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93.658 FOSTER CARE_TITLE IV-E

FEDERAL AGENCY
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION
Social Security Act, as amended, Title IV-E, Section 470, et seq.

OBJECTIVES
The Title IV-E Foster Care program helps States provide safe and stable out-of-home care for children under the jurisdiction of the State child welfare agency until the children are returned home safely; placed with adoptive families, or placed in other planned arrangements for permanency. The program provides funds to States to assist with the costs of foster care maintenance for eligible children; administrative costs to manage the program; and training for the State agency staff, foster parents and certain private agency staff.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE
Formula Grants. Open- ended entitlements

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS
Funds may be used by the State child welfare agency for FFP in State or local foster care maintenance payments on behalf of eligible children; for administrative and training costs; and for costs related to design, implement and operate a statewide data collection system. funds ma not be used for costs of social services such as those that provide counseling or treatment to ameliorate or remedy personal problem, behaviors, or home conditions for a child, the child's family, or the childs foster family.

Applicant Eligibility
States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Beneficiary Eligibility
States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will benefit.

Credentials/Documentation
Costs are be determined in accordance with 45 CFR 74.

Preapplication Coordination
Consultation is available to States from Regional Administration for Children and Families (ACF) offices. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure
Applications (State plans) must be submitted by the State to the ACF Regional Child Welfare Program Manager,for approval. The standard application forms as furnished by DHHS must be used for this program.

Award Procedure
Quarterly awards are made on the basis of State estimated expenditures that are later revised accordingly to include only actual allowable expenditures. Final decisions and awards are made by the Headquarters Office. Letter-of-credit is issued by the HHS Payment Management System (PMS).

Deadlines
State estimates must be received quarterly (July 30, October 30, January 30, and April 30) by the ACF, Washington, DC.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
HHS approves or disapproves State plans or plan amendments within 90 days of receipt by HHS.

Appeals
Appeals are processed in accordance with HHS regulations in 45 CFR Part 16.

Renewals
Awards remain effective without renewal but State plans may be amended as necessary.

Formula and Matching Requirements
FFP for foster care maintenance payments is equal to the State medical assistance percentage, i.e., the Federal share of payments is from 50 percent to 83 percent, depending on the State (Section 474(a)(1) and 1905(b) of the Social Security Act). Training and other administrative expenditures are matched at 75 and 50 percent Federal share, respectively (Sec. 474(a) of the Social Security Act).

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Funds are paid quarterly through a letter of credit.

Reports
Expenditure reports must be submitted 30 days after the end of each quarter (January 30, April 30, July 30, and October 30) to Administration for Children and Families, Office of Administration, Washington, DC.

Audits
Audits are conducted in accordance with the requirements in 45 CFR 92.

Records
States must maintain records that substantiate established eligibility, allocated indirect and direct costs,and awrded grants.

Account Identification
75-1545-0-1-609.

Obligations
(Grants & Contracts) FY 07 $4,687,672,000; FY 08 $4,581,000,000; and FY 09 est $4,463,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance
For FY 2007, grants ranged from $1,665,150 to $1,302,357,112; FY 2008 estimated range is from $1,627,894 to $1,273,217,985; and the estimated range for FY 20009 is from $1,582,764 to $1,237,920,313. The average award amount is $89,791,646, $87,782,635, and $85,349,019, respectively.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
It is estimated that 53 grants will be made in fiscal year 2007, 2008, and 2009, serving serving approximately 211,900 children per month in fiscal year 2007 and 207,800 in fiscal year 2008 and approximately 203,200 in fiscal year 2009.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE
45 CFR 1355-1356.

Regional or Local Office
Consult Children's Bureau Regional Child Welfare Program Manager.(See Appendix IV of the Catalog for a list of addresses of the Regional Offices.)

Headquarters Office
Jennifer Butler-Hembree, Children's Bureau, 1250 Maryland Ave S.W., Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (225) 654-2527.

Web Site Address
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb

RELATED PROGRAMS
93.556, Promoting Safe and Stable Families; 93.560, Family Support Payments to States_Assistance Payments; 93.645, Child Welfare Services_State Grants; 93.659, Adoption Assistance.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS
None.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS
None.


General Services Administration
Office of Chief Acquisition Officer
Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR)