Child Welfare Contract Training
(CC 832)
Safety Plan Services/Family Safety, Risk,
Permanency Services
Child Welfare Emergency Services
Recruitment and Retention
Group Care
Supervised Apartment Living
Iowa Foster Care Youth Council
1
Contact Information - Questions
Contract Name
Policy Contact / Email
Address
Subject Heading for
Email
Foster Group Care
Jim Chesnik
jchesni@dhs.state.ia.us
GC QA
Child Welfare Emergency
Services
Jim Chesnik
jchesni@dhs.state.ia.us
CWES QA
Safety Plan Services and
Family Safety, Risk, &
Permanency Services
Mindy Norwood
mnorwoo@dhs.state.ia.us
SP/FSRP QA
Recruitment & Retention
of Resources Families
Tracey Parker
TPARKER@dhs.state.ia.us
RR QA
Iowa Foster Care Youth
Council
Doug Wolfe
dwolfe@dhs.state.ia.us
IFCYC QA
Supervised Apartment
Living
Holli Miller
hmiller@dhs.state.ia.us
SAL QA
2
Safety Plan (SP) Services and Family Safety,
Risk, and Permanency (FSRP) Services – A
Brief Overview
June 2011
3
Safety Plan Services


The Unit of Service is 15 calendar days.
Maximum of two Units of Service.
 First unit of service – maximum payment is $521.16.
 Second unit of service – maximum payment is
$432.94.
The Agency (DHS) worker will make initial
referral to the assigned Contractor by phone.
 The Contractor will record the time that the
referral call was received.
 The Contractor will respond to the Agency
(DHS) within one (1) hour of the referral.

(Contract 101, pages 1-2)
4
Safety Plan Services

The referral packet for Safety Plan
Services will be sent as soon as possible
but within 24 hours of referral and
includes:
◦ 3055
 Under youngest child victim
◦ Safety Plan
◦ Referral Face Sheet
(Contract 101, page 1)
5
Safety Plan Services
The Contractor shall begin delivering
services within 24 hours of referral
whether or not the written Safety Plan is
received.
 If the Safety Plan, Referral Face Sheet, and
3055 are not received within 24 hours,
the Contractor shall immediately notify
the Agency (DHS) Contract Monitor.

(Contract 101, page 1)
6
Safety Plan Services

Within 24 hours of the referral, the
Contractor or assigned subcontractor,
shall meet with the following individuals:
◦ Alleged child victim(s)
◦ Parents (in the home)

There is no waiver of these contacts.
(Contract 101, page 1)
7
Safety Plan Services
The expectation is that face to face
contacts will be made on a daily basis
with the child victim(s) and parents (in
the home).
 The frequency of contact with siblings and
others involved in the case will be
identified on the Referral Face Sheet.

(Contract 101, page 1)
8
Safety Plan Services

The actual number of days of face to face
contact may be less than 15.
 The Contractor has 24 hours to make the initial
contact; therefore, if initial contact is not made the
same date as referral, only 14 days remain to make
daily contact.

If the Agency (DHS) worker requests
visits on less than a daily basis, dates must
be specified for the waived contacts and
provided electronically.
9
Safety Plan Services

Reporting Requirements
◦ Daily Contact Log
 Initial contact log is due within 24 hours after initial
contact.
 All other logs due by end of the next calendar day
of every contact or attempted contact.
◦ 15 Day Report
 Due within 24 hours of the end of the 15th day of
service for each unit of Safety Plan Services
provided.
(Contract 101, page 2)
10
Safety Plan Services
 2nd


Unit of Service
3055s shall not be backdated.
The Agency (DHS) worker and the Contractor should
discuss in advance if there is a need for continued
services and a 2nd authorization (3055).
◦ This communication should serve as a reminder to renew the
authorization. A second authorization for Safety Plan Services
should be concurrent to the end date of the first
authorization.
11
Safety Plan Services
 2nd
Unit of Service
◦ Does not include the requirements related to
the first 24 hours.
 Face to Face contact will be daily or as specified by the
Agency (DHS) worker.
 The first contact log will be due by the end of the next
calendar day following the contact with the child/family.
 The payment for the 2nd Unit of Service does not
include the $88.22 for the first 24 hr requirements.
(Maximum payment $432.94)
(Contract 101, page 2)
12
Safety Plan Services
Excerpt from 101 – Who must be seen
Safety Plan Services
Frequency
Who has to be seen
Parents In The Home (this includes step-parents) Within 24 hours and then daily
Child Victim(s) (In the home)
Within 24 hours and then daily
Others identified on the Referral Face Sheet
Within 24 hours and then daily
All Contractors shall receive Agency referrals and begin providing services within 24
hours of the referral. All Agency referrals will be made by phone to the Contractor.
The Contractor shall receive the written Safety Plan, Referral Face Sheet, and 3055
within 24 hours of the Agency referral.
The parent(s) and child victim(s), by contract, must be seen within 24 hours. The
referral worker cannot waive this requirement for the initial contact.
The referral worker may change the frequency of contact for the remainder of the
episode of service. Any changes made to the frequency of contact or who must be
seen shall be documented electronically to notify the Contractor. A copy of this
electronic correspondence must be maintained in the Contractor Case file.
13
Safety Plan Services

