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4.11.1 Level of Care Assignment

Legal Authority

922 KAR 1:360 Private child care placement, levels of care, and payment...

Introduction

Practice Guidance

The DPP-886A should be detailed and complete to ensure that a child is assigned an accurate level of care (LOC) to support appropriate placements. Detailed and thorough DPP- 886As support a child’s placement stability by ensuring the child is matched with the best placement to meet their needs.
Within three (3) working days of receipt of the completed LOC packet, Children's Review Program (CRP) determines the child’s assigned LOC and returns the completed DPP-886 Private Child Care Client Inter-Agency Referral Form to the billing specialist who will then forward the form to the SSW.
CRP works with the medical support section to obtain an acuity level for children designated medically complex which will be considered when assigning the LOC.
Levels may also be assigned upon request for children under the age of four (4) with significant behavioral or mental health needs. In these cases, the SSW must submit to CRP a request letter from a supervisor along with the items listed in procedure number two (2) below. If PCC or PCP staff requests that a child under the age of forty-eight (48) months be assigned a LOC and the SSW and FSOS are not in agreement, a request from the provider will be sent to the Division of Protection and Permanency, Out-of-Home Care Branch Manager, at 502-564-2147 for determination.
The period to complete the screener is ten (10) working days, however, because the screener correlates with assigning the LOC and obtaining mental health services, the SSW is encouraged to complete the screener as soon as possible to minimize delays.

Procedure

The SSW:

Completes the LOC packet for a child who is:

Four (4) years of age or above;
Underage four (4) with and expired LOC; or
Any child who is designated medically complex regardless of age.

Submits the DPP 886A Application for Referral and Needs Assessment and supporting documentation electronically via TWIST within five (5) working days of the child’s entry into out-of-home care (OOHC) in order to obtain a LOC assignment; 1
Completes Screener in TWIST no later than ten (10) working days from the child's entry into OOHC;
Follows the guidelines in SOP 4.11.2 Request for Emergency Level of Care Assignment if an unforeseen circumstance necessitates a child without a LOC assignment, or with an expired LOC assignment, to be placed; and
Ensures that the review of the LOC assignment occurs to keep the child’s LOC assignment active. 2

Footnotes

Supporting documentation may include;

A psychological assessment;
Treatment recommendations;
IEP; 504; and
The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment, etc.

Any child who is being considered for residential treatment must have a LOC prior to placement. As such, the LOC packet, including the completed DPP-886A and Screener must be submitted to CRP before placement is secured.
Review of the LOC assignment is outlined in SOP 4.11.3 Reviews of Level of Care Assignment.