Foster Care/Relative Placement/Adoption Support/Juvenile Rehabilitation/Unaccompanied Minor Program
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Foster Care/Relative Placement/Adoption Support/Juvenile Rehabilitation/Unaccompanied Minor Program

Revised November 14, 2008

Purpose: To give instructions and contact information when working with Foster Care, Foster Care Relative Placement, Adoption Support and Juvenile Rehabilitation cases.

NOTE: Children in foster care, relative placement, adoption support, and juvenile rehabilitation have special confidentiality concerns. Please be sure that your narrative and remark references contain only information regarding financial eligibility. Limit any comments that have to do with the child’s placement, name change or biological parents.

CLARIFYING INFORMATION

The Foster Care Unit is part of the Medical Eligibility Determination Services Section (MEDS) of Health and Recovery Services Administration (HRSA).

The Foster Care Medical Team (FCMT) is responsible for the following cases:

  1. Foster Care

  2. FC Expansion Program

  3. Foster Care Relative Placement

  4. Adoption Support

  5. Juvenile Rehabilitation

  1. Foster Care: These are children who reside in a licensed foster care home.  The foster care parent receives a monthly payment from Children’s Administration and the child is eligible for Medicaid.

    1. Children’s Administration (CA) sends an alert to the FCMT to inform them a child has entered foster care. FCMT works the alert and opens a D01 (foster care child receiving SSI) or D02 (foster care) case for the child.

    2. D01/D02 foster care cases:

      1. Are assigned to CSO 076.

      2. Display in ACES with asterisks in the address field and AREP screen. The asterisks have been added to insure address confidentiality for the foster care family and child.

      3. Require special coding in the DEM1 living arrangement and DEM1 REL code fields.

    3. When the CSO/CSC and FCMT have a shared D01/D02 case, only the FCMT can finalize or update the case. The CSO can “add a program” to a D01/D02 case but will not be able to finalize the case. CSO/CSC staff will need to coordinate with the FCMT @ 1-800-547-3109 to have them complete case acitons.

    CSO staff should not change the living arrangement or REL code on the foster care child’s DEM1 screen or close out a foster care assistance unit. To make any change to a D01/D02 case or associated cash, medical or Basic Food case the CSO/CSC must contact the FCMT @ 1-800-547-3109.


EXAMPLE

The CSO receives an application for Basic Food benefits. Included in the Basic Food assistance unit is a child currently open on D02 medical. The CSO can add a Basic Food assistance unit and process the AU through “O and P.” However, the CSO must contact the FCMT to finalize the AU .


  1. When the CSO/CSC receive ACES alert 190 they need to contact the FCMT before taking any action.

    When a child is active:

    1. On Family or Children’s medical contact the FCMT. The FCMT will contact CA to determine the child’s status, and if appropriate, open the child on D01/D02 medical.

    2. On TANF with their caretaker and have been placed in Foster Care the CSO will need to:

      • Contact the Children’s Administration (CA) worker

      • Determine if the child should be removed or left on the TANF grant; and

      • Contact the FCMT to update the living arrangement and REL codes on the DEM1 screen.


EXAMPLE

Alert 190 is generated on a child who receives TANF with their parent. The CSO/CSC contacts the CPS worker and discovers the child has been placed in Foster Care while the mother enters a residential facility. The child is scheduled to return home after mother completes inpatient stay. The decision is made to leave the child on their mother’s TANF case. The worker will contact FCMT. The FCMT will update the DEM1 living arrangement and add appropriate REL code information for the child, based on information received from Children's Administration


  1. The Foster Care Medical Team can be reached by contacting:

    MEDS

    PO Box or Mail Stop 45531

    Olympia, Washington 98504-5531

    General Information: 1-800-547-3109

    FAX: (360) 586-0605

  1. Foster Care Expansion Program: In 2007, the legislature passed 2SHB 1201, expanding eligibility for Foster Care medical. In this expansion, youth who are in Foster Care on their 18th birthday, if their 18th birthday is on or after July 22, 2007, are eligible to remain on medical benefits through the Foster Care medical program until the end of the month in which they turn 21, as long as they remain Washington residents. They do not need to remain in Foster Care during this time. The FCMT will continue to maintain the medical cases for these youth until they are no longer residents of Washington or have reached their 21st birthday.

