Request for County Funds Payment Through Director’s Exception (DE) (SCZ 414Z Placement Expenses)

When there is no other Foster Care funding available a Director’s Exception (DE) may be requested by the Social Worker on the form “Special Funds Request” (SCZ 414). The DE requires the signature and approval from the Director of the DFCS. The DE is normally granted for a period of 6 months but DFCS policy allows for flexibility and it may be issued for a maximum of 1 year. DE is used to fund “Temp RFA” homes and to issue SCI, clothing allowances, Infant Supplement and ETR for ARC eligible children.

1. DFCS
   1. Generates a Placement Expense Request.
2. DFCS SFU
   1. Receives and approves the SCZ 414Z expenses.
   2. Forwards request to FC MA.
3. FC MA
   1. Logs the request.
   2. Verifies the signatures are present.
   3. Returns request to SFU when the approved signatures are missing.
   4. Forwards request to FC Clerical.
4. FC Clerical
   1. Receives request.
   2. Completes ID.
   3. Verifies if FCE case exists.
   4. Uses the assigned case number if there is an existing FC “County Specific” case and forwards the request to the continuing FC EW if it is for an ARC case or an EW III.

      1. Note: There may be an open case in District Office and no active FCE case.

   5. Forwards request to Triage if there is no existing FC or county specific case (this process is rare with the implementation of the ARC Program).
5. Triage
   1. Reviews SCZ 414Z.
      1. If open County Specific case or FC case with recurring expense, then 
         1. Reviews open FC case.
         2. Reviews open County Specific case.
         3. Determines the correct funding associated with the request.
         4. Determines if the request is to be paid through the FC or County Specific case.
      2. If Closed FC case with recurring expense, then 
         1. Determines if Medi-Cal is active in SCC.
         2. Refers to Control Clerk to app. reg. FC and MC when Medi-Cal is not active.
         3. Refers to Control Clerk to open a County Specific Case when Medi-Cal is not active.

            1. Note: Only time we need to open a county specific case is when the child is active on MC in another SCC case other than in FCE.

      3. If no case with recurring expense, then requests Clerical to app. reg. County Specific Case.
      4. If one time payment open or closed FC case or no FC case, then 
         1. Advises Control Clerk to forward request to assigned EW.
         2. Advises Control Clerk to assign closed case to Intake EW for payment if closed more than one full calender month.
         3. No case, requests to open “County Specific” case and assigns to Intake.
   2. Forwards documents to Control Clerk.
6. FC Clerical
7. Completes application registration for “County Specific”, ARC, FC and MC case when no FC case exists and there is no ARC eligibility.
   1. Assigns to Intake EW.
   2. Swaps/reassigns case to Continuing EW III when request is assigned to Continuing EW II.
   3. Forwards documents to assigned EW.
8. Intake EW or Cont'g. EW III or Cont'g. FC EW
   1. Receives Placement Expense Request.
   2. Communicates with SFU if any discrepancies.
   3. Reviews the beginning and end date of the request.
   4. Reviews and determines how payment will be issued:
      1. If there is an existing FC or County Specific case, then 
         1. Verifies the correct rate.
         2. Issues payment through NSDI using the approved sub-type.
         3. If ARC, follows ARC process.
      2. If there is no FC case, then 
         1. Verifies the correct rate.
         2. Issues payment as an NSDI using the approved subtype in the “County Specific” case number.
         3. Verifies that Medi-Cal is active when the provider is in California.
   5. Sets a case alert for one month before the renewal is needed.
   6. Refers to Intake or Continuing Benefits Processing, as appropriate.

Related Topics

Escalation Process For Payments