four children placed in the home; however,
only two of the placements are authorized for children in the Critical Care
Program.
B. Submits an annual respite care plan that must be approved by the Resource
Services Unit.
C. Attends and participates as an active team member at staffings, foster care
reviews, and meetings as required under each child's placement and
treatment plans.
D. Works, under the direction of the Department, with biological parents
before, during, and after placement as required under each child's
placement and treatment plans.
E. Involves the child in extracurricular activities appropriate to the age of the
child and in consideration of safety factors.
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
F. Provides monthly reports of each child's behavior and progress to the
assigned caseworker.
G. Considers one parent to be a stay-at-home parent. This consideration is a
preference of the Department.
2.308.22 Four-Bed Critical Care Foster Care Home
Revised 3/29/99 A four-bed Critical Care Foster Care Home is defined as follows:
A. Meets all requirements as provided under Section 2.308.21, except that
placements in the home are limited to four and all such placements must
be for children in the Critical Care Program.
B. One parent must be a stay-at-home parent.
C. Submits an annual support services plan that must be approved by the
Resource Services Unit.
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
2.611 Termination Hearing
Revised 2/1/00 A. The caseworker shall prepare a termination letter and submit it to the court
and also to all parties and the Assistant County Attorney by the deadline
given by the Court.
B. The termination letter shall include the FSP Parts 1 and 5A, as follows:
1. Part 5A shall include a description of:
a. Give a chronological history of the case.
b. Changes that have occurred in the case, with emphasis on
placement, including periods in residential treatment and
incarcerations; parenting time; treatment providers; and
parental home.
c. Compliance with the treatment plan including successes
and failures.
d. The caseworker's opinions in the applicable areas as
follow:
1) The necessity and appropriateness of termination,
including alternatives explored and rejected;
2) The level of compliance and success with the
treatment plan; parental unfitness; and likelihood of
change within a reasonable time;
3) The level of improvement demonstrated by the
parent(s) in addressing problems identified in the
treatment plan and the level of improvement in the
relationship of the parent to the child(ren).
4) Termination questions for abandonment:
a) Was the child adjudicated dependent or
neglected?
b) Has the parent ever had physical custody of
the child?
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c) Has the parent contacted you to make clear
his/her intention to resume physical custody
of the child?
d) Has the parent contacted you to make
permanent legal arrangements for the care of
the child?
e) What have you done to try to locate this
parent?
f) Is it your expert opinion that this parent has
abandoned the subject child?
g) Did you file an affidavit of unknown
whereabouts with the court prior to this
hearing?
5) Termination questions for failure to follow
treatment plan:
a) Has the child been adjudicated dependent or
neglected?
b) Was a treatment plan adopted by the court?
c) With regard to the components of the plan,
has the parent complied with any of them?
d) Has the parent attended visitations with the
child? Was there good cause for not
visiting?
e) Does the parent have the same problems
now as were addressed in the treatment
plan?
f) Has there been any improvement in the
relationship with the child? Is there any
relationship with the child?
g) Has the parent ever shown that he/she is able
to provide nurturing and safe parenting for
this child? Has the parent abandoned this
child?
h) What services were offered to this
parent/family? Were those services
successful?
i) Is this parent a fit parent for this child?
j) Is it likely that the parent would be able to
change within a time frame that is
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reasonable when viewed from the
perspective of the child at this particular age
and condition?
C. The paralegals will prepare an Affidavit of Unknown Whereabouts for the
caseworker's signature to be submitted prior to the termination trial.
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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
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.
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 Foster Care Review Committee must approve the
service payment level for each child.
Revised 2/1/00 F. The amount of the payment for services,based on each child served and
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Social Services Division Policies and Procedures
extent of services needed, the payment of$95, $141, or $190 is entered in
Section F of Form 5710.4. Table 2 will be used to calculate the rate
payment. The payment to the foster care provider will be the basic
maintenance rate for the child, according to his or her age, plus the Respite
Care allowance if the child is in a County Certified Foster Home or
Certified Kinship Home and the appropriate special needs rate.
Table 2 1/
Age of Professional Service Range 2/ Flat Grant 3/ Respite Care
Child Allowance 4/
0 Mos. to
10 Yrs. $95 $141 $190 $386 $20
11-14Yrs. $95 $141 $190 $429 $20
15-21 Yrs. $95 $141 $190 $460 $20
1/ The rates established by the Department will be reimbursed within
the available appropriation. The rates effective January 1, 2000,
reflect an approximate 4% cost of living increase.
2/ Based on the range and degrees of service required, as determined
by a physician and approved the Department's Foster Care Review
Committee.
3/ For the flat grant breakdown, see the County Certified Foster Care
Homes Reimbursement Section of this manual.
4/ The respite care allowance is paid only to County Certified Foster
Care Homes and Certified Kinship Care Homes certified by the
Department.
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