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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20184014.tiff RESOLUTION RE: APPROVE ADDITIONS TO SECTION 2.000 CHILD WELFARE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES POLICIES AND GUIDELINES 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 Board has been presented with Additions to Section 2.000 Child Welfare of the Department of Human Services Policies and Guidelines Manual, and WHEREAS, after review, the Board deems it advisable to approve said additions, 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, that the Additions to Section 2.000 Child Welfare of the Department of Human Services Policies and Guidelines Manual be, and hereby is, approved. The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 12th day of December, A.D., 2018. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WELD COUNTY, COLORADO ATTEST:datotA) jeido•ei St ve Moreno, Ch it • Weld County Clerk to the Board arbara Kirkmey Pro-Tem BY: Deputy CI k to the Board f La t,an P. Conway APP ORM: I • �•�., . ��t7k.Gtr J I - A. Cozad Cou 'ttorney ` � � ike Freeman Date of signature: 1122i l9 cc:1Ls0,C (1hM 2018-4014 2j 2/ict HR0089 PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM DATE: December 4, 2018 .r r TO: Board of County Commissioners—Pass-Around 11\J 311 rp, r FR: Judy A. Griego, Director, Human Services IN U RE: Weld County Department of Human Services' Policies and Guidelines Manual Additions Please review and indicate if you would like a work session prior to placing this item on the Board's agenda. Request Board Approval of the Department of Human Services' Policies and Guidelines Manual Additions. These policies were developed to reflect current processes or further define the Department's activities and responsibilities. The policies were developed by involved Department staff and were provided to Legal for review and comments. • 2.2.190. — Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (New) The Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children(ICPC) is a federally approved agreement among all fifty (50) stated,the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Compact identifies rules and procedures for placement of children between States to ensure the safety of the child, and places legal and financial responsibility to the individual or entity placing the child. The Division of Child Welfare established this policy to align with current State ICPC practices. • 2.3.180. - Placement with Licensed Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children in Foster Care Home with Weld as the Sending State(New) This policy provides guidance to the staff of Weld County Department of Iluman Services for accurate reimbursement of out-of-state placements when Weld County is legally and financially responsible for the placement. The Division of Child Welfare established this policy to align with current State ICPC practices. and to provide guidance to staff on the reimbursement process. 2018-4014 Pass-Around Memorandum; December 4, 2018—Not in CMS Page 1 I 1-IROO 8-1 PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL I do not recommend a Work Session. I recommend approval of adding these policies to the Department Policy and Guidelines Manual. Approve Schedule Other/Comments: Recommendation Work Session Sean P. Conway Julie A, Cozad Mike Freeman Barbara Kirkmeyer, Pro-Tem ' ' Steve Moreno, Chair Pass-Around Memorandum; December 4,2018—Not in CMS Page 2 Department of Human Services Policies CHAPTER 2—Child Welfare ARTICLE II—Child Placement Sec. 2.2.190.—Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children A. Purpose Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children(ICPC) is an agreement among all fifty(50) states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The agreement has been approved by the Federal government. The Compact identifies rules and procedures for placement of children between the States. It ensures the appropriateness and safety of a child, before the child is placed in the home in another state. The Compact continues to ensure the placement of the child remains safe for a period of time after the placement. The individual or entity placing the child remains legally and financially responsible for the child until permanency is established. B. Situations which require an ICPC To ensure the safety of a child(ren), an ICPC is required in the following situations. 1. The placement of a child who is in the care or custody of Child Welfare, in a parental, foster,relative family or adoptive family home, in another State. This is in Regulations 2 and 7 of the Compact. 2. A Child Welfare agency is considering placement of a child out-of-state in a Residential Child Care Facility or a group home. This is in Regulation 4 of the Compact. 3. A foster home is moving to another state, with the Court's approval,but permanency has not been established. This is in Regulation 1 of the Compact. C. Situations which do not require an ICPC An ICPC is not required in the following situations. 1. The placement of a: a) Child by the child's parent; or b) Legal adult relative or legal guardian with a parent; or c) Adult relative; or d) Guardian residing in another state 2. The placement of a child into a medical facility, psychiatric institution or boarding school located in another state. Revised May 2018 Department of Human Services Policies 3. The placement of a child in Job Corps or the Military. 4. Tribal placements on reservations;unless, a home study is requested. 5. The placement of a child, due to a divorce or custody proceeding, after a home study has been completed. 6. The placement of a child to or from Canada, Guam or American Samoa. D. Visits Visits can occur for a child between homes or other settings, for a period up to thirty(30) days or during the school vacation period, without ICPC involvement. E. ICPC Requirements Coordination of ICPC rules and procedures is necessary for placement of children between states. 1. A home study prior to placement; and 2. An approval for placement of the child and assignment of responsibilities for parties in both states; and 3. The Court orders the placement is in the child's best interest; and 4. Compliance with laws in both the sending and receiving States F. ICPC Specifics The administration of ICPC cases and communication between all parties involved in the placement of a child(ren) is very important. The procedures below provide assistance to all professionals providing services for ICPC families. 