Changes to who must be seen shall be
documented in an electronic communication.
◦ Previously a new Safety Plan was required.

The SAM or designee may allow an exception
to a required contact due to bad weather or
natural disaster.
◦ The Contractor must make alternative arrangements
to assure safety.
(Contract 101, page 2)
14
Safety Plan Services

Contractors or assigned subcontractor
will participate in all Family Team Meetings
and/or Dream Team Meetings (where
available).
(Contract 101, page 1)
15
Safety Plan Services Payment Structure





First 24 Hr Requirements ~ $88.22 (Initial referral only)
Daily (or frequency specified) face to face contacts ~
$157.94
Contact logs by end of next calendar day ~ $75.00
Children not removed from the home during SP Services
provision ~ $100.00 (Performance Measure)
Children do not suffer maltreatment during SP Services
provision ~ $100.00 (Performance Measure)
◦ Payment will not be made for any of the requirements that were not
met on the case.
(RFP, Contract 101 - page 2, and Performance Measures)
16
Safety Plan Services

Transition June to July 2011

All current Safety Plan Services
authorizations will be end dated on or
before June 30, 2011.
◦ Safety Plan Services will not automatically
convert and will need to be end dated by the
referring worker.
17
FSRP Services
Monthly Unit of Service
 The statewide base monthly payment
amount for all Contractors is $473.10
per month.
 The Agency (DHS) worker provides
available case-specific information at the
time of referral.

18
FSRP Services

Referral Packet includes:
◦ 3055
 Under youngest child victim
◦
◦
◦
◦
Referral Face Sheet
Safety Plan (if applicable)
Family Case Plan – when completed
CPS Assessment Summary
 One which led to FSRP referral; all others require a
completed/signed Request for Child Abuse Information, Form
#470-0643
(RFP/Contract)
19
FSRP Services - Contacts
First 5 Business Days (For July 2011 only, the
first 10 Business Days)
◦ Make F2F contact with any child(ren) identified at
referral as abuse victims and/or subjects of a court order
based on CINA proceedings that reside in the home or
in foster family care, kinship care, or shelter care
placement, the parent(s), and any caretaking adults.
◦ Participate in a F2F initial joint meeting with the Agency
(DHS) worker, if available, and family in all referrals.
(RFP/Contract and Contract 101 – page 6)
20
FSRP Services – Contacts
1st Month of Service
F2F Contact within the first month of service of
the referral with identified family members residing
in the home at the frequency based upon Referral
Face Sheet.
 F2F contact with child(ren) in PMIC, Toledo, or
Group Care within the first month of service.

(RFP/Contract and Contract 101 – page 6)
21
FSRP Services - Contacts


1st Month of Service
F2F contact within the first month of service of referral with
parents not residing in the home, frequency based upon
Case Plan or Referral Face Sheet.
If a parent resides outside the state of Iowa, the frequency
and method of contact will be determined by the Court, the
Agency (DHS) worker and/or the results of Family Team
Meetings based on the needs and complexity of the case as
assessed by the Agency (DHS) worker and Contractor staff.
◦ The method of contact could include phone, written or electronic
correspondence, or face to face.
(Contract 101 – page 6)
22
FSRP Services – Contacts
After the 1st Month of Service
At a minimum, F2F contact shall occur every
calendar month with the family and with all
children in the case that reside in Iowa.
 If a child is placed outside the state of Iowa, the
Agency (DHS) worker should coordinate
through Interstate Compact on the Placement
of Children (ICPC).

(Contract 101 – page 6)
23
FSRP Services – Contacts
After the 1st Month of Service

The frequency of contact with the parents not
residing in the home, and birth parents of children
with the permanency goal of APPLA will be
determined by the Court, the Agency (DHS)
worker and/or the results of Family Team Meetings
based on the needs and complexity of the case as
assessed by the Agency (DHS) worker and
Contractor staff.
(Contract 101 – page 6)
24
FSRP Services – Contacts
After the 1st Month of Service
 If a parent resides outside the state of Iowa, the
frequency and method of contact will be
determined by the Court, the Agency(DHS) worker
and/or the results of Family Team Meetings based on
the needs and complexity of the case as assessed by
the Agency (DHS) worker and Contractor staff.

The method of contact could include phone, written or
electronic correspondence, or face to face.
(Contract 101 – page 6)
25
FSRP
Excerpt from 101 – Who must be seen
Family Safety, Risk and Permanency Services
Who Has To Be Seen
Initial Contact
First Month of Contact
Monthly Contact Thereafter
Parents/ Caretaking adults in the home ( this includes stepparents, and foster parents when TPR has occurred)
Within 5 business days
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Minimum one time f-f
Children identified as abuse victims (includes foster family care,
kinship care, or shelter care)
Within 5 business days
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Minimum one time f-f
Children identified as subjects of CINA (includes foster family
care, kinship care, or shelter care)
Within 5 business days
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Minimum one time f-f
Child placed in PMIC, Toledo or Group Care
Within the first month of service
Minimum one time f-f
All children residing in the home not identified as CINA or abuse
victims
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Minimum one time f-f
Agency Worker should coordinate
through ICPC
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Agency Worker should coordinate
through ICPC
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM
Child is placed outside the state of Iowa
Parents that do not reside "In the Home"
Birth Parents of Children with the Permanency Goal of APPLA
Parents residing outside the state of Iowa
Agency Worker should coordinate
through ICPC
As documented on the Referal
Face Sheet
Determined by the Court, the Agency Determined by the Court, the Agency
Worker and/or results of the FTM. May Worker and/or results of the FTM. May
include phone, written or electronic
include phone, written or electronic
correspondence or Face to Face.
correspondence or Face to Face.
Any changes made to the frequency of contact or who must be seen shall be documented in an electronic communication
to notify the Contractor. A copy of this electronic communication must be maintained in the Contractor Case file. The
Agency Worker cannot waive a required contact.
26
FSRP Services
Any changes made to the frequency of
contact or who must be seen shall be
documented in an electronic
communication to notify the Contractor.
 A copy of this electronic communication
must be maintained in the Contractor
case file.

(Contract 101 – page 6)
27
FSRP Services

Reporting Requirements
◦ Submitted to the Agency (DHS) worker and to the parents,
unless their parental rights have been terminated.
◦
Case Progress Report (CPR)
 Submitted every month during service delivery period.
 Due each month within five (5) business days from the date
of case referral.
 Service Termination Summary
 Due within 14 calendar days of the date the case closes.
(Contract 101 – pages 7-8)
28
FSRP Services

Contractors or assigned subcontractor
will participate in all Family Team Meetings
and/or Dream Team Meetings (where
available).
29
FSRP Services

Family Functional Assessment
 Completed by the Contractor and
provided to the Agency (DHS) worker.
(Contract 101 – page 4)
30
FSRP Services Payment Structure
A monthly rate of $473.10, which is prorated based
on a 30 day month if less than a full month.
 After first 12 full months the rate is reduced to
85% of the full rate.

◦ A deferment may be requested for months 13-18. If
approved the full rate would be paid through the 18th
month.

Payment reductions may apply based on not
satisfactorily satisfying a Program Improvement Plan
(PIP).
(Contract 101 – page 8)
31
Program Improvement Plans





PIPs are no longer required for SPS delivery.
Contractors not achieving 85% of case compliance with
service elements for any 3 month period will be
required to do a PIP.
In FSRP, if a PIP is not satisfied in 6 months, a 2%
reduction will be applied to all cases served.
If a second PIP is required and is not satisfied within 6
months, a 5% reduction will be applied to all cases
served.
A PIP will be required if the accuracy of the monthly
report falls below 95% in any 3 month period. (RFP)
32
Contractor Monthly Service
Performance Summary Reports
This report is due by 3:00 p.m. on the fifteenth
(15th ) day of the following month. If the fifteenth
(15th ) day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday
observed by the State of Iowa, the report is due by
8:30 a.m. on the next Business Day.
 All components of the monthly report are now
included in one Excel file.
 This report is provided to the Contract Monitor.

