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CHANGE NOTICE 02-2009
FEBRUARY 2009
Prevention Services are those services aimed at helping families to remain together, to become self-sufficient, to enhance their parenting skills and to prevent children from being abused or neglected or placed out of the home. Prevention services are designed to help families that request services, or those that are at risk for child maltreatment. The primary funding for prevention services are the Work First program and the Title IV-B program. (The Work First policy manual may be found at http://info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dss/.)
Title IV-B funds direct services to families by county Departments of Social Services as well as contracts with public and private agencies that provide prevention services to families. When county Departments of Social Services provide Family Support Services, Family Preservation Services, Intensive Family Preservation Services, Adoption Promotion and Support Services, or Family Reunification Services, virtually all of the child welfare funding sources are available for reimbursement in addition to Title IV-B funds.
Title IV-B, Sub Part 1 monies fund the following activities:
The purpose of Community Based Programs is to encourage and enable each state to develop and establish, or expand, and to operate a program of Family Preservation services, community-based family support services, time limited family reunification services, and adoption promotion and support services.
Intended to provide services to a child who is removed from his/her home and placed in a foster family home or a child care institution. TLFRS also provides services to the parents or primary caregivers of such a child, in order to facilitate the safe and appropriate reunification of the family.
TLFRS are delivered during the 15-month period that begins on the date that the child is considered to have entered foster care or the custody of a county Department of Social Services.
Ideally, the family will be referred for reunification services earlier rather than later in the eligible period. Agencies have discretion to develop and implement various models of reunification services that are unique and appropriate to their respective communities. The primary goal of the reunification projects is to support the family in correcting the conditions which led to the child’s removal, thus enabling the parent(s) to safely parent the child in the home.
Services are similar to Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) and Family Preservation Services (FPS) in that they are available 24 hours a day and take place primarily in the home of the family. The length of time that the services are provided varies according to the proposal submitted by each provider although most limit services to one year. The population of children served includes children in the custody or in the placement authority of the local Departments of Social Services. Additionally, these children will have been alleged or found to be abused, neglected or dependent; emotionally or behaviorally disturbed; undisciplined or delinquent; and/or have medical needs that, with assistance, could be managed in the home.
Families who may be served under the Reunification program are those who have one or more children (ages birth through 17 years) that have been removed from the home and placed in a foster family home or a child care institution. Services are provided to the family in order to facilitate the reunification of the child safely and appropriately within a timely fashion, but only during the 15 month period that begins on the date that the child is considered to have entered foster care.
ALLOWABLE TIME-LIMITED FAMILY REUNIFICATION SERVICES ARE:
1. Individual, group, and family counseling;
2. Inpatient, residential, or outpatient substance abuse treatment services;
3. Mental health services;
4. Assistance to address domestic violence;
5. Services designed to provide temporary child care and therapeutic services for families, including crisis nurseries;
6. Transportation to or from any of the services and activities described in this section.
The objective of Family Support Services is to provide community-based services that promote the well-being of children and families. They are designed to increase the strength and stability of families; to increase parents’ confidence and competence in their parenting abilities; to afford children a stable and supportive family environment; and to enhance child development. These services may be requested and provided to any family. In most counties, these services are offered through non-profit agencies through a contract with the Division of Social Services. There are no eligibility requirements for participation in a Family Support program.
ALLOWABLE FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES ARE:
1. Services designed to increase parenting skills;
2. Early developmental screening of children in order to assess need for services;
3. Mentoring;
4. Tutoring;
5. Health Education for youth;
6. A wide range of Family Resource Center based activities (drop-in centers, parent support groups, etc.).
The objective of the Family Preservation Services program is to prevent the unnecessary placement of children away from their families by providing in-home services aimed at restoring families in crisis to an acceptable level of functioning. Services are designed to stabilize the crisis which put children at imminent risk for out-of-home placement, and keep the child, family and community safe by defusing the potential for violence (i. e. physical, sexual, emotional/verbal abuse).
Families who may be served under the Family Preservation program are those with children ages birth through 17 years who are at imminent risk of out of home placement into the social services, mental health/developmental disabilities/substance abuse, or juvenile justice systems.
ALLOWABLE FAMILY PRESERVATION SERVICES ARE:
1. Individual, group, and family counseling;
2. Post-Adoptive support services;
3. Case management;
4. Counseling;
5. Day Care;
6. Inpatient, residential, or outpatient substance abuse treatment services;
7. Mental health services;
8. Domestic Violence assistance;
9. Respite care;
10. Services designed to increase parenting skills;
11. Transportation to and from the services and activities;
In addition to the above allowable activities, counties may claim reimbursement for the purchase of any other services, with prior written approval from the Division of Social Services.
Counties may claim reimbursement for travel costs to meetings and other events related to Family Preservation/Family Support.
The Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) model provides in-home crisis intervention services designed to help families at imminent risk of having a child removed from the home. These services help to maintain children safely in their homes (whenever possible) and prevent unnecessary separation of families. This model is characterized by very small caseloads for workers, short duration of services, 24-hour availability of staff, the provision of services primarily in the child's home or in another environment, and intensive and time-limited services.
IFPS programs funded through the Division of Social Services receive a blend of State and federal IV-B-2 funds. Changes in family functioning that enable children and families to remain together safely include improvements in environmental factors, parental capabilities, family interactions, family safety and child well-being.
Adoption Promotion and Support Services (APSS) are intended to encourage the adoption of children who are in the foster care system. APSS first and foremost promote the best interests of children, and include such activities as pre- and post-adoptive services and activities designed to expedite the adoption process and support adoptive families.
