Preventive Child Care Assistance

SOP 7F.5.5(A)

R. 5/1/08

SOP1B.19(A)

R. 5/1/09

PREVENTIVE CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE

COA STANDARDS:

·  NA

LEGAL AUTHORITY:

·  NA 922 KAR 2:160 Child Care Assistance Program

PROCEDURE:

1.  The SSW requests FSOS approval for Preventive Child Care assistance when child care is the appropriate service to meet the needs of the child(ren) and prevents further Child Protective Services (CPS) intervention when a:

(a) A Family in Need of Services Assessment (FINSA) or investigation does not warrant opening a case for comprehensive ongoing services, documenting such in The Worker Information System (TWIST);

(b) A FINSA case is opened to meet the assessed low risk needs of the family in a comprehensive manner to prevent them from escalating into moderate or high risk abuse or neglect incidents.

(c)  An investigation or FINSA involving a caretaker which results in a child(ren) being placed with a relative (who has otherwise declined or who are is not eligible for Kinship Care), and an assessed need exists.

2.  Preventive child care is limited to six months, unless a P&P child protection ongoing case is currently active as described in SOP 1B.19(C)

(a) The SSW requests FSOS approval for Preventive Child Care assistance by providing the FSOS information in the justification section of the DCC-85 Approval for Child Care Assistance that child care is needed based on an assessed need. with a memo justifying the need for child care services to prevent Child Protective Services intervention. The hard copy request is filed in the family’s case record. The justification must describe in detail how child care assistance prevents abuse and neglect,( i.e. what are the immediate safety issues that exist, and how will child care assist with addressing them. If the child care is for relatives, this should be clearly stated, and why specifically the relatives are in need of child care. how child care will assist in addressing any immediate safety issues and, if a child is placed with a relative, the specific reasons the relative needs child care assistance to maintain placement).

3.  Financial need alone is not an appropriate reason to request an authorization for Preventive child care services. Link Tipsheet on Examples of Appropriate Preventive Child Care Situations

4.  Upon approval by the FSOS, the SSW completes a DCC-85 Approval for Child Care Assistance (form instructions) and submits it for FSOS signature. The DCC-85 must be filled out completely, with:

(a) Preventive checked as the reason for authorization; and

(b) Start and ending dates included (this can be any time frame from 1 to 6 months). Child Care is time-limited, and individuals must be informed of this at the time of application.

5.  The SSW may specify the type of child care (licensed center, certified provider, relative to be registered provider); however, parental co-pays may not be waived for preventive child care assistance without approval of the FSOS. The SSW and the FSOS may use the Daily Co-Payment Chart to help determine the appropriate co-pay, listing the co-pay amount on the DCC-85 below the “Waive Parental Co-pay: Y/N No”. When the FSOS approves to “Waive Parental Co-pay: Y/N Yes” justification is reasons are discussed in the “Comments” “Justification” section of the DCC-85. Co-payments are NOT automatically waived. FSOS provides a A detailed explanation should be given when no co-payment is assessed required.

6.  The SSW may use the “Comments” “Justification” section to record any additional extenuating circumstances such as: required notification of absences (if requested by the P&P worker), required use of child care if specified on a case plan, restrictions on choice of child care provider, schedules that may require the use of multiple child care providers, special needs of the child, etc. Note: P&P staff are strongly encouraged to request attendance reports and information regarding any concerns the provider may have about a child(ren).

7.  The SSW sends a copy to the local county Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) agency for processing.

8.  The SSW provides the family with:

(a) Page three of the DCC-85 confirming eligibility for child care services;

(b) The DCC-112 Selecting Quality Child Care for My Child;

(c)The DCC-91B DCBS Client Fact Sheet;

9.  The SSW advises the family that the child care assistance is time-limited, and subject to redetermination when there is an open CPS case and documents this information in service recordings. based on the case circumstances

10. The SSW files a copy of the DCC-85 in the family’s case record.

11. The SSW documents in the Service Recordings and/or Case Plan the need for child care services to prevent child protective services abuse, neglect and/or dependency.

11. If the case is open for ongoing services, the SSW reviews the need for continued child care assistance at each case review/Family Team Meeting (FTM). When reassessment occurs on open cases, the SSW assesses the family to determine if original conditions that justified child care being provided still exists, has progress been made and how will another 6 months of child care benefit the child or family (for reasons other than financial).

1.  If continued child care assistance is necessary, and the authorization is ready to expire, the SSW provides written detailed documentation in the “Justification” section of the DCC-85 demonstrating a continuing need to the FSOS, . The SSW and documents on the case plan how child care will assist the family in meeting the needs of the child(ren) to prevent them from escalating escalation into moderate or high risk abuse or neglect situations.

2.  Other information that is also included: must include date the case was opened, what are the immediate safety issues that exists and how child care can assist with addressing them, whether child care is on the family’s case plan(date), was the issue of child care being needed discussed at an FTM(date), or if the child care is for relatives, this should be clearly stated and why specifically the relatives are in need of child care.

a.  the date the case was opened

b.  the immediate safety issues that exist and how child care will address them

c.  whether child care is on the family’s case plan and date of case plan

d.  whether the need for child care was discussed during an FTM and the date this occurred, or

e.  if child care is for relatives, what the need is.

12. 12.If the referral for child care was made at the conclusion of a FINSA or investigation, and no case was opened, the original investigator assesses whether or not there is a need for continued child care assistance. If that investigator is no longer available, then another worker on the investigative team does the re-determination The eligibility period for Protection and Permanency approvals does not exceed six (6) months. The FSOS may approve continued child care assistance in six month intervals using the DCC-85. The redetermination is filed in the family’s case record. Failure to make a redetermination request to DCC may result in a disruption or discontinuance of the child care assistance.

The SSW reports child care changes in the child care assistance to the Division of Child care by utilizing the DCC-87 Change Report for Child Care Assistance form. Changes reported on the form should include:

(a)Adding or removing an authorized child to receive assistance;

(b)Change of location for family or child (especially if the child enters out of home care); or

(c)Other actions affecting child care assistance.

12. This form should be used The SSW utilizes the DCC 87 when adding or removing an authorized child to receive assistance, change of location for family or child (especially if the child enters out of home care), or other action affecting child care assistance.

13. The SSW may request continued child care assistance in six month intervals, even when a case is to be closed, by documenting in the Aftercare Plan the:

(b) Authorization from the FSOS;

(c)  Need for child care assistance; and

(d) Limited time frame for the child care assistance as noted on the DCC-85.

13. 11.When an ongoing FINSA case is closed prior to the termination date of the approved preventive child care assistance, the SSW notifies DCC or local designated CCAP that:

(a)  The case is closed/closing, however preventive child care assistance is to remain intact until the end date as specified on the DCC-85; or

(b)  If there is no longer a need for preventive child care assistance, the SSW follows procedures 15 and 16 procedure 14 of this SOP for termination of child care assistance.

14. When Preventive child care assistance is terminated, the SSW:

(a)Completes the DCC-87 Change Report for Child Care Assistance and sends it to the DCC local county CCAP Agency;

(b)Notifies the family in writing that preventive child care assistance is terminated using the DPP-154A;

(c)Provides the family a copy of the DPP-154 Service Appeal Form; and

Files a copy of the DCC-87 in the family’s case record.

15. If child care assistance is denied initially or during redetermination, the SSW informs the family of their right to make a service appeal following procedures outlined in SOP 1.5 Service Appeals.