(RFP)
33
Jurisdiction
If during SP/FSRP Services the family moves from one
Service Area or Sub-Area to another Service Area or
Sub-Area, the Contractor is still responsible for
providing services to the child, either directly or
through subcontractors. However, if the case has been
transferred from one Service Area or Sub-Area Agency
office to another Service Area or Sub-Area Agency
office, the Contractor in the new Service Area or SubArea will then be responsible for providing services to
the family. The Agency (DHS) protocol for transfer of
cases from Service Area to Service Area is still required.
(RFP)
34
Collaboration

Safety Plan/FSRP Services Contractors shall be expected
to work in collaboration with all Child Welfare
contracted services, specifically Recruitment and
Retention of Resource Families; Group Care/SAL; and
Child Welfare Emergency Services to align service
provision to meet the needs of children in all levels of
out of home care.
◦ These contracted services provide support and interventions to
children and families in a coordinated manner without
duplication of service. The goals of the above identified services
are to achieve safety, permanency, and well being for children in
care.
(RFP/Contract)
35
Collaboration



Safety Plan/FSRP Services Contractors will be invited to participate
in Service Area and/or state level meetings, to be held at least
quarterly, with Service Area Managers or their designees, and other
Agency (DHS) staff upon Agency (DHS) request to review and
resolve any service delivery issues.
Safety Plan/FSRP Services Contractors will be invited to participate
in a Statewide Contractors Meeting to be held at least annually
with all Safety Plan/FSRP Contractors.
Safety Plan/FSRP Services Contractors will be invited to participate
in a Statewide All Child Welfare Contractors Meeting to be held at
least annually to include Recruitment and Retention of Resource
Families; Group Care/SAL; and Child Welfare Emergency Services
Contractors.
(RFP/Contract)
36
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
What are they?
◦An array of short term, temporary child
welfare interventions focused on children who
would otherwise be referred for shelter bed
placement if appropriate alternative services
were not available
37
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
What CWES are not:
◦ CWES are not MH crisis or MH emergency
activities
◦ CWES are intended to address the CW/JJ
needs of children and families as they relate to
safety, permanency, and well-being
◦ CWES engagement a matter of hours (or
perhaps days or weeks if a shelter bed is
needed), unlike longer term MH care
38
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
◦ CWES approaches range from the least
restrictive interventions that can be used to
avoid shelter placement -- provided before
children require removal from their home -up to more or the most restrictive (out-ofhome placements with relatives, foster
families, or emergency juvenile shelter care
shelter bed)
39
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Lesser restrictive service examples:
Crisis line access
Community and family based interventions
Mobile and onsite conflict mediations
< 24 hour stays in shelter
In-home services/shelter
Follow up with families post-CWES engagement
40
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Target Population
◦ Children up to the age of 18 years under the
supervision of the DHS or JCS who need
temporary care and can be lawfully placed in
Emergency Juvenile Shelter Care
◦ Includes Law Enforcement referrals
41
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Who’s providing CWES?
◦ 14 emergency juvenile shelter providers
(offering 17 shelters as part of the CWES
array)
◦ Partnerships with FSRP providers
(for the list of apparent successful bidders see 101 Child Welfare
Emergency Services.pdf)
42
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Unique approaches with common themes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Assuring Access To Services
Screening for CWES
Operating with a Shared Service Philosophy
Maintaining and Monitoring Service Quality
Encouraging Community Connections and
Coordination
6. Exit planning from care
(details found in 101 Child Welfare Emergency Services.pdf)
43
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Outcome Expectations
◦ Safety
◦ Permanency
◦ Well-being
44
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Safety Outcomes
◦ Children are protected from abuse and
neglect while placed in Emergency Juvenile
Shelter Care.
◦ In the second year of the contract the
number of emotion-related or behaviorrelated critical Incidents will be reduced.
(for details see CWES Performance Measures 2012.pdf)
45
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Permanency Outcome
◦ Children referred to CWES will be screened
for CWES services within one hour of
referral to CWES and diverted from
placement into an Emergency Juvenile Shelter
Care bed as often as is appropriate.
(for details see CWES Performance Measures 2012.pdf)
46
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Well-being Outcome 1
◦ All Children in Emergency Juvenile Shelter
Care for longer than five days who are
required by State law to attend school shall
regularly attend classes and be assured they
will retain the educational credits they earn
from those classes.
(for details see CWES Performance Measures 2012.pdf)
47
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Well-being Outcome 2
◦ The CWES interventions provided to the
Target Population and their families are
appropriate to meet the identified needs or
resolve conflicts in the least restrictive
manner possible, as assessed by the Agency
and Juvenile Court Services referral workers.
(for details see CWES Performance Measures 2012.pdf)
48
Child Welfare Emergency Services
(CWES)
Program considerations:
◦ CWES referral and screening expectations
◦ Communication between contractors and
referral sources
◦ Shelter Care Admission/Discharge Protocol
◦ “Unallocated” shelter bed use
49
Contract for the Recruitment
and Retention of Resource
Families
50
Purpose of the Contract
The R&R Contract has five major components:
 To recruit and retain foster/adoptive families;
 To perform foster home licensing and adoption
approval activities including pre-service training
and home studies;
 To match children in need of care with the most
appropriate family;
 To provide support to foster families and preadoption families; and
 To provide support to post-adoptive families.
51
Desired Outcomes:
 There will be a sufficient pool of families
who have the skills, training and ability to
care for children who need out of home
care.
 The child’s first placement is the child’s
only placement.
52
Contract Award
The Contract was awarded to Four Oaks
as the lead agency of the Iowa KidsNet
network. Subcontractors are:
 Children’s Square
 Family Resources Inc.
 Lutheran Services in Iowa
 Quakerdale
 Youth and Shelter Services
53
Changes to the New Contract
54
Recruitment and Retention
Recruitment plans will be due
September 1 of each contract year.
 The methodology to determine
recruitment targets is still being finalized,
but will be based on Service Area data
analysis of the characteristics of children
to identify gaps in available families who
can meet the child’s needs.

