Courts Impact on Federal Eligibility

Level: Advanced Practice – (Lineworker, Supervisor, Manager)

Credits: 3

Intended Audience: All professionals working in child welfare, including bench, bar, child welfare workers, probation, CASA, and other service providers

Description of Course: The federal government reimburses Imperial County for up to 75% of the costs of foster care, if the child in care is deemed eligible for reimbursement. This half-day workshop, designed specifically for Imperial County’s child welfare professionals, will allow participants to understand the connection between the courts, federal eligibility, and what evidence and orders are necessary to keep federal funds flowing. This course will be taught in a lecture/discussion format.

Intended Objectives:

• The trainee will understand the connection between federal Title IV-E legislation and foster care reimbursement
• The trainee will recognize the federally mandated finding requirements for children in foster care to become eligible for federal reimbursement. The trainee will recognize the connection between the evidence submitted for a court hearing and the finding requirements.
• The trainee will recognize the appropriate circumstances for failing to make federally required findings and understand the consequences for these actions
• The trainee will value the relationship between the federal mandates and a child’s safety permanence and well being
• The trainee will value participant roles and the importance of connecting the evidence to the required findings

Topics Include:

• The View from the Federal Level
• IV-E
• Content
• Purpose
• Mandates
• CFSR’s
• Required Findings and Orders
• The Grey Chart
• Connecting the evidence to findings
• Common Problems and Solutions
• Detention Findings
• Imperial’s last AOC review