Kansas Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Review

Kansas Title IV-E Foster Care
Eligibility Review
October 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Region VII

Room 276, Federal Office Building
601 East 12th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64106

September 28, 2005

Gary J. Daniels
Acting Secretary
Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
Docking State Office Building
915 SW Harrison Street, Room 603-N
Topeka, KS 66612-1 570

Dear Secretary Daniels:

During the week of August 22, 2005, the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) staff from the Central and Regional Offices and State of Kansas staff conducted an eligibility review of Kansas' Title IV-E foster care program in Topeka, Kansas.

The purpose of the Title IV-E foster care eligibility review was (1) to determine if Kansas was in compliance with the child and provider eligibility requirements as outlined in 45 CFR 1356.71 and Section 472 of the Act; and (2) to validate the basis of Kansas' financial claims to ensure that appropriate payments were made on behalf of eligible children and to eligible homes and institutions.

This is to inform you that the ACF has determined the State of Kansas' Title IV-E foster care maintenance payment program to be in substantial compliance with Federal child and provider eligibility requirements for the period 10/1104 through 3/31/05. Because Kansas was found to be in substantial compliance, a secondary review will not be required. Of the 80 cases reviewed, 100% were found to be in compliance; therefore no financial penalties will be taken.

The next primary review must be held in three years.

We commend Kansas for its excellent efforts to improve its Title lV-E foster care eligibility determination process, resulting in a more accurate Title IV-E foster care eligibility program. During the Review, program strengths and recommendations for improvement were noted. Promising practices include:

Informative and well-written petitions, applications, and complaints from Sedgwick County.
Overall, Kansas Courts do a good job of forming orders that reference back to the petitions.
In the KC Metro area, the Courts set timely adjudications and frequent permanency hearings.
Very thorough safety checks are completed on group homes.
The AFDC eligibility form clearly addresses all eligibility elements.
Program and administrative staff are well informed and provided excellent T/A during the Review.
Excellent organization of the review.

Areas identified as needing improvement included:

The results of some criminal background checks were not clearly identified.
Court orders from Topeka needed more child specific information.
Questions 4 and 5 on some initial eligibility determination forms were left unanswered or not fully completed.

We thank you and your staff for the excellent efforts that were made to prepare for and participate with us in this review. We look forward to working with you and your staff to continue to improve State implementation of the Federal requirements and to improve services to children and families. Please contact Christine Lucero, Program Specialist, at (816)426-2257 if you have any questions about this review.

Sincerely,

Linda K. Lewis
Regional Administrator

cc: Susan Orr, Associate Commissioner
Children's Bureau

To contact a member of our staff via e-mail, use the person's first initial and last name followed by ~acfhhs.gov visit our website at: http://www.hhs.gov/region7Facf

Kansas Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Review October 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Region VII

Kansas Title IV-E Foster Care
Eligibility Review
October 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002