Side by Side section 1.3.1.1
55
Initial and Renewal
Licensing/Approval

Iowa KidsNet will provide orientation
that includes but is not limited to
information on the process, the children
and the importance of children
maintaining connections.
Side by Side 1.3.1.4.1
56
Training Plan
An annual training plan will be developed
in collaboration between Iowa KidsNet
and the resource family based on the
skills, strengths and needs of the family.
 The plan will be reviewed and revised as
needed during the licensing year.
 The plan will be included in the renewal
packet.

Side by Side 1.3.1.9.2
57
Unlicensed Relative Home Studies
Relative home studies will now be referred
to Iowa KidsNet for completion.
 A home study means all the information
required in the Relative Home Study
Format RC-0078 found in the Employee’s
Manual 17 Appendix.
 Iowa KidsNet has 20 days to complete the
study once record checks and record
check evaluations are completed by the
Agency.

58
Unlicensed Relative Home Studies
continued
Referrals for relative home studies will
continue to be done on a 3055.
 Payment for relative home studies has
been added into the contract. The
service will no longer be entered into
FACS. The 3055 will need to be done
through Outlook.
 Day 1 is still counted as the date the
referral is received by Iowa KidsNet.

Side by Side 1.3.1.9.2
59
Unlicensed Relative Home Studies
continued
Any home studies referred on or before
June 30, 2011 will processed, billed and
paid through the current system (FACS)
 Any home studies referred on July 1,
2011and after will be paid through the
base pay of the contract.

60
Matching – Specified Referral
New referral type to use for a placement
needed in more than 2 hours but less
than 5 days.
 The placing worker states the day and
time a placement is needed.
 The timeliness of the responses will be
tracked but will not be a paid
performance measure.

Side by Side 1.3.1.13.2
61
Matching – Planned Referrals
Discharge from a hospital psychiatric
setting is NOT included as an exception
to a 5 day referral.
Discharge from a PMIC or MHI facility is
still an exception to a 5 day referral.
Side by Side 1.3.1.13.3
62
Performance Measures



One new performance measure has added and two
current measures have been changed.
These performance measures were based on child
placement data.
The measures are intended to improve stability by:
◦ maintaining and strengthening cultural
connections;
◦ keeping children close to their communities,
families and school; and
◦ focusing on the first placement into a foster
home so it is the only foster home placement.
63
Performance Measure 1
Iowa KidsNet will increase the number of
resource families to reflect the racial and
ethnic diversity of the children in care.
 Iowa KidsNet will receive a one-time
payment for narrowing the gap between
the number of minority resource families
and the number of minority children who
need care by 5% for the state.

Side by Side 1.3.2
64
Performance Measure 2

Stability – children will be in the same
licensed foster home four (4) months
after placement or will have exited to:
◦ a trial home visit;
◦ a pre-adoptive placement;
◦ achieved permanency through guardianship or
adoption.

The measure will look at children who
enter foster family care for the first time
either from their removal home or from
shelter.
65
Performance Measure 2
Payment for this measure will be received
for each quarter of the contract year if Iowa
KidsNet achieves a five (5) percent
improvement over the baseline for each
Service Area.
 Payment will be made based on Service Area
achievement not state wide achievement.
 The current measure is all children who
enter care in the contract year are stable for
6 months.

Side by Side 1.3.2
66
Performance Measure 3
Children will be placed within 20 miles
from their removal home.
 The measure will look at children who
enter foster family care for the first time
either from their removal home or from
shelter.

67
Performance Measure 3
Payment for this measure will be received
for each quarter of the contract year if Iowa
KidsNet achieves a five (5) percent
improvement over the baseline for each
Service Area.
 Payment will be made based on Service Area
achievement not state wide achievement.
 The current measure is all children who
enter care in the contract year are placed
within 45 miles of their removal home.

