Notice to counties of the upcoming federal review, a review of the prior errors and a note about promising practices. (California was in substantial compliance last go round.) [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
Foster Care
DHCS MEDIL No. 13-07: Extension of Former Foster Care Children’s (FFCC) Program
This MEDIL provides guidance to counties on the expansion of the FFCC program to comply with federal law, which requires that, starting January 1, 2014, former foster youth be covered by Medi-Cal up to age 26. DHCS has directed counties to grant an additional six months eligibility minimum for former foster youth set to age out of the FFCC program between July 1, 2013 and December 31, 2103. The letter can be downloaded here.
ACL 13-43: New Roles And Responsibilities In The Specialized Care Rate Program (7/11/13)
Description of the changes in the Specialized Care Rate Program (or Specialized Care Increment), and clarifies roles and responsibilities pursuant to the changes to W&IC section 11461(e)(1). [Download]
ACL 13-04: Notice Of Education Travel Survey Tool (7/1/13)
Federal law provides that foster care case plans includes a plan for ensuring the educational stability of the child, and allows the cost of reasonable travel for the child to remain in the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement as an allowable foster care maintenance cost. In ACL 11-51, the CWDA and CDSS agreed to develop a survey tool to capture relevant educational travel data. This ACL transmits a Microsoft Word version of the survey too, and is putting out a request for the provision of information regarding October 2012. [Download]
ACIN I-34-13: Organization Of The Children And Family Services Division (3/28/13)
Issued 3 months ago but just posted now,a description of each of the Children and Family Services Division (CFSD) Branch’s responsibilities and staff assignments in those branches. [Download]
ACIN I-29-13: Extended Foster Care (EFC) Update (6/6/13)
Info on new law requirements (ok, since last year) for the “after 18” program (EFC). Most of the changes are to apply existing Foster Care rules to this older population.
The SB 1013 removed the phased-in maximum age limits for foster care in 2012 and 2013. This allows a non-minor dependent (NMD) who continuously remains in foster care to stay until the age of 21. (The phased in ages remains for “re-entry” youth, also explained in this letter.) The letter reviews notice, court process, the health and education passport, placement, etc. [Download]