GAHSC,CAPS Questions

December 4, 2008

Overall, CAPS seems to be working well once the application is turned into CAPS by the DFCS case manager. It is those times that there is a delay that causes problems that take up an inordinate amount of time to get resolved. The most problematic issues are encountered when the child is in custody of one county but is placed in a foster home in another county.

It would be helpful to have training/workshop for CPA’s to include the following:

  • Basic procedures on the CAPS referral process for CPA’s, since the CAPS process is different for low income families. (i.e.: FP’s do not get a CAPS certificate the date the child is enrolled in a center).
  • Basic criteria to qualify a foster parent to receive CAPS and the documentation needed for a child in DFCS custody. (CPA’s can be helpful in getting documentation that is needed, such as child’s birth certificate, social security card, foster parent employment verification)

Below are some of the issues that CPA’s are still having:

  1. What is the protocol to get paid for day care when CAPS guidelines do not allow for payment? This usually occurs with a partial week scenario when a child first comes into care or attends another center for teacher work days and holidays. It is our understanding from CAPS that they only pay for full weeks. How does payment to the child care provider get resolved for the partial weeks or teacher work days and holidays?
  1. What is the policy for CAPS payments being paid by region? Some foster parents live in one region but use a day care in another region.
  1. How can we receive documentation from the DFCS worker that a CAPS application has been made? We are sometimes caught in a bind where the day care requires payment to allow the child to remain in the program, but the DFCS case manager has not followed through with the paperwork being sent to the appropriate countyCAPS worker. It would be my understanding that in these cases, the county would be responsible for the payment. How does payment to the child care provider get resolved to avoid the child having to change centers?
  1. The effective date of the CAPS certificate is the date the CAPS worker received the referral. Due to the problems with DFACS workers not timely submitting CAPS Form 57, the effective date is often after the date the child was enrolled? Can CAPS payment to the child care provider go retroactive to the first day the child was enrolled? How does payment to the child care center get resolved if the certificate does not go retroactive to the date the child was enrolled?
  1. What is the process for child over the age of 13 to qualify for CAPS? It is understood that there is a special needs criteria; however, we have experienced problems with obtaining the approval from CAPS. In addition, if a child does not meet special needs criteria, but DFCS requires supervision for a child over the age of 13, what is the process for payment to the child care provider?
  1. If a child attends a center that requires only an initial registration fee, but no weekly rate is charged, (i.e. Boys and Girls Club), but transportation is not provided to/from the child’s school to the center, can CAPS cover the initial registration fee and services secured by a transportation provider? If not, what is the process for payment of the initial registration fee and transportation provider?
  1. Funding availability for children whose foster parent does not work if attending daycare will benefit the child developmentally/socially. What type of documentation is needed? What is the process for approval of payment to childcare provider?