On December 14, 2009, the Court issued an amended Preliminary Injunction to prohibit the rate reduction for all children placed in group homes, whether or not they are federally eligible. Therefore, the state is enjoined from reducing rates for any children in group home care. For services rendered November 04, 2009 forward, counties shall pay the rates shown in the letter. If the county has already paid a non federally eligible child the lower rate, a supplemental check must be issued. [Download]

Notice of the new training options under the “Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008.” Training can now be provided to relative guardians, State-licensed or State-approved child welfare agencies providing services, members of staff of abuse and neglect courts, agency attorneys, attorneys representing children or parents, guardians ad litem, and court-appointed special advocates representing children in proceedings of such courts. The participation rates for the new groups will be phased in. [Download]

An update to last year’s instructions to counties for certifying to system utilization of the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System in order to secure the available funding augmentation. [Download]