Special Needs and Specialized Rates

The SCR is administered by the DFCS administration staff and payment instructions are sent to FCE. Currently 55 counties have specialized care systems. Modoc, Plumas and Sierra counties do not have SCI.

Note: For a list of the counties with a SCI plan in place see: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/foster-care/specialized-care

All SCIs and Special Needs require additional paperwork. Children and youths placed in FC, Kin-GAP and the AAP are eligible for SCIs. Only FC and KG placements are eligible for Special Needs (clothing and burial expenses).

Reminder: Cases funded via the ARC program may also receive Special Needs, SCIs and other specialized rates. Refer to Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC) Funding Option Program for more information.

 

Children or youths receiving AAP benefits are not required to have additional documentation to pay SCIs. Their SCI is a part of their negotiated rate and is included on the “Payment Instructions Adoption Assistance Program” (AAP 2) form.

Special Needs and SCIs are also available for youths in the EFC program and in extended Kin-GAP under AB 12. Youths receiving extended AAP benefits are eligible for SCIs but not eligible for Special Needs.

Special Needs and SCIs for FC and Kin-GAP are paid with AFDC-FC or County Only/DE funding and must accompany one of the various “DFCS Placement Expenses” forms or (SCZ 414Z).

Specialized Foster Family Homes

Counties have the option of setting Specialized Rates for certain types of foster family homes. These rates are also a part of the county’s SCR plan. There are four types of Specialized Rates that are paid for children and youths in foster family home placements. The Specialized Rates are for the following placements:

• Emergency Satellite Homes (ESH) (discontinued 7/1/19),
• Adolescent Care Homes (ACH) (discontinued 7/1/19),
• County Supplement Initiative, and
• Sibling Placement also known as “Sibling Supplements.”

The ESH and ACH rates were paid with AFDC-FC funds and County Supplements and the Sibling Supplements are paid with DE funds.

Documentation Need for Special Needs and Special Care Increments for Foster Care and Kin-GAP

DFCS uses various forms of the Santa Clara County created SCZ 414Z to approve Specials Needs and SCIs. FC EW must have one or more of the following SCZ 414Zs for payment. Payments are issued with either AFDC-FC (includes federal and non-federal) funding or County Only also known as Director’s Exception (DE) funding or a combination of both.

All SCZ 414Zs except SCZ 414Z for the ICA are sent to FC Clerical for assignment.

 

Below are a list of the various types of SCZ 414Zs for payment:

Type of SCZ 414Z	Used For
Burial Expense Assigned SW is responsible for picking up the Check or Warrant. AFDC-FC Funding (FC and Kin-GAP)	Funeral cost for foster care and Kin-GAP
DFCS Request Initial Clothing Allowance AFDC-FC Funding or DE Note: When paid with DE an AFDC-FC aid code cannot be used, The FC EW must use aid code 9X with the appropriate payment subtype. The SCZ 414Z must be approved by the SFU (See CalWIN Announcement (CA)187.7).	Initial Clothing Allowances for approved placements
DFCS Request - Special Care Increment Medical AFDC-FC Funding	SCIs for approved placements with medical needs Tiers 1 through 3
DFCS Request - Special Care Increment Behavioral AFDC-FC Funding	SCIs for approved placements with behavioral needs Tiers I through 3
DFCS Request - Special Care Increment Developmental Delay AFDC-FC Funding	SCIs for approved placements with developmental delay  Tiers I through 3
DFCS Request - Special Care Increment (Out-Of-County) AFDC-FC Funding	SCIs for approved placements for out-of-county. This requires a copy of the other county’s rate structure
DFCS Request Education Travel Reimbursement Request AFDC-FC Funding	For approved placements that eligible for the Education Travel Reimbursement (ETR)
DFCS Request Special Care Increment - Kin-GAP for Behavioral/Medical/Developmental Delay AFDC-FC Funding	SCIs for Kin-GAP placements with Behavioral, Medical, or Developmental Delay Tiers I through 3
Placement Expense (9X/DE) Relative Home or Non-Relative Extended Family Member (NREFM) County Only Funding	SCIs for out-of-county placement where the resident county does not have an adequate SCI, Out-of-county SCI is not sufficient for the child’s needs, Relative/NRERM home not approved, Undocumented minor, Supplements to the for providers receiving CalFresh and or/CalWORKs only, Education Travel Reimbursement for placements not eligible for AFDC-FC funding, Extending Voluntary Family Reunification (VFR) for Voluntary Placement that extend beyond 6 months, Voluntary Placement for days prior to the SW signing the SOC 155, and Other extenuating needs
Placement Expenses (9X/DE) SCC Licensed Foster Home County Only Funding	SCI on Emergency Satellite Homes (ESH), Extending Voluntary Family Reunification (VFR) for Voluntary Placement that extend beyond 6 months, Voluntary Placement for days prior to the SW signing the SOC 155, and Other extenuating needs.
Placement Expense (9X/DE) Group Homes and Foster Family Agencies County Only Funding	For-Profit Residential programs, Infant (non-dependent) Supplement in THPP where the group home requires additional funds beyond the Infant Supplement, Bed Hold extending beyond 14 days, Extended VFR beyond 6 months, Voluntary Placement for days prior to the SW signing the SOC 155, THPP payments for NMD (NMD are only eligible for THP+FC) this is to pay the difference between the two rates, and Other extenuating needs.
WRAP 9X/DE County Only Funding	Wraparound Services are paid to a Group Home and there is no Blanket Approval to make the payment [Refer to “Payment Rules,” page 25-6] and FC Update 2014-24.
DFCS Request Sibling Supplement (for Licensed Foster Home) (9X/DE) County Only Funding	Sibling Supplements for Santa Clara County licensed foster homes that have at least three siblings placed in the same foster home. However, children in Foster Family Agency (FFA) and relative placements (including ARC cases) are not eligible for Sibling Supplements.

Foster Child’s Data Record and AFDC-FC Certification (SOC 158A)

A SOC 158A must be provided along with the SCZ 414Z for new foster care placements. A
SOC 158A will not be provided when the youth is placed in an adult facility or any facility that is not recognized by the State of California as a foster care provider. To confirm placement, the FC EW must print the child’s placement history from CWS/CMS that includes the name of the non-foster care facility and include the placement history when sending the SCZ 414Z to IDM.

When the FC EW is unable to confirm the facility type or the facility needs to be added to CalSAWS, refer the facility name to the FC Providers email box for clarification.

Related Topics

Special Needs