5101:2-47-15. Foster care maintenance program reimbursability: authorization for foster care maintenance and auxiliary payment reimbursements

(A) Foster care maintenance (FCM) reimbursements for children placed in licensed or certified placement settings as defined in rule 5101:2-47-16 of the Administrative Code must be authorized in the statewide automated child welfare information system (SACWIS). The reimbursement shall be in the form of a warrant made to the Title IV-E agency having legal responsibility for the care and placement of the child.

(B) Any change or discontinuation of reimbursement made for a child placed in substitute care, as a result of a change in the child's circumstances, must be made in SACWIS as soon as the Title IV-E agency becomes aware of the change.

(C) FCM difficulty of care reimbursement for special needs, exceptional needs, intensive needs, and children placed in emergency foster homes as described in rule 5101:2-47-18 of the Administrative Code must be authorized through SACWIS.

(D) Expenses for foster home, emergency foster home, clothing, difficulty of care, graduation, personal incidentals, medical card issuance, and reimbursable employment-related child care as outlined in rules 5101:2-47-17, 5101:2-47-18, and 5101:2-47-19 of the Administrative Code, for children placed in foster homes, including relative homes or prefinalized adoptive homes that are licensed foster homes, shall be authorized as auxiliary payments through SACWIS.

(E) Expenses for clothing, graduation and personal incidentals, as described in rule 5101:2-47-19 of the Administrative Code, for children placed in children's residential centers, group homes, purchased foster homes, residential parenting facilities or maternity homes will be reimbursed as auxiliary payments through SACWIS.

(F) An underpayment for FCM occurs when the eligible Title IV-E agency does not receive a reimbursement to which it is entitled or receives less than the amount to which it is entitled.

(G) The Title IV-E agency shall take immediate action to adjust the underpayment through SACWIS as soon as information is received that affects reimbursement for FCM effective on the actual day of the month the underpayment occurred.

(H) An overpayment occurs when a Title IV-E agency receives a reimbursement or an amount of reimbursement to which it is not entitled.

(I) An overpayment for FCM can occur as a result of either of the following reasons:

(1) The reimbursement made was in excess of the allowable amount; or

(2) The child for whom an FCM reimbursement was made was not eligible for such reimbursement during the month for which reimbursement was made.

(J) The Title IV-E agency is responsible for reviewing, at the request of Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS), reimbursement records for Title IV-E cases to determine if an overpayment has occurred.

(K) The Title IV-E agency shall take immediate action to terminate or adjust the overpayment as soon as information is received that affects reimbursement for FCM effective on the actual day of the month the overpayment occurred.

(L) A copy of the documentation evidencing repayment of any identified Title IV-E FCM overpayment must be retained in the Title IV-E case record.

(M) Any adverse action taken regarding the financial status of a FCM case must be made according to the provisions set forth in Chapters 5101:6-1 to 5101:6-9 and rule 5101:6-3-01 of the Administrative Code.

Effective: 4/15/2017
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/23/2016 and 04/15/2022
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 5103.03, 5101.141
Rule Amplifies: 5103.03, 5153.16, 5101.141
Prior Effective Dates: 1/1/83, 1/1/85 (Emer.), 4/1/85, 5/22/85 (Emer.), 8/12/85, 4/1/86 (Emer.), 7/1/86, 7/2/87, 9/30/87 (Emer.), 12/27/87, 4/15/88 (Emer.), 7/11/88, 9/1/88, 9/1/92, 5/1/98, 4/23/07, 6/1/12