Side by Side 1.3.2
68
Additional Performance Measure
Changes
Performance Measure 5A and 5B
 Initial packets will be considered timely if
received by the Agency 110 days from
the first date of PS-MAPP, or 90 days if PSMAPP is waived.
 The measure is paid if packets are receive
timely 93% of the time.
 Prior measure was the packet had to be
submitted 110 or 90 days 95% of the
time.
Side by Side 1.3.2
69
Additional Performance Measure
Changes
Performance Measure 5A and 5B
 Renewal packets will be considered timely
if received by the Agency no later than
45 days prior to expiration.
 The measure is paid if packets are receive
timely 93% of the time.
 Prior measure was the packet had to be
submitted 45 days prior to expiration
95% of the time.
Side by Side 1.3.2
70
DHS Contract Reminders
Packets:
 Record the date the packet was received
and any missing documents on the
tracking tool.
Relative Home Studies:
 Complete record checks and evaluations
prior to referral
 Talk to relatives about the home study
process and placement to determine if it
is an appropriate referral.
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DHS Contract Reminders
Matching
 Notify Iowa KidsNet within 24 hours of a
child’s placement in a pre-adoptive or
foster home, or when there is a change in
the child’s status.
 Notify Iowa KidsNet when a referred
home is not used for placement.
 Update Iowa KidsNet at least every 14
days for 30 day planned placements.
72
DHS Contract Reminders
DHS is responsible for Corrective Action
Plans. Collaborate with Iowa KidsNet
staff to develop and monitor progress.
Post-Adoption Services
 Invite Iowa KidsNet post adoption staff to
meet with the adoptive family prior to
finalization to provide the family with
post-adoption support information.

73
Foster Group Care
What is it?
◦ Structured living for eligible foster care
children considered unable to live in a family
situation due to social, emotional, or physical
disabilities but are able to interact in a
community environment with varying degrees
of supervision.
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Foster Group Care
Children are adjudicated either as having
committed a delinquent act or as a Child
In Need of Assistance (CINA)
 Court-orders to care that is provided in
licensed facilities 24 hours a day and
seven days per week

75
Foster Group Care
The safety, permanence, and well-being of
children are be addressed by:
1. Providing a stable living environment
2. Engaging families to help eliminate conditions that
may have led to a child’s removal from the home
3. Maintaining connections to home and community
(in collaboration with the referral entities)
4. Providing for children’s rehabilitation needs and
building life skills.
76
Foster Group Care
Group care responsibilities:
◦ Plan the daily activities of children
◦ Provide discipline and guidance as needed
◦ Facilitate the development of peer
relationships
◦ Teach children age appropriate skills to help
prepare them to return to their communities
or to transition to adulthood or future selfsufficiency
77
Foster Group Care
Additional expectations of contractors:
 Work closely with the referral entities, the courts,
and families to coordinate efforts toward achieving
goals in the child’s case permanency plan
 Behavior management and stabilization strategies
shall include collaboration with families to facilitate
a child’s move back to the community and family
reunification, if that is possible and appropriate.
78
Foster Group Care
Who will provide foster group care in SFY
2012?
◦ 15 contractors
◦ No changes to the current provider network
(for the list of contractors see the Foster Group Care Services
side by side comparison SFY 2012.pdf)
79
Foster Group Care
New contracts:
◦
◦
◦
◦
Previously “open panel”
Competitively selected now/outcome based
Out of state vs in Iowa
Licensure requirements unchanged (license
levels)
◦ Referral process and payment methodology
unchanged
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Foster Group Care
Outcome Expectations
◦ Safety
◦ Permanency
◦ Well-being
81
Foster Group Care
Safety Outcome 1
◦ Children are protected from abuse and
neglect while in care.
Safety Outcome 2
◦ In the second year of the Contract, the
number of emotion-related or behaviorrelated critical incidents will be reduced.
(for details see Foster Group Care SFY 2012 Performance
Measures.pdf)
82
Foster Group Care
Permanency Outcome
◦ Connections to family and community are
maintained while Children are in Foster
Group Care.
(for details see Foster Group Care SFY 2012 Performance
Measures.pdf)
83
Foster Group Care
Well-being Outcome
◦ All Children in Foster Group Care who are
required by state law to attend school shall
regularly attend classes and be assured they
will retain the educational credits they earn
from those classes.
(for details see Foster Group Care SFY 2012 Performance
Measures.pdf)
84
Contract for Supervised
Apartment Living (SAL) Foster
Care
85
SAL Purpose

SAL foster care placement is the least
restrictive foster care placement in Iowa.
SAL provides youth appropriate living
arrangements in which the youth can
experience living in the community with
less supervision than other types of foster
care, with concentration on learning life
skills needed for successful transition to
adulthood.
86
SAL – 2 Types of Living
Arrangement Settings
1) Scattered site setting – Youth are placed in
their own living arrangement (usually an
apartment) with access to provider staff 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
 2) Cluster site setting – Youth are placed in a
setting that can house up to 6 youth (such as an
apartment building or residential housing) in
which contractor staff is on-site at any time
when more than one youth is present in the
setting. Cluster sites must be able to house
between 4 to 6 youth.