Grants are awarded by the Division of Social Services based on an independent assessment of applications. A team comprised of Department of Health and Human Services staff and outside reviewers (child advocates, parents, etc.) assess the applications. The team scores the applications and submits their recommendations to the Steering Committee on Family Centered Services. Final recommendations are sent to the Director of the Division of Social Services for approval.
When the final recommendations are approved by the Division Director, all applicants (which can include non-profit entities, local Departments of Social Services, Area Mental Health Authorities, and Juvenile Justice agencies) must submit a budget. The approved budget becomes part of a contract between the grantee and the Division of Social Services, which provides the formal grant award notification. The contract narrative will contain a listing of approved services and activities for a particular program. Each program can provide a variety of services, including intensive family and individual counseling, behavior training, parent counseling and training, life skills training, and a variety of client advocacy services.
Child Welfare Services, through the use of Permanency Planning-Families for Kids Funds, are public social services directed toward the accomplishment of the following broad purposes:
(1) Protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, including handicapped, homeless, dependent, or neglected children;
(2) Preventing, remedying, or assisting in the solution of problems which may result in the neglect, abuse, exploitation, or delinquency of children;
(3) Preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families by identifying family problems, assisting families in resolving their problems, and preventing breakup of the family where the prevention of child removal is desirable and possible;
(4) Restoring to their families children who have been removed, by the provision of services to the child and the families;
(5) Placing children in suitable adoptive homes, in cases where restoration to the biological family is not possible or appropriate; and
(6) Assuring adequate care of children away from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be returned home or cannot be placed for adoption.
Allocations for Permanency Planning - Families for Kids Funds, are made to county Departments of Social Services based on population. Jackson and Swain Counties receive an additional allocation for services to Native American populations.
In addition to its Permanency Planning allocation, a county Department of Social Services may seek reimbursement from the Division of Child Development, Child Day Care section, for child day care provided to prevent out-of-home placement and to reunify families or achieve another permanent placement for a child.
Policy for permanency planning funds, contained in the Dear County Director letter dated September 17, 1996, Use of Permanency Planning Funds; Families for Kids Initiative, replaced the Chapter II, Vol. I, Sec. 1000, III Permanency Planning Allocation manual instructions. The following material replaces that letter and stands as the official policy for Permanency Planning funding.
Permanency Planning-Family for Kids funds can be used to support direct services (provided by agency staff or purchased) and system reform activities aimed at ensuring permanence for children who are:
(1) at imminent risk of entering DSS custody or placement responsibility;
(2) in agency custody/placement responsibility for less than 12 months;
(3) in agency custody/placement responsibility for more than 12 months and for whom the plan is NEITHER long-term foster care NOR reunification with birth parents; OR
(4) who have left DSS custody/placement responsibility within the previous 12 months (including post-adoption services).
EXAMPLES OF REIMBURSABLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
• Intensive Family Preservation Services or other services designed specifically to prevent out-of-home placement;
• Intensive Family Reunification Services during first six months of entry into out-of-home placement;
• foster care and adoption staff time on behalf of children in the identified population;
• Post-Adoption Services and independent Living Services (LINKS)
• supportive services to family members, relatives, caretakers as needed to achieve permanence;
• recruitment and training of foster and adoptive parents;
• travel, training, and supervisory support for identified staff in accordance with the Division's cost allocation plan and Fiscal Manual instructions;
• other backlog reduction and system reform activities that are consistent with the Families for Kids goals.
EXAMPLES OF NON-REIMBURSABLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
• staff time or supportive services on behalf of children who have been in agency custody/placement responsibility for more than 12 months and for whom the plan is either long-term foster care or reunification with birth parents;
• Any type of residential care or child care payment.
REIMBURSABLE COSTS INCLUDE:
(1) Costs for Intensive Family Preservation Services or other services designed specifically to prevent out-of-home placement;
(2) Costs for Intensive Family Reunification Services during the first six months of entry into out-of-home placement;
(3) Costs for foster care and adoption staff time on behalf of children in the identified population;
(4) Costs for Post - Adoption Services and Independent Living Services;
(5) Costs for supportive services to family members, relatives, caretakers, as needed to achieve permanence;
(6) Recruitment and training of foster and adoptive parents;
(7) Travel, training and supervisory support costs for identified staff in accordance with the Division’s cost allocation plan and Fiscal Manual instructions;
(8) Legal services designed specifically to achieve permanence for children;
(9) Expenses incurred for other backlog reduction and system reform activities formally approved in writing by the Division as being consistent with the 5 Families for Kids goals.
(1) Staff time or supportive services on behalf of children who have been in agency custody or placement responsibility for more than 12 months and for whom the plan is either long-term foster care or reunification with birth parents;
(2) Any type of residential care or child day care payment;
(3) Purchase of therapeutic services covered by other funding resources;
(4) Education services;
(5) CPS Case Planning and Case Management Services;
(6) Data Processing services; and,
(7) Medical services, except cosmetic services not covered by other funding sources;
Funding for reimbursement comes from a combination of Federal (75%)/State (25%) [Regular Permanency Planning] and Federal (75%)/County (25%) funds [Special Permanency Planning]. A county must budget local funds in order to secure the required local matching share when federal/State financial participation is less than one hundred percent to the county Department of Social Services.
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For questions or clarification on any of the policy contained in these manuals, please contact your local county office. |
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