Escalation Process For Payments

The Escalation Process was developed to handle missing or incomplete information from the Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS)/Juvenile Probation Department (JPD) to Foster Care Eligibility (FCE) for all Foster Care (FC) related programs, which includes the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP), Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC), and Kinship Guardian Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) programs. The Escalation Process was designed to ensure documents are processed in a timely fashion for both Intake and Continuing FCE related cases.

Triage
1. Reviews the documents and if they are determined to be incomplete, follows the Escalation Process listed below.
2. Sends an email from the Triage inbox to the assigned Social Worker (SW) and Social Worker Supervisor (SWS).
  1. The email Subject line must include “1st Request".
  2. The email must include the sender’s name and the CalSAWS Case Number.
  3. The email must include a comprehensive list of the missing documents.
  4. The email must include the due date.
    1. If no response is received five (5) working days after the 1st request is sent, then
      1. Sends a 2nd email to the assigned SW and SWS, including the sender’s name.
      2. Includes “2nd Request” in the Subject line and the CalSAWS Case Number.
      3. Includes the FC Eligibility Worker Supervisor (EWS), on the Cc line of the email.
      4. The email must include a comprehensive list of the missing documents (updated to reflect any documents received).
      5. The email must include the due date.
      6. Note: Use “ssaPeopleSearch” on the intranet to find DFCS staff contact information.
    2. If no response is received five (5) working days after the 2nd request is sent, then
      1. Sends a 3rd e-mail to the assigned SW, SWS, and DFCS Resolution, including the sender's name.
      2. Includes “3rd Request” in the Subject line and the CalSAWS case number.
      3. Includes the FC EWS, FC SSPM, DFCS SSPM names on the Cc line of the email.
      4. The email must include a comprehensive list of the missing documents (updated to reflect any documents received).
      5. The email must include the due date.
    3. If no response is received five (5) working days after the 3rd request is sent, then
      1. Sends a 4th email to the SW, SWS, and DFCS Resolution in-box.
      2. Includes “Non-Payment Notice” in the Subject Line and the CalSAWS case number.
      3. Includes all previous email with the sender’s name.
      4. Attaches the Notice of Non-payment (SCD 28) to the email (this form reflects the remaining missing documents).
      5. Includes the FC EWS, FC SSPM, and DFCS SSPM on the Cc line of the email.
      6. Prints copies of all emails and the SCD 28 and files them in the Triage Folder to be Imaged.
3. For verification(s)/document(s) received during the Escalation Process, do the following:
  1. If documents are complete, then
    1. Emails the DFCS Resolution inbox.
    2. Adds “Resolved” to the Subject line.
    3. Forwards document(s) to the FC Control Clerk for intake case assignment.
  2. If documents received are incomplete, then
    1. E-mails the DFCS Resolution.
    2. Includes “Urgent - Escalation Documents Incomplete” in the Subject line.
    3. Returns document(s) to Pending Location.
Intake FC Eligibility Workers (EWs)
1. Intake EWs will follow the above Escalation Process, and the temporary folders will remain with the assigned Intake EW.
  1. If additional documents are needed, then follow the Escalation Process.
  2. If additional documents are not received at the end of the escalation period, then forwards the document(s) to the FC Control Clerk to reassign the case to “Pending Caseload.”
2. FC EW Continuing.
  1. For ARC, Foster Care, and Kin-GAP cases:
  2. For DFCS cases, sends an email 45 days before the Redetermination (RD) is due to the SW.
  3. For Probation cases, sends an email 45 days before the RD is due to JPD_Foster_Care_Desk@PRO.SCCGOV.ORG.
  4. Reviews the case on the first working day of the RD month when the RD documents have not been submitted to the FC EW.
    1. Note: There is no escalation for AAP, Wraparound, County Specific and Medi-Cal only cases.
    2. If there is no response on the first working day of the RD month, then
      1. Sends a 2nd email to the assigned SW.
      2. Includes in the subject line:
        
        Redetermination
        
        Due Date, and
        
        CalSAWS Case Number.
      3. Includes the FC and SW Supervisors names on the Cc line of the e-mail.
      4. NOTE: Use “ssaPeopleSearch” on the intranet to find DFCS staff contact information.
    3. If there is no response 25 days before the end of the RD month, then
      1. Sends a 3rd email to the DFCS Resolution inbox.
      2. Includes “Urgent Redetermination Request is Due” in the Subject line.
      3. Includes all previous emails with the sender’s name and CalSAWS Case Number.
      4. Includes the FC and SW Supervisor names and the names of the FC and DFCS SSPM on the Cc line of the email.
      5. Example: RD is due in May. The RD documents were not received by May 5th. The FC EW will send the 3rd email to the DFCS Resolution inbox.
    4. If there is no response prior to the Notice of Action (NOA) cutoff, then
      1. Completes the RD for Medi-Cal Only. (Checks intranet for NOA cut off date) http://intranet.ssa.co.santa-clara.ca.us/calwin/calwin_calendars.html
      2. Allows CalSAWS to terminate benefits.
      3. Verifies Medi-Cal is still open.
      4. Forwards a copy of the discontinuance NOA to the assigned SW.
    5. If documents are received, then
      1. E-mails the DFCS Resolution inbox.
      2. Adds “Resolved” to the Subject line.
      3. Prints and sends emails to Imaging.

Escalation Process For Payments

Related Topics