87
SAL Contractors effective
July 1, 2011
1) Florence Crittenton Home of Sioux
City (Scattered sites only – Woodbury,
Plymouth, Cherokee, Ida, Monona)
 2) Hillcrest Family Services (Scattered
sites only – on campus housing as well as
scattered sites within the city of
Dubuque)

88
SAL Contractors 07/01/11 (cont.)
3) Lutheran Services of Iowa, Inc.
(Scattered sites only – Clay, Buena Vista,
Crawford, Polk, Story, Jasper, Blackhawk,
Bremer, Winneshiek, Delaware, Dubuque,
Jackson, Clinton, Scott, Muscatine, and
possibly adjacent counties)
 4) Quakerdale (Scattered sites in
Waterloo and New Providence; Cluster
site in Waterloo - females)

89
SAL Contractors 07/01/11 (cont.)
5) Woodward Youth Corporation (2
Cluster sites in Des Moines, one serving
females and one serving males)
 6) Youth Homes of Mid-America
(Scattered sites in Polk and possibly
Warren, Jasper, and Dallas; Cluster site on
campus in Johnston – males)

90
SAL Contractors 07/01/11 (cont.)

7) Youth and Shelter Services, Inc.
(Scattered sites in Polk, Boone, Story,
Marshall, and Hardin; possible Cluster site
in Polk – females)
91
Eligibility Criteria eff. 07/01/11

Youth must be at least: 16 ½ years of age
for Cluster site settings; 17 years of age
for Scattered site settings
*Youth already placed in SAL prior to July 1,
2011 who do not meet the new age
criteria can remain in SAL effective July 1,
2011.
92
Eligibility Criteria (cont.)
School & Work Criteria
 1) Youth are attending school leading to a
high school diploma or GED or;
 2) Youth are attending post-secondary
education on a full-time basis or;
 3) Youth are attending post-secondary
education on a part-time basis and
working part-time or participating in a
work training program or;

93
Eligibility Criteria (cont.)

Youth no longer attending school must be
working an average of 80 hours per
month or participating in a work training
program
94
SAL Services
When a youth meets all the eligibility
requirements for SAL, the worker (DHS
or JCS) may provide services directly
(contact the TPS in your area for
assistance on how to set this up) or may
purchase them from one of the 7 SAL
Contractors.
 If a worker provides services directly, they
are responsible for all services and
supports outlined in the next 4 slides, the
same as the Contractor.

95
Assessments and Life Skills
Curriculum
All contractors will be utilizing the Ansell
Casey Life Skills Assessment online or
hard copy (free)
 All contractors will be utilizing a DHS
approved life skills curriculum; most are
using the Ansell Life Skills curriculum
available online or hard copy (free)
www.caseylifeskills.com
 All contractors will have a comprehensive
budget form for youth

96
SAL Required Services

1) Ensure through visits to the SAL living
arrangement that there is no reasonable
cause for believing that the youth’s mode
of living or living situation presents
unacceptable risks to the youth’s health
or safety and that the living arrangement
has been approved by the referring
worker and meets the minimum
standards.
97
Required Services (cont.)
2) Provide for ongoing supervision of
youth (guidance, oversight, monitoring
 3) A minimum of weekly face-to-face
contacts for youth under the age of 18
and once every two weeks for youth aged
18 or older (youth over 18 years must
still be attending high school or GED
classes to remain eligible for FC.
 4) Life skills training
 (Above detailed in side by side training

98
SAL Optional Services

Services in addition to the required
services to meet the specific needs and
objectives of a youth. Such services
include: community involvement services;
counseling services; educational tutoring
and vocational services; leisure time and
recreational services; parent skill
development services.
99
SAL Contractor Billing

The referring worker will determine the
number of units of service to be provided
by the Contractor for each youth (specify
number of units of required services and
any number of units for specific optional
services). Contractors will bill based
upon units of service provided to a youth
per month.
100
SAL Contractor Billing (cont.)
A unit of service is based upon 1 hour or
any quarter portion thereof; round
monthly cumulative units up or down to
the nearest whole unit.
 Additionally, a Contractor will bill $500
per youth per month in a cluster setting
(when there are 2 or more youth in the
setting) to assist in payment for on-site
staffing.

