Program Instruction: 16-02
Issue Date: November 12, 2019
Effective Date: December 1, 2019
From: Natalie Norberg, Director
Subject: Policy Change: Emergency Relief Support Program
The purpose of the emergency relief support program is to provide time-limited financial support to relatives (excluding biological parents) identified by blood, adoption, marriage or Tribal custom. The payments are designed to support families in a crisis situation until they can complete the foster care licensing process or find another option to support the children in care. This program will cover any new children who are placed in an unlicensed relative’s home. This includes any placement change to an unlicensed relative provider, and does not need to be a new removal. As part of this program, unlicensed relatives may pursue licensure; however, those related within the 5th degree may choose to pursue benefits through Department of Public Assistance Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP), instead of licensure for ongoing financial support for caring for a child in OCS custody.
Under this program, emergency licenses will no longer be issued to unlicensed relative providers. Families requesting monetary assistance will receive a monthly support payment in the amount of $500.00 per child, per placement provider while they are pursuing licensing or public/Tribal assistance programs for up to two months. The emergency relief support payment is to financially assist the family in purchasing food, clothing and other items in order to help maintain the placement until the family can begin receiving foster care payments or TANF/ATAP benefits. Requests for funds will not be issued while the child is placed in the relative’s home for food, diapers, or baby wipes while receiving ERS payments. If an emergency occurs at the time of placement and a child needs food, diapers, or baby wipes, a purchase authorization may be made with supervisory approval; however, any amount paid on an emergency basis will be deducted from the next emergency support payment that is issued.
Unlicensed relative placements have a choice to receive funding to assist with the care of the child(ren) in their home. Unlicensed relative placements may choose to apply with the Division of Public Assistance for TANF/ATAP, or may apply to become a licensed foster home.
Individuals interested in TANF or ATAP will be referred to the Division of Public Assistance. While pursuing TANF/ATAP, the family will be eligible for up to two months of emergency relief support payments up to $1000 total to assist them with the child’s care.
Individuals interested in becoming fully licensed will be referred to the Licensing Specialist who will assist them in the process of becoming a licensed foster home. While pursuing licensure, the family will be eligible for up to two months of emergency relief support payments to assist them with the child’s care.
The first $500.00 payment will be effective the first day the child is placed in the home and will be issued within three days of placement. Payments for subsequent month will be issued at $500.00 at one-month interval, or until the family is licensed or TANF/ATAP benefits are issued and as long as children remain in the family’s care.
The two $500.00 monthly payments will be per child, per placement provider. If a child moves to a new unlicensed relative home in the same month a previous payment was made to another provider, the new provider will still be eligible for the full two months of ERS payments.
Requests for funds for food, diapers, and baby wipes will not be issued while the child is placed in the unlicensed relative’s home. If an emergency occurs at the time of placement and a child needs other essential items, a purchase authorization may be made with supervisory approval and will not exceed $250.00; the amount will be deducted from the next emergency support payment that is issued.
Before a child can be placed in a home the PS Specialist must inform the PS IV of the decision and complete the following as instructed in CPS manual section 2.6.1 Placements.
Completion of an APSIN, Child Protection, JOMIS, Sex Offender Registry and Court View checks on all individuals 16 and older in the home in accordance with CPS manual section 3.5.1 Background Checks for Placement Resources policy. Results will be documented in an ORCA Activity Note.
The Unlicensed Relative or Prospective Foster Home Safety Evaluation (06-9013) must be completed on any family before placement can be made. An ORCA Activity Note will be created documenting the safety evaluation and relative study is completed the form will be scanned into ORCA and a hard copy placed in the unlicensed relative file.
When necessary, the PS Specialist will obtain PS Specialist IV approval for placement of the child. This includes when there are any background check, home safety, or fingerprint issues.
Within two days of a child being placed in an unlicensed relative home, the following will be completed:
The Protective Services (PS) Specialist will inform ORCA to have the provider created.
The PS Specialist will enter the placement into ORCA.
The PS Specialist or supervisor will notify the Regional Licensing Supervisor that an unlicensed relative placement has been made.
Community Care Licensing Specialist II (CCLS II): will contact the resource family and discuss the Emergency Relief Support Program with the family, including:
Provide resource information verbally;
Confirm the address and relationship of the provider;
The CCLS II will email the Emergency Relief Specialist and PS Specialist information about the new ERS provider.
If the child is Alaskan Native, the Tribe will be notified to assist with supports for the family; and
Request that the family identifies the type of funding they would prefer and either:
Refer the resource family to the Division of Public Assistance if they are a relative, and the family chooses to pursue TANF or ATAP;
If the provider indicates an interest in becoming licensed, the CCLS II will assign a CCLS I to the provider; and
Inform the Emergency Relief Specialist to end payments if the family does not require further monetary support.
Emergency Relief Specialist:
Will enter a one-time payment in ORCA and route for approval through the Provider Payment Unit Manager or designee;
Mail Formal Notice of payment to the provider;
Will set up file for each provider and calendar subsequent payments that will be due;
When the next payment is due, the Emergency Relief Specialist will:
Confirm in ORCA that the child is still in the current placement and foster care payments have not started;
Confirm in EIS that the family is not receiving ATAP or TANF; and
Set up a one-time payment in ORCA and route for approval through the Provider Payment Unit Manager or designee.
Will notify the PS Specialist and PS Specialist IV before the final payment is to be issued.
Social Services Program Coordinator for Foster Care Licensing: will review background check information and collaborate with licensing to ensure this is completed timely.
Protective Services Specialist: the PS Specialist is responsible for case management and support to resource families. The PS Specialist will:
Provide the red placement packet to resource families at the time of placement;
Coordinate with ORCA to create the provider in ORCA and enter the placement within 48 hours of placement; and
Follow CPS manual policy 3.5 Non-Emergency Placements to ensure background checks and relative home study has been completed.
Community Care Licensing Specialist I/II: Licensing will make contact with the provider.
The Community Care Licensing Specialist will mail a licensing packet to the provider. An ORCA Provider Activity Note will be entered to document the date the application was provided.
The Community Care Licensing Specialist will offer support, answer questions, make referrals to the Alaska Center for Resource Families, and assist the family with the licensing application process.
Licensing contacts will be documented in ORCA as a Provider Activity Note.
If the provider is interested in applying for foster care licensure and an application is received, an ORCA Provider Activity Note will be entered to document the date the application was received
If the child is Alaska Native, the Community Care Licensing Specialist will work with the Tribe to provide support to the family in the licensing process and copy the ICWA Specialist to the email notification when the placement occurs.
The Community Care Licensing Specialist will assist the family in coordinating fingerprints for anyone 16 years of age or older residing in the provider’s home. Fingerprints will be completed within 30 days of placement.
Licensing will create and maintain an unlicensed relative provider file for the background check information.
ORCA Help Desk: will create the provider in ORCA after notification from the PS Specialist that the child has been placed. See (B)(1) in the procedure section of this program instruction.