Items that have been deleted can be seen by clicking the Deleted link. 8.1H TITLE IV-E, Administrative Functions/Costs, Training 12. Would you explain the cost-sharing or matching requirements for the title IV-E training program? 1. Question: What is the Federal financial participation (FFP) in the costs of training for employees of the State title IV-E agency, foster parents, adoptive parents and employees of private child placing and child care agencies? Show History Answer: Prior to the signing of Public Law (P.L.) 101-239 on December 19, 1989, section 474 of the Social Security Act (the Act) provided that States with plans approved under title IV-E shall be entitled to Federal matching funds for the proper and efficient administration of the State plan in the following proportions of total amounts expended: 75 percent for the training (including both short-term training and long-term training at educational institutions, through State grants to the institutions or by direct financial assistance to students enrolled in such institutions) of personnel employed or preparing for employment by the State agency or by the local agency administering the State title IV-E State plan; and 50 percent for the remainder of expenditures necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the State IV-E plan.
The regulations at 45 CFR 1356.60 specify what is considered a training cost and what is considered an administrative expense under title IV-E. Section 1356.60 (c) further explains that the State's cost allocation plan shall identify which costs are allocated and claimed under title IV-E. With regard to costs of educational programs (approved by the State agency) leading to a baccalaureate or graduate degree, the regulations clearly indicate that training to prepare persons who are employed or about to be employed by the State agency administering the title IV-E plan can include such long-term training. Grants to the institution or to the person attending the institution are reimbursable at a Federal matching rate of 75 percent. (See 45 CFR 1356.60 (b)(1)(i), 235.63 (c) and 235.64 (c) for further clarification.)
Under section 474 (a)(3)(B) of the Act, federal financial participation is available at 75 percent "...for the short-term training of current or prospective foster or adoptive parents and the members of the staff of State-licensed or State-approved child care institutions providing care to foster and adopted children receiving assistance under this part, in ways that increase the ability of such current or prospective parents, staff members, and institutions to provide support and assistance to foster and adopted children, whether incurred directly by the State or by contract."
Costs matchable as training expenditures under this provision may include: (1) travel, per diem, tuition, books and registration fees for trainees; (2) salaries, fringe benefits, travel and per diem for staff development personnel assigned to training functions to the extent time is spent performing such functions; (3) salaries, fringe benefits, travel and per diem for experts outside the agency engaged to develop or conduct training programs; and (4) costs of space, postage, training supplies, and purchase or development of training material. Costs not allowable for trainees under this provision include salaries and fringe benefits.
Federal regulations at 45 CFR 1356.60 (b)(2) require that all training activities and costs funded under title IV-E must be included in the State agency's training plan for title IV-B. States will be reimbursed under title IV-E for such costs only if the activities and costs are described and included in the State's jointly developed and approved title IV-B plan.
All training costs must be allocated to Title IV-E, State foster care and other State/Federal programs in such a manner as to ensure that the cost is charged to the program in accordance with the relative benefits that the program receives from the training. States may determine the manner in which they allocate costs but must do so in accordance with the principles delineated at OMB Circular A-87 (also located at 2 C.F.R. ? 225).
Answer: Yes. Section 474 (a)(3)(A) of the Social Security Act provides for Federal financial participation (FFP) in the costs of training personnel employed by or preparing for employment with the State or local agency. Section 474 (a)(3)(B) covers other administrative expenditures, including the training of foster parents. It is within the discretion and flexibility of the State agency to determine the most efficacious and cost effective means of meeting the short and long term training needs of the State and local agencies.
Answer: Yes. States may utilize title IV-E funds for the purposes of paying for the costs of adoptive parents' attendance at conferences which have training components or which include discussions of significant issues covering adoption and the needs of children. Title IV-E of the Act supports a continuing relationship between adoptive parent(s) and the agency to provide services, as needed, to the adoptive parent(s) in the care of the child. These provisions are interpreted to include training for this purpose.
Costs, including travel and per diem, claimed under title IV-E would be reimbursable at the 75% matching rate for adoptive parents attending such training conferences (45 CFR 1356.60 (b)(1)(ii)).
