Under Title IV-E, a state may request reimbursement of administrative costs on behalf of children who are receiving services in their own home when those services are being provided to prevent removal from the home. The department continues to estimate its administrative costs associated with these children through the use of a random moment time study.
It is imperative that random moment time study is completed with accuracy by all field staff, in order for the agency to continue receiving these Title IV-E funds. Using the random moment time study instructions, a worker may code their time under the “EA” category when working with a family where the child is at risk of removal from the home under Section 472 (i)(2) of the Social Security Act. The case may be in either the investigative or ongoing function as long as one of the following methods of documentation is present in the CPS case:
- A defined prevention plan/case plan which clearly indicates that, absent effective preventive services, foster care is the planned arrangement for the child; (472(i)(2) of the social security act);
- An eligibility determination form has been completed to establish the child’s eligibility under Title IV-E; or
- Evidence of court proceedings in relation to the removal of the child from the home, in the form of a petition to the court, a court order or a transcript of the court’s proceedings.
Related Information
Foster Care Candidates
- Federal financial participation for administrative costs listed at 45 CFR l356.60(c) may be claimed regardless of whether the child is actually placed in foster care and becomes a recipient of title IV-E foster care benefits. However, reimbursement is limited to those individuals the State reasonably views as candidates for foster care maintenance payments consistent with section 472(i)(2) of the Social Security Act.
- The three acceptable methods of documentation indicating that a child is a candidate for foster care benefits are:
- A defined case plan which clearly indicates that, absent effective preventive services, foster care is the planned arrangement for the child;
- An eligibility determination form which has been completed to establish the child's eligibility under title IV-E, or
- Evidence of court proceedings in relation to the removal of the child from the home, in the form of a petition to the court, a court order or a transcript of the court's proceedings.
- Should the State determine that the child is no longer a candidate for foster care at any point prior to the removal of the child from his home, subsequent activities will not be allowable for reimbursement of costs under title IV-E.