Special Care Increments (SCIs)

MPP 11-401.421, 11-425, WIC 11461(e)(1), 11460(b)

Individual California counties have the authority and option to establish a special care rate program. Santa Clara County's Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) sets rate amounts, develops forms, and specifies eligible populations. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) maintains oversight and authority to review county SCI plans.

An SCI provides a supplemental payment to the placement of a Foster Care (FC), Adoption Assistance Program (AAP), and Kinship-Guardianship Assistance Program (Kin-GAP) in addition to the level of care (LOC) rate. It is intended to meet the additional daily needs of a child/youth with medical, developmental, or behavioral needs.

When a Santa Clara County (SCC) child or youth is placed outside of the county, the host county's SCI must be paid. The SCC SCI rate is used if the host county does not have an SCI plan. When SCC determines that the host county rate is insufficient to meet the child's needs, an additional rate may be issued; however, it must be paid using county-only funding. The appropriate SCZ 414Z form must accompany the request.

Overview of Santa Clara SCI Plan

The DFCS revised the SCI plan, which the state approved, to be used effective April 1, 2021, for new placements. Existing cases with SCIs will be phased out of the previous SCI Plan by March 31, 2022. There are now only three tiers of rates, and SCIs are now approved for one year (Kin-GAP SCIs continue to be approved for two years). The SCI expires at the end of the one-year period (or 2 years for Kin-GAP), and a new evaluation is necessary for a continuation or change to the SCI. The SCI payment may not continue until the Social Worker/Probation Officer submits the necessary documentation to continue paying the SCI. The SW/PO will work with the caregiver to prevent interruptions to the payment.

Exception: When a foster care case transitions to a Kin-GAP case with the same placement, the existing FC SCI may be extended up to two years to match the new Kin-GAP redetermination date. The SW/PO must approve the extension and provide a revised SCZ 414Z form.

Reminder: SCIs are tied to a specific child in a specific home and are not transferable. Placement changes and other triggering events require that the SCI be reassessed.

The SW/PO will complete the appropriate SCZ 414Z form, including the provider and the supervisor’s signature. It is then forwarded to the Special Funds Unit to ensure accuracy and consistency. The SFU management analyst reviews the documentation, signs off on the completion of the form, and finalizes approval from the Administrative Program Manager. The SCZ 414Z is then forwarded to Foster Care Eligibility (FCE so that FC Clerical may assign the processing of the payment to an FC EW.

Eligible Placements

RFA HBFC placements are eligible for SCIs. This includes:

Relative (receiving FC or ARC)
NREFM
County licensed foster home
RFA temporary/pending homes (SCI must be paid with county-only funds)
Kin-GAP
Non-Related Legal Guardianships (both Juvenile and Probate).

Note: AAP placements are eligible for SCIs however, it is included in their negotiated rate. A SCZ 414Z is not necessary to make the payment.

Ineligible Placements

The following placements are not eligible for an SCI payment:

Group Home or STRTP
THPP, THP+ (aftercare) and THP-NMD placements
SILP placements
FFA
ISFC
Placements receiving the Static Rate
Placements receiving a payment from a child sub-payee account
San Andreas Regional Care homes.

Rates for SCIs

The rates for the revised SCI Plan are effective 4/1/21 and are eligible for the annual California Necessities Index (CNI) rate increases. Existing cases with SCIs will be phased out by 3/31/22. SCIs cover the areas of medical, developmental delay, and behavior.

Tier	Rate
Personal & Incidental (P&I)	$136 (subject to change January of each year)
Tier I	$120
Tier II	$545
Tier III	$965

Eligibility Process

The SCI is paid in CalSAWS through the Special Care Increment page section within the Child Placement Detail page for FC cases or the Kin-GAP Rate Summary page for KG cases. The SCI request must have an “End Date” no later than one year after the “Request Date” except for Kin-GAP placements, which expire in two years. The SCI payment is issued with the regular monthly benefits and will only be prorated when there is a concurrent placement change.

CalSAWS will generate a "Special Care Increment (SCI) Expiring" task on the first day of the month that the SCI expires. A Notice of Action (NOA) will generate once the worker changes the SCI amount or discontinues it.

To determine the SCI rate of another California county, the FC EW will follow the existing process to request assistance from the Management Analyst (MA). Refer to Receiving State or County Regulations in FC Chapter 12.

Processing an SCI For An Approved Placement

DFCS/JPD
1. Determines if the child or youth has specialized needs.
2. Completes and sends the SC Z414Z form to the SWS and includes the DFCS SSPM when county funds are needed.
3. Forwards the SCZ 414Z to the Special Funds Unit (SFU). SFU will forward the completed form to FC Clerical.
FC Clerical
1. Receives SCZ 414Z from DFCS SFU.
2. Assigns SCZ 414Z task to FC EW and forwards document to Imaging.
FC Intake/ Continuing EW
1. Receives the SCZ 414Z for a Special Care Increment.
2. Reviews for the Special Care Increment category, rate, and time frame.
3. Verifies out-of-county rate when the placement is out-of-county.
4. Updates the Special Care Increment page section within the Child Placement Detail page for FC cases or the Kin-GAP Rate Summary page for KG cases.
  1. Prorates the first month when necessary.
5. Authorizes SCI.

Note: When the case is with an Intake FC EW, the SCI is authorized with the initial payment.

Verifies that the NOA and benefits are sent to the provider.
Generates and mails the NOA.
Documents the approval of the Special Care Increment and related information in a CalSAWS Journal.