The placement of children in adoptive homes when they cannot return to their biological family is an essential child welfare service. Today's emphasis on placing children with special needs in adoption poses many problems and needs for adoptive parents. By attending and participating in conferences which have training components related to adoption and discussions of adoption issues, adoptive parents may better learn how to deal with special problems and enhance their parenting skills by sharing experiences with others in similar circumstances. Active participation of adoptive parents in such conferences may result in improved adoption planning and policy development through their advisory relationships with public agencies, and thereby assist in extending and strengthening adoption services to children and adoptive parents.
Answer: For purposes of title IV-E, 45 CFR 235.64 (a), which we have used as the implementing regulation (as cross-referenced in 45 CFR 1356.60 (b)), allows the costs identified above to be claimed for FFP purposes.
Answer: Within the restrictions articulated in section 474 (a)(3) of the Social Security Act, training may cover the full range of activities necessary to meet the States maintenance and service requirement of title IV-E.
Answer: Yes, the State may, using an approved cost allocation methodology, identify and claim that portion of the cost of its employees' participation in the CFSR State team training that is allowable under title IV-E at the enhanced rate of 75 percent Federal financial participation pursuant to 45 CFR 235.64(c)(3). Specifically, travel, per-diem, and educational supplies may be claimed at the 75 percent rate. The costs of training the State's external partners or participants who are not employees of the State agency similarly must be allocated across benefiting programs and the title IV-E portion may be claimed at the 50 percent FFP rate as administrative costs.
Pursuant to section 474(a)(3)(A) of the Social Security Act (the Act), an enhanced rate of FFP is available to train employees of the State agency to perform title IV-E functions. In accordance with section 471(a)(7) of the Act, the State agency is required to monitor and conduct periodic evaluations of its title IV-E program. A State agency employee who is participating in a CFSR is, therefore, performing a title IV-E function pursuant to section 471(a)(7) of the Act, making the enhanced FFP available to train the employee to perform that function.
Any other training associated specifically with conducting a child and family services review or included in an approved CFSR program improvement plan likewise may be claimed under title IV-E in accordance with the guidance provided above.
Answer: No. DAB Decision No. 1737 did not address matching funds for training under section 474(a)(3)(A) and (B) of the Social Security Act (the Act). Therefore, ACF regulations and policy which permit only public funds to be used as match for title IV-E training at the 75% rate are applicable. As specified in the Child Welfare Policy Manual at Section 8.1F question 3, only public funds may be used to match title IV-E training expenditures. The regulations at 45 CFR 1356.60(b)(3) on Federal matching funds for State and local training for foster care and adoption assistance under title IV-E cross reference to 45 CFR 235.63 through 235.66(a) which, among other things, permit public funds to be used as match. The regulation does not cross reference to 45 CFR 235.66(b) which permit funds donated from private sources to be used as match.
Answer: In general, the training topics must be closely related to one of the examples cited in 45 CFR 1356.60(c)(1) and (2) as allowable administrative activities under the title IV-E program. The regulatory examples of allowable activities include:
Additional examples of allowable administrative activities specifically applicable to the title IV-E adoption assistance program include, but are not limited to:
There are many training topics that are closely related to these title IV-E allowable activities that the State may train its workers on and claim at the 75 percent rate. The following are some examples:
Answer: Yes. Consistent with 45 CFR 235.64(a)(1) and (2) (which applies to titles IV-B and IV-E training costs by cross reference at 45 CFR 1356.60(b)(3)) and Departmental Appeals Board Decision #1666, the administration of training activities (when performed by the State agency training unit), such as contract negotiation, monitoring, or voucher processing is reimbursable as a training activity at the 75 percent match rate. Also, certain State agency overhead costs that are allocable to the State agency training unit in accordance with an approved cost allocation plan may be claimed as title IV-E training costs at 75 percent Federal financial participation (FFP). Further, while a State normally may not claim 75 percent FFP for day-to-day staff supervision, if the supervisor is performing a training function as part of a formalized training program, such as an on-the-job training component of initial in-service training, the State may consider the portion of time during which such activity is performed by the supervisor as training eligible for 75 percent match (to the extent it is allocable to title IV-E).
