5910 Overview of the Title IV-E Program

Title IV-E payments are an individual entitlement for eligible children placed in state custody and out-of-home care by the Department for Children and Families (DCF).

The Title IV-E foster care maintenance program is based on Title IV-A, Part A, of the Social Security Act as the program was in effect in Kansas on July 16, 1996.  A child’s eligibility for IV-E payments is based upon the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) relatedness criteria in effect in Kansas on July 16, 1996.  IV-E eligibility is not based on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) criteria which replaced the AFDC program under Welfare Reform.

   A. Reimbursable Activities

       Through Title IV-E, the federal government shares in the cost of:

1. Foster Care Maintenance:
Maintenance is the costs associated with maintaining the child in out-of-home care. These costs include room/board and supervision for a child’s placement in a DCF licensed/approved foster   home, childcare institution, shelter care, or group home.

2. Administrative Services:
Administrative costs are incurred when working with the child, the child's family, and the care provider.  Staff shall complete the REST or RMTS survey when sampled.  Staff shall refer to the description of the activity and program codes to ensure the coding accurately reflects the activity/service they provided at the time of sampling.

3. Training:
IV-E training costs are the costs of training people who work with the child, including resource parents and those who administer the foster care system for  the child.

4. Candidates for Care:
Candidates for Care are children receiving in home services and determined to be at imminent risk of removal from the home. Title IV-E provides reimbursement of some administrative activities for these children. The DCF Child Protection Services Specialist shall determine the child is a candidate for care by reviewing the case plan and documenting it on the PPS 3050C.  Eligible administrative activities are documented through the REST or RMTS process.

B. IV-E Basic and Payment Eligibility

    An eligible child enables the State to collect Title IV-E funds in two ways:

1. IV-E Basic Eligibility:                                                                                        

The determination of IV-E basic eligibility qualifies the State to obtain IV-E reimbursement for administrative and training costs associated with the child.

2. IV-E Eligibility for Federal Financial Participation (FFP):       

The determination of IV-E payment eligibility qualifies the State to also obtain IV-E reimbursement for maintenance costs (board and care) associated with the child.

A child must first be determined IV-E basic eligible to be determined IV-E payment eligible. Initial basic eligibility is based on information obtained when the child first enters out-of-home care and enters custody of the State. If a child is determined not eligible for basic eligibility, the child is ineligible for the duration of the custody episode for both IV-E basic eligibility and FFP eligibility.