    1. Foster Care Relative Placement: These are children that reside with a relative in an unlicensed unpaid foster home. These children are eligible for Medicaid while in Relative Placement.

      1. Children’s Administration sends an alert to the FCMT to inform them a child has entered foster care relative placement. FCMT works the alert and opens a D01 or D02 case for the child.

      2. The relative who cares for the child may apply for cash, medical or Basic Food at the CSO.

        1. During the application screening process the worker will see an active D01/D02 case for the child.

        2. Contact the FCMT to determine whether D01/D02 medical will remain open or if the child will be open on Family or Children’s medical.

          • The FCMT will update the child’s DEM1 living arrangement and REL codes to continue to issue medical through D01/D02 program, or

          • Close the D01/D02 program so the CSO/CSC can issue medical on the TANF or Family/Children’s program. The REL code is added by FCMT to all Relative Placement cases to ensure that FCMT has the ability to track the number of FC Relative placements in the ACES system.

    2. Adoption Support: Is a payment received by adoptive parent who care for children who have been placed by Washington State or another state. These children are eligible for Medicaid through the month in which they turn 19.

      1. Adoption Support cases are approved by Children’s Administration. An alert is sent to the FCMT from CAMIS to open Adoption Support. The FCMT works the alert and opens D01 or D02 medical.

      2. D01/D02 adoption support cases are:

        1. Assigned to CSO 076

        2. Display in ACES with asterisks in the address field and AREP screen.

        3. Require special coding in the DEM1 living arrangement and the REL code fields

      3. Changes to an adoption support case and any case associated with adoption support can only be made by FCMT.

      4. If the CSO/CSC receive an application for a child on adoption support they should take the following steps:

        1. If the child is already open on D01/D02 contact the FCMT to finalize or update any associated cash, medical or Basic Food case. The FCMT will also work with the CSO/CSC and the family to determine if the child will remain on D01/D02 or be open on Family or Children’s medical.

        2. If the child is not open on D01/D02 but the family states they are receiving out-of-state adoption support and want medical for the child.

          • Call the FCMT and talk to your regional representative. FCMT will assist client to determine if they are eligible for adoption support.

          • If eligible, FCMT will open D01/D02 coverage and notify the CSO/CSC.

          • If not eligible, FCMT will notify the CSO/CSC who will process the Family/Children’s medical application.

      5. A child placed with adoptive parents not known to the biological parents will often be assigned a new Client Identification (CL ID) number. The assignment of a new CL ID number will help ensure confidentiality for the new adoptive family. This new CL ID should never be merged with the child’s old CL ID.

    3. Juvenile Rehabilitation: Are children who reside in a Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) group home instead of being incarcerated at a facility. Children who live in these group homes are eligible for Medicaid through the month in which they are paroled.

      1. JRA notifies the MEDS JRA case manager that a child has been placed in a group home. The JRA Case Manager opens a D01 or D02 medical case for the child.

      2. JRA cases are:

        1. Assigned to CSO 076

        2. Display in ACES with asterisks in the address field and AREP screen.

        3. Require special coding in the DEM1 living arrangement and REL code fields

      3. Children in a JRA group home are not eligible for benefits offered through the CSO/CSC. There should never be a jointly shared JRA case between FCMT (CSO 76) and CSO/CSC.

      4. CSO/CSC may see JRA cases in ACES when the child has recently been released from the group home. To add a child back to their family assistance unit or to open new coverage for the child the CSO/CSC must contact MEDS JRA case manager @(360) 725-1519 with the JRA program).

        Case manager will ensure that the child:

        1. Has been released from JRA back to their home and

        2. Will close the D02 coverage, correct the child’s living arrangement and REL codes on the DEM screen and if needed transfer the case to the appropriate local office.

    4. Unaccompanied Minor Program: The Department of State and the Office of Refugee Settlement worked together to identify minor children who need foster care placement and approve them for resettlement in this country.  Children with no known family in the United States are placed in culturally sensitive foster homes and are all Title XIX eligible. When a child has been placed in the Unaccompanied Minor Program (UMP) or has changed placement, the Refugee and Immigrant Assistance program manager receives notification from their International Foster Care Agency responsibe for the minor's case management.  The Office of Assistant Secretary, Refugee and Immigrant Assistance unit manages the UMP.

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Modification Date: November 14, 2008
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