Answer: It depends. The State may claim title IV-E administrative costs for training staff on any topic areas that are necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the State?s title IV-E program. These would include topics that address general skills or knowledge required for overall job performance. Some examples of general training topics that the State may claim as a title IV-E administrative cost at the 50 percent match rate include, but are not limited to:
Answer: In general, the State may not claim title IV-E funds at the 75 percent rate unless the training addresses topics closely related to one of the examples of title IV-E administrative costs listed in Federal regulation at 45 CFR 1356.60(c)(1) and (2). In addition, funds are not allowable at either the 75 or 50 percent match rate for training on topics that do not address a general administrative need that is determined necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the title IV-E program. Examples of training topics that are not allowable under the title IV-E program include, but are not limited to:
Answer: The cost-sharing or matching requirements for the title IV-E training program are addressed in regulation at 45 CFR 235.66(a), and referenced by 45 CFR 1356.60(b). The following principles apply:
11356.60(b) does not cross reference to 45 CFR 235.66(b) which authorizes privately donated funds as a match under the former title IV-A Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), training program.
Answer: Yes. There may be situations in which a State?s approved training plan includes initial in-service training that is delivered intermittently over a period of time. In such situations, the State may claim title IV-E at the 75 percent match rate for the periods of time the employee is actually participating in the training. Consistent with the regulations at 45 CFR 1356.60(b)(3) and 235.61(a), an employee must be in some form of structured training related to title IV-E administrative activities s/he will perform in order for the State to claim FFP for properly allocated trainee costs at the 75 percent match rate. Employee absences due to approved leave do not disrupt the initial in-service training period. However, if an employee is on duty but not participating in initial in-service training, FFP at the 75 percent rate is not available to reimburse the State agency for the costs of the employee?s salary, fringe benefits, travel or per diem during the non-training period.
Answer: It depends. Under some circumstances a State or local agency employee may be considered to be in training while carrying a partial caseload and the costs of that employee?s salary, fringe benefits, travel or per diem may be reimbursable at the 75 percent level. To meet these circumstances, the employee must carry a caseload that is significantly smaller than that for the journeyman position in the State. In addition, the work experience component must be fully detailed and justified as an integral component of the initial in-service training program in the State's training plan for title IV-B, as required by 45 CFR 1356.60(b)(2). It is reasonable to expect that an initial in-service training program that includes work experience would include more than the standard day-to-day supervision typically provided to experienced employees. Furthermore, the State should ensure that the trainee's performance is closely assessed and monitored, for example, that feedback is regularly provided to the worker.
Answer: Yes, the State may claim title IV-E training funds at the 75 percent match rate to train through an initial in-service training program current State agency employees who accept employment in a different position in the title IV-E agency, such as from a caseworker position to a supervisory position or from one program area to another such as from foster care to adoption. The training must meet the definition of initial in-service training, however, and therefore be intensive, task-oriented and last for at least one week as specified in the regulations at 45 CFR 235.61(a) and 235.64(b)(1).
While the definition of in-service training specifically indicates that such training is for "new employees," it is reasonable, within the context of this definition, to treat someone in a new position in the State agency as a "new" employee for training purposes. The employee's training needs are similar to those of a new employee. If the training is associated with the administration of an approved title IV-E State plan requirement and intended to give the staff the specific skills required to perform title IV-E foster care and adoption functions, it may be matched at the 75 percent FFP rate. Training focused on the development of supervisory skills and tasks related to supervision (generic skills training) may be matched at the rate of 50 percent FFP. The training activities and costs must be included in the State agency's training plan for title IV-B.
Answer: Intensive training is training that is highly concentrated and intended to significantly strengthen and increase the employee's knowledge. Given these parameters, an employee could not participate in intensive training while maintaining a full caseload. There is not enough time in a regular work week to accommodate both maintaining a full caseload and participating in intensive training, whether classroom or on-the-job training is provided. The majority of the employee's time during intensive training is dedicated to training activities. An intensive training program may encompass an on-the-job component in which an employee maintains a partial caseload provided in a structured learning environment with a higher degree of supervision than a regular employee would experience.
As specified in the regulations at 45 CFR 235.64, Federal financial participation is available at 75% for employees in initial in-service training for at least one week for salaries, fringe benefits, travel and per diem to the extent that the training is related to the examples of allowable administrative costs necessary for the administration of the foster care program at 45 CFR 1356.60(c)(2).
Each State's title IV-B training plan must accord with the definition of in-service training at 45 CFR 235.61(a). In addition, course descriptions, activities and costs must be described in the State's approved training plan for title IV-B. Training that benefits the overall administration of a State's foster care or adoption assistance program, and not only children eligible under title IV-E, must be allocated to all benefiting Federal and State programs in accordance with OMB Circular A-87 and an approved cost allocation plan.
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