Foster Care-Title IV-E (93.658)

Program

93.658 Foster Care-Title IV-E

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Administration For Children And Families

Authorization

Social Security Act, Title IV-E, Section 470, et seq.; as amended.

Program Number

93.658

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

The Title IV-E Foster Care program helps States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations and Tribal consortia (Tribes) to provide safe and stable out-of-home care for children under the jurisdiction of the State or Tribal child welfare agency until the children are returned home safely; placed with adoptive families, or placed in other planned arrangements for permanency. The program provides funds to assist with the costs of foster care maintenance for eligible children; administrative costs to manage the program; and training for public agency staff, foster parents and certain private agency staff. In addition, $3 million is reserved for technical assistance and plan development/implementation grants to eligible Tribes beginning in FY 09.

Types of Assistance

Formula Grants; Project Grants (for administration projects authorized under Section

Uses and Use Restrictions

Formula grant funds may be used by the State or local (under State supervision) child welfare agency or by the Tribal child welfare agency for FFP in foster care maintenance payments on behalf of eligible children; for administrative and training costs; and for costs related to design, implement and operate a statewide data collection system. Funds may not be used for costs of social services such as those that provide counseling or treatment to ameliorate or remedy personal problem, behaviors, or home conditions for a child, the child's family, or the child's foster family. Plan development/implementation grants to Tribes are one-time grants for projects lasting up to 24 months that are to be used to develop a plan to operate a Title IV-E program for foster care, adoption assistance and kinship guardianship as specified under section 479B of Title IV-E. The Tribe must submit a plan for the Title IV-E program within 24 months of receiving the plan development grant or must repay the grant funds, unless the HHS Secretary waives the requirements under section 471 to carry out a program under section 479B. There is $3 million reserved for technical assistance and plan development/implementation grants to eligible Tribes beginning in FY 09.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and Indian Tribes.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Eligible chidlren whos removal and placement in foster care are in accordance with a voluntary placement agreement or judicidal determinations to the effect that continuation in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare and that reasonable efforts were made to prevent the removal (or that such efforts were not necessary), and whose placement and care are the responsibility of the State or Tribal agency administering the title IV-E program.

Credentials/Documentation

Formula Grants: Costs are be determined in accordance with 45 CFR 74. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Non-profit agencies must submit proof of non-profit status. Applicable costs and administrative procedures will be determined in accordance with 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Consultation is available to States and Tribes from Regional Administration for Children and Families (AFC) offices. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Standard application forms as furnished by HHS must be used. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Formula Grants: Applications (title IV-E plans) must be submitted to the ACF Regional Child Welfare Program Manager for approval using the standard application forms as furnished by HHS. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Announcement of availability of funds for these grants is published on grants.gov and the ACF website, www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open. Eligible applicants must submit applications by specified deadlines.

Award Procedure

Formula Grants: Quarterly awards are made on the basis of estimated expenditures that are later revised accordingly to include only actual allowable expenditures. Estimates are due July 30, October 30, January 30, and April 30. Final decisions and awards are made by the Headquarters Office. Letter-of-credit is issued by the HHS Payment Management System (PMS). Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Applications are reviewed by professional Federal staff with expertise in child and family services, evaluation and related fields. Final decisions are made by the Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (AF).

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Formula Grants: HHS approves or disapproves title IV-E plans within 45 days of receipt by HHS. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: HHS approves or disapproves within 3 to 6 months.

Appeals

Appeals are processed in accordance with HHS regulations in 45 CFR Part 16.

Renewals

Awards remain effective without renewal but title IV-E plans may be amended as necessary.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory Formula:

Matching Requirements: FFP for foster care maintenance payments incurred by a State or local agency is equal to the Federal State medical assistance percentage (FMAP) rate for that State, i.e., the Federal share of payments is from 50 percent to 83 percent, depending on the State (Section 474(a)(1) and 1905(b) of the Social Security Act). For Tribes, the applicable FMAP rate is the highest of either a separate FMAP rate calculated based on the Tribe's service population or the FMAP rate for any State in which the Tribe is located. Training and other administrative expenditures are matched at 75 and 50 percent Federal share, respectively (Sec. 474(a) of the Social Security Act). Plan Development/Implementation grants are available up to a maximum of $300,000. There is no matching requirement.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Formula Grants: Funds are paid quarterly through a letter of credit. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Are provided on a one-time basis for generally 12 - 24 month project periods. Renewal funding for multiple year grants is dependent upon grantee performance and availability of funds. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: See above.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Financial and program reports are required in accordance with the program announcement. PSC-272. Progress reports are not applicable. Formula Grants: Expenditure reports must be submitted 30 days after the end of each quarter. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Audits are conducted in accordance with the requirements in 45 CFR 92.

Records

Formula Grants: States and Tribes must maintain all financial and programmatic records that substantiate established eligibility, allocated indirect and direct costs, and awarded grants in accordance with requirements in HHS regulations at 45 CFR 92.42 and written guidance from ACF. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: All financial records are to be maintained for 3 years after termination of the project or until a required audit is completed, whichever comes first.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: There were 51 grants made in fiscal year 2008 serving approximately 198,000 children per month. Fiscal Year 2009: It is estimated that 52 grants will be made in fiscal year 2009 serving approximately 188,000 children per month. Fiscal Year 2010: It is estimated that 52 grants will be made in fiscal year 2010 serving approximately 174,000,000.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-1545-0-1-609 - ARRA grants: 75-1546-0-1-609.

Obligations

(Formula Grants) FY 08 $4,525,443,000; FY 09 est $4,663,000,000; FY 10 est $4,684,000,000 - ARRA grants in FY 09 are estimated at $178.000.000. ARRA grants for FY 2010 are estimated at $158,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Formula Grants: $1,228,654 to $1,318,924,312 with an average of $88,402,275. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Estimated as ranging from $50,000 to $300,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

45 CFR 1355-1356.

Related Programs

93.556 Promoting Safe and Stable Families; 93.560 Family Support Payments to States_Assistance Payments; 93.599 Chafee Education and Training Vouchers Program (ETV); 93.645 Child Welfare Services_State Grants; 93.659 Adoption Assistance; 93.674 Chafee Foster Care Independence Program

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Consult Children's Bureau Regional Child Welfare Program Manager.(See Appendix IV of the Catalog for a list of addresses of the Regional Offices.).

Headquarters Office

Jennifer Butler-Hembree 1250 Maryland Ave, SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20024 Phone: 225-654-2527

Web Site Address

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb.

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not Applicable.