101
SAL Contractor Billing (cont.)

For partial months in a cluster setting, the
Contractor will bill for cluster staffing
(unit code 2661) on a pro-rated basis at
$16.44 per day (excluding day of
discharge).
102
Maintenance Payment to Youth
Initial start-up allowance as needed, up to
$600.00
 Monthly maintenance stipend is $750.00
& pro-rated daily amount is $24.66. Prorate if the youth enters a SAL placement
during a month.

103
SAL Outcomes
Safety Outcome – no founded cases of
abuse or neglect of youth in the SAL
Contractor’s care by the Contractor or
subcontractor or by other youth in the
Contractor’s SAL program.
 Permanency Outcome 1 – Permanent
connections for each youth served will be
maintained or secured through active
connections with the youth’s

104
SAL Outcomes (cont.)
family members and/or other supportive
adults important in the youth’s life.
 Permanency Outcome 2 – The
Contractor will ensure youth engagement
within the community – youth must be
regularly participating in organized
community activity (including extracurricular school activities, faith-based
organizations,

105
SAL Outcomes (cont.)
groups, associations, or clubs. Attending
school, GED classes, paid employment or
work training program, and informal
leisure activities such as going to the mall
are not considered organized community
activities.
 Well Being – Increased educational
achievement for program participants.

106
Iowa Foster Care Youth Council

Purpose: This Contract is to implement,
facilitate, and maintain a council for
adolescents currently in, or who were
formerly in a foster care placement age
13-20.
107
Origin of the Council
In 2007 Children and Families of Iowa was
contracted to start “elevate”:
 To engage all youth in foster care
 To form four “chapters”
 To form a central committee
 To prepare youth to participate in training
and workgroups and…..
 To encourage youth voice

108
Iowa Foster Care Youth Council
2012
A new name will be selected.
 Participants shall be included in the
decision making process.
 The name will be approved by the Agency
prior to finalization.

109
Youth Voice (Franceska)
Invitation to elevate-”When I first heard
about elevate….”
 “The support makes you come back.”
 Helping others is a natural next step
 Franceska’s challenge: Try it just once,
you’ll be glad you did.

110
RFP Emphasis
Maintain the “look and feel” of the
council for current youth.
 Maintain local councils.
 Maintain active membership of at least ten
(10) youth per Local Council.
 Reach out to more youth.
 Improve response to requests for youth
for child welfare workgroups, initiatives,
and other venues.

111
Maintain ten existing Local
Councils





Youth and Shelter Services Inc. is the lead
agency of a provider network.
Local Council meetings once per month.
At least one in each DHS Service Area
Six locations starting July 2011, eight locations
no later than September 2011, and ten locations
no later than October 2011.
Map for Local Councils (Draft)
112
Positive Youth Development
practices
On-going recruitment ages 13 through 20
years old.
 Leadership and social/recreational
opportunities.
 Contractor will design, develop and host a
website and allow youth to help manage
it.
 Statewide conference for youth.

113
Youth Engagement in Child
Welfare
Prepare and train youth.
 Representation at Agency workgroups,
etc.
 Respond timely to requests for youth
participation.
 Compensate youth.

114
Quality Improvement
Clinical Supervision for Local Council
facilitators, volunteers, and leadership staff
involved with the Youth Council.
 Youth Program Quality Assessment
 Staff training in cultural competency
 Involve foster parents, biological parents,
and other adults as appropriate.
 Three formal focus groups.

115
Thank You
Train staff by July 1, 2011.
 Supervisors may use the recording of this
webinar, available on the training website
by June 22.
 Please submit questions to Program
Managers by June 21, 2011.
 Register for the CC 833 Follow up
Tuesday, August 9th from 1:30-2:30
Thank you

116
Contact Information - Questions
Contract Name
Policy Contact / Email
Address
Subject Heading for
Email
Foster Group Care
Jim Chesnik
jchesni@dhs.state.ia.us
GC QA
Child Welfare Emergency
Services
Jim Chesnik
jchesni@dhs.state.ia.us
CWES QA
Safety Plan Services and
Family Safety, Risk, &
Permanency Services
Mindy Norwood
mnorwoo@dhs.state.ia.us
SP/FSRP QA
Recruitment & Retention
of Resources Families
Tracey Parker
TPARKER@dhs.state.ia.us
RR QA
Iowa Foster Care Youth
Council
Doug Wolfe
dwolfe@dhs.state.ia.us
IFCYC QA
Supervised Apartment
Living
Holli Miller
hmiller@dhs.state.ia.us
SAL QA
117