1. Colorado is a decentralized state. Each county in Colorado establishes a County ICPC Coordinator. All requests for a parental,relative, foster care or adoptive home study needs to be processed through the appropriate County . 2. ICPC Administrator. Any requests for a residential setting (group home or RCCF)to Colorado, and parents making a placement, can be submitted through the Colorado State ICPC Administrator. Requests for placement of an unaccompanied minor, non-public adoptions and international requests shall be made through an appointed administrator. At this time, Lutheran Family Services of Denver is the appropriate state provider for those requests. 3. The state considering placement of a child in another state must maintain custody of the Revised May 2018 Department of Human Services Policies child until the other state agrees custody is no longer needed and permanency has been established. 4. When a state places a child in a foster home, group home or other residential setting,the sending state is responsible for payment directly to the placement setting. 5. Pre-adoptive, unlicensed placements may be approved after a home study by the state where the pre-adoptive home is established. Payments are made for that setting by the state that has custody. Finalization of the adoption can occur in either state at the discretion of the sending state. 6. Weld County Department of Human Services will pay a licensed provider based on Section 2.3.330. 7. After a state agrees to placement of a child in the state, an ICPC caseworker is assigned to maintain monthly contact with the child and to provide a written 90-day progress report to the state who has sent the child to the home. 8. Colorado has defined the Colorado Revised Statute for ICPC in 24-60-1801. The Colorado Depat linent of Human Services ICPC rules are located in Volume VII 7.307. Revised May 2018 Department of Human Services Policies CHAPTER 2—Child Welfare ARTICLE III—Foster/Kinship Sec. 2.3.180. -Placement with Licensed Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) Foster Care Homes with Weld as the Sending State A. Purpose Coordination and communication between all parties is necessary for accurate reimbursement of out-of-state licenses. 1. The Weld County Department of Human Services (WCDHS) may reimburse a licensed out-of-state ICPC foster care provider if: a) A child is in the custody of the WCDHS; and b) The foster family indicates that the family requires support for the placement to be viable (indicated on the Caseworker Declaration or in the original Home Study), or c) The Receiving State requires the home to receive reimbursement. B. Provider Contracts As required by C.R.S. 26-5-104,the WCDHS will negotiate rates, services and outcomes with providers as outlined in the submitted Rate Setting Methodology that has been approved by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and the State. 1. WCDHS will enter into yearly contracts with each licensed ICPC foster care provider that the WCDHS utilizes. a) The Contracts will be in force from July 1, the start of the State Fiscal Year, to June 30, the end of the State Fiscal Year. 2. The Child Welfare Placement Contract Coordinator will initiate and mail out to providers, the State prescribed CWS-7A,Individual Provider Contract, as outlined in Colorado State Rules, Section 7.304(G) and Section 7.304.661 of Volume VII. a) The exhibit within the CWS-7A shall reflect the daily rate to be paid for each child placed with the contracted provider for that State's Fiscal Year. b) Provider rates reflected within the exhibit of the CWS-7A may consist of State set rates or WCDHS specific negotiated rates approved by the BOCC. 3. Once signed contracts have been received from providers, the State prescribed CWS-7A, Individual Provider Contract, with the exhibit, will be approved and signed by the Revised May 2018 Department of Human Services Policies Director and the BOCC. 4. Providers will be mailed a fully executed copy of the CWS-7A, Individual Provider Contract, for their records upon request. 5. All original contracts will be scanned and stored in the official WCDHS records system maintained by the Clerk to the Board of the BOCC. a) The Child Welfare Financial Unit will notify the Human Services Director, or designee, if a provider is requesting reimbursement and does not have a current signed contract. b) Payment cannot be authorized to the provider until the required contract is provided to the Child Welfare Financial Unit. C. Licensed ICPC Foster Care Reimbursement Child specific needs based care assessment shall be used to determine levels of care for foster care placements made within licensed ICPC foster care homes. 1. A sixty(60)-day assessment period shall be in place for new placements into the ICPC foster care level. a) The assessment period will allow WCDHS and provider to gather pertinent information on the true needs of the child. b) During the sixty(60)-day assessment period,the Basic Maintenance rate (as determined by age) will be paid to the provider unless otherwise negotiated. 2. After the sixty(60)-day assessment period, the Child Welfare Placement Contract Coordinator shall complete the Needs Based Care Assessment. a) The information obtained from the foster care provider and WCDHS staff will be used for the assessment. 3. The levels of care and rates are determined based on the assessment information and shall be mutually agreed to by both WCDHS and the licensed.ICPC foster care provider and documented on the Needs Based Care Addendum signed by all parties. 4. The Needs Based Care rate table, as outlined in Section 2.3.330., shall be used to reimburse providers within the available appropriation and may be made up of the following components: a) Child Maintenance is a reimbursement for the basic needs of a child placed in any foster care facility. i. Basic child maintenance needs include,but are not limited to: food, clothing, Revised May 2O18 Department of Human Services Policies shelter, education, personal supplies and allowance. ii. An additional difficulty of care and/or medical needs component, as determined by the assessment, may be added within the child maintenance rate. b) Respite Care is a reimbursement for costs associated with the temporary supervision of foster care children in the foster care home. Respite care is reimbursed at x.66/day, unless otherwise negotiated. D. Rate Re-Evaluation and Adjustment All rates/services may be renegotiated at any time based upon the changing needs of the child. 1. Rates/services may be reevaluated a minimum of every six(6)months by the WCDHS Rate Negotiator and the Financial Supervisor, in collaboration with WCDHS staff, and the foster care provider. Revised May 2018 Hello