Children’s Bureau-sponsored Conference Call with the States on Hurricane Relief
September 23, 2005
1:00 p.m. E.T.
These notes are from the third of a series of telephone calls that are being conducted to provide
States with continued opportunities for discussion and information sharing around issues related
to hurricane relief and child welfare.
Key Phone Numbers/Contact Information:
1-800-259-3428
Number for Louisiana foster/adoptive parents to call to
report their whereabouts and the location of children in their
care. The number is being staffed from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00
p.m. Callers are encouraged to keep trying to get through
on this number, as it occasionally requires several attempts.
Families who are attempting to find missing children also
should call this number, as should social service providers
who have identified displaced Louisiana foster/adoptive
families.
1-800-233-3405
This toll free, 24 hour number was established for foster
parents applies to Texas foster parents only (e.g., Texas
foster/kinship care providers, licensed child care providers
to call to report their whereabouts and the location of
children in their care). It is not a replacement for the toll
free number utilized by Louisiana. Please note after the first
request for a numeric prompt, callers will be routed to a
staff person for assistance.
512-438-3312
The impact of Hurricane Rita applied to a relatively small
geographical area within the state and most of the children
placed in those impacted areas were Texas children. Please
utilize this number, the regular Texas ICPC phone numbers
and use the number listed above (800-2333-3405) only for
children actually placed in the storm-impacted areas.
Next Call:
The next call is scheduled for September 29, 2005, 1:00
p.m. Eastern Time. Information regarding the call in
number and password will be distributed via email.
Notes:
Official notes from this call will be posted on the website
for the National Resource Center for Family-Centered
Practice and Permanency Planning (www.nrcfcpp.org)
Questions and Answers from Dr. Orr:
Dr. Orr opened the call by responding to the following inquiries that have been received from
States in the past several weeks:
Question: Several States have expressed concerns about relief from CFSR/PIP related issues.
What are the possibilities for flexibility, extensions and waivers? The Children’s Bureau will
examine each of these issues on a case-by-case basis to ensure that States are not penalized as a
result of providing support to evacuees in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Question: Can States flex foster care standards for short periods of time (90 days), for
example, relaxing contact schedules, etc? These questions are addressed by States policies and
should be answered by State officials, rather than by Federal officials.
Question: Can Child Care Development Funds (CCDF) be used for reconstruction? Section
658(b) of the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) specifies that CCDF funds cannot
be expended for the purchase or improvement of land, or for the purchase, construction, or
permanent improvement (other than minor remodeling) of any building or facility. The
implementing Federal regulations (45 CFR 98.2, 45 CFR 98.54) provide additional guidance
regarding the use of CCDF funds for renovation. CCDF funds cannot be used for major
renovation, but can be used for minor remodeling, and for upgrading child care facilities to
assure that providers meet State and local child care standards, including applicable health and
safety standards. States are encouraged to contact their Regional Offices (ROs) for additional
assistance in utilizing these funds.
Question: Can the Quality Set Aside be used for service? The Child Care Bureau has issued
guidance stating that CCDF quality dollars may be used in short-term emergency situations to
provide emergency child care to displaced families, particularly in areas where existing child
care facilities are not operating or have been rendered unsafe. The Child Care Bureau believes
that direct services of this nature meet the standard of improving the quality or availability of
child care.
Question: Is it possible to waive the match requirement for Child Care and Development
Block Grant and Title IV of the Social Security Act funds? Neither the Child Care and
Development Block Grant nor Title IV provides any waiver authority for CCDF requirements.
Question: Can unspent Safe and Stable Families Funds be used to provide an additional
board payment to foster families? Unspent Safe and Stable Families funds can be used to
provide an additional board payment to foster families.
Question: When does a host State become a placement State? States are considered host States
when they do not have jurisdiction over a child (e.g., State is only hosting services). When the
State has taken custody of a child, it becomes a placement State rather than a host State.
Dr. Orr closed by informing the group that the House and Senate have received questions and
comments from the States that require statutory changes. Although the Children’s Bureau does
not have authority over statutory changes, representatives are aware of the situation in hurricane
affected areas and various statutory changes that may be needed to provide appropriate relief to
states.
States also are reminded to provide updated data regarding the number of foster children from
affected areas who are being hosted in their State (foster evacuees) to rgustafson1@acf.hhs.gov.
States are reminded that they need only provide updates to their data. If data are unchanged,
there is no requirement to report on a weekly basis. These data are critical to ensuring that the
Children’s Bureau has accurate information on which to base a budget for disaster relief in the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
FEMA Update:
All States should have received an email last week regarding FEMA reimbursement for State
expenses related to hurricane evacuees. It is important to note that FEMA is not fully conversant
in the nuances of programs administered by the Children’s Bureau. FEMA is committed to
providing assistance to States that have incurred evacuee costs through Category B of the Public
Assistance Program. States are encouraged to go through their offices of Emergency Assistance
to apply for these funds.
In the past two days, FEMA has continued preparations for Hurricane Rita. More information
will be made available to States as it becomes available.
Report from Alabama:

Alabama had no updates from the prior call, but stands ready to assist as needed in the
event that Hurricane Rita necessitates further emergency measures.
Report from Texas:

Many offices have closed in areas of Texas that are preparing for Hurricane Rita. The
largest office to close was the Harris County office in Houston. An 800 number has been
established (1-800-233-3405) for Texas foster families, licensed child care providers and
kinship care givers to contact the agency, report their whereabouts and request assistance.
Inquiries regarding ICPC children are to be directed to telephone number 512-438-3312.
Throughout Texas, teams from areas not expecting to be impacted by Hurricane Rita are
being formed.

There are many small shelters that have been established throughout the State to take in
families who are displaced due to Hurricane Rita, however, there are no large shelters
established at this time.

State officials will convene on Sunday afternoon to assess damage from Hurricane Rita
and dispatch teams to areas that are most impacted.

Forty-two children from Louisiana have come into conservatorship in Texas, to date, in
the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.