Section 359.5  Payments for Family Preservation and Auxiliary Services

Payments are made for the following services provided to children and their families when in compliance with the requirements of negotiated contracts, and authorized approval levels:

a)         After care services are social services provided to children who are leaving private agency foster care or care in an institution or group home. The purpose of these services is to help the children adjust to their new environment.  The payment rates are negotiated by contract.

b)         Homemaker and emergency caretaker services are provided through individual and agency contracts.  They may be provided to children either in or out of their own homes.  The Department may pay as funding allows for associated costs such as transportation, if appropriate, and medical examinations for advocates, homemakers and emergency caretakers.

c)         Counseling/advocacy services are provided to families through individual and agency contracts.  These services are purchased for intact family units and for families who have children in substitute care and as ancillary service to children in substitute care.

d)         Family psychiatric evaluations are provided for family counseling purposes when needed and to help evaluate the family's functioning.  These services are purchased at the physician's usual and customary fee, subject to review and comparison with rates set by other state agencies.

e)         Family planning counseling is a service available to all clients of the Department.  Additionally, the Department may pay for medical costs related to family planning when payment is not otherwise available.

f)         Camping for children living at home may be authorized by the Department when a camping experience is essential for the social development of a child receiving Department child welfare services.

g)         Day care is a service utilized to preserve and strengthen family life in times of crisis and to prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their families and to maintain family self-sufficiency.  Day care is provided through agency contracts and individual arrangements with day or night care providers.  The Department may pay for associated costs such as pre-admission physical examinations when such costs are not included in the day care providers fee.

h)         Supervised independent living arrangement contracts may be negotiated with service providers to provide social services and supervision to youth in independent living arrangements.