Foster Care

Resource Family Approval program

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The California Department of Social Services has issued information about the Resource Family Approval (RFA) program. RFA is a new foster caregiver process that is a one-time approval with the same assessment, information and training for all foster caregivers. The assessment includes home environment, background checks, psychosocial assessment and training.

Placements can be made prior to approval in emergencies if the home passes inspection, the foster caregiver passes a criminal records check, and the foster caregiver initiates the RFA process within five days. Placements can also be made prior to approval if there is a compelling reason based on the best interest and needs of the child, the foster caregiver has already completed the home assessment, and post-placement the foster caregiver completes the psychosocial assessment and training within 90 days. Foster care benefits cannot begin until the RFA approval process is completed.

Five counties have already implemented the RFA. Nine counties will implement the program between January and June, 2016. All counties must implement RFA on January 1, 2017. ACL 16-10 (February 17, 2016).

Changes in Processing Medi-Cal Cases for Former Foster Youth

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Recently, DHCS has issued some new guidance regarding Medi-Cal for Former Foster Youth (FFY).

First, if a former foster youth becomes eligible for Medi-Cal through Hospital Presumptive Eligibility (HPE), aid code 4E, counties are to process the beneficiary for full-scope Medi-Cal aid code 4M within 30 days.  If workers are unable to verify FFY status, they must assess for other programs and send a notice accordingly.  DHCS MEDIL I 15-28 (9/25/15)

Second, DHCS has provided new SAWS notices for FFY.  The notices provide language for approvals, conditional approvals, automatic renewals, continuations of coverage, and changes to coverage after age 26.  Beneficiaries should also receive appropriate denial notices as needed.  These revised notices need to be issued no later than October 30, 2015.  DHCS ACWDL 15-32 (10/7/15)

Fixing Medi-Cal Aid Codes for Former Foster Youth

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DHCS issued instructions to the counties to facilitate the appropriate Medi-Cal coverage of former foster youth through aid code 4M.  Former foster youth are entitled to receive Medi-Cal through the age of 26.  The current CalHEERS programming uses MAGI rules, resulting in some eligible former foster youth being assigned other aid codes or not at all.

The state is extracting data for the counties on affected former foster youth who should be assigned aid code 4M.  Counties must use available information to verify former foster youth status, and then immediately enroll eligible individuals into the proper aid code and issue a NOA.

This letter applies to those currently receiving Medi-Cal with a different, non-cash aid linkage aid code, and those without an aid code but with eligibility for APTCs.  The state will issue a separate letter for those former foster youth enrolled in a qualified health plan through Covered California.  DHCS ACWDL 15-29 (9/16/15).

Extension of CalWORKs eligibility to former foster youth

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AB 12 (2010) created CalWORKs eligibility for certain people who were previously in foster care. The program is called the non-minor dependents program. In general, people who were previously in foster care are entitled to extended CalWORKs eligibility if they are completing high school or are in a program leading to a high school equivalent degree, enrolled at least half time in college or vocational education, participating in a program to remove barriers to employment, employed at least 80 hours per week or disabled. CDSS issued regulations implementing the non-minor dependents program and summarized the changes in the regulation package. ACIN I-01-15 (1/28/15).

Foster child caseworker visit rule changes codified

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Senate Bill 382, which took effect in January 2014, changed requirements for monthly caseworker visits with foster children. The provisions of the bill are now part of amendments to Welf. & Inst. Code Section 16516.5 and 16516.6. In accordance with those sections, no more than two consecutive monthly visits can be held outside the foster child’s residence, the caseworker/social worker/probation officer must advise the foster child that she has the right to request that the private discussion occur outside the group home or foster home, and if the visit does not occur at the child’s residence, the caseworker must document the location of the visit in the case file and court report, along with the reason the visit did not take place at the child’s residence.  ACL 14-50.