Foster Care Title IV-E

 

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 eligible professional partner agency staff. In addition, $3 million is reserved for technical assistance and plan development/implementation grants to eligible tribes.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
93.658
Federal Agency/Office
Administration For Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
A - Formula Grants; B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2016 It is anticipated that a total of 52 states (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and six tribes will receive grant awards to provide assistance to an average of 166,500 in-placement children per month. Training and technical assistance grants are also expected to be provided to seven tribes for program developmental activities 52 states (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and six tribes will receive grant awards to provide assistance to an average of 166,500 in-placement children per month. Training and technical assistance grants were provided to five tribes for program developmental activities.
Fiscal Year 2017 It is anticipated that a total of 52 states (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and six tribes will receive grant awards. Training and technical assistance grants are also expected to be provided to seven tribes for program developmental activities.
Fiscal Year 2018 52 states (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and 9 tribes received grant awards in FY 218. Training and technical assistance grants were awarded to three tribes for program developmental activities.
Fiscal Year 2019 It is anticipated that a total of 52 States (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and seven tribes will receive grant awards. Training and technical assistance grants are also expected to be provided to four tribes for program development activities.
Authorization
Social Security Act, Title IV-E, Section 470, et seq.
as amended.
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Funds are available to states (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa) and to tribes with approved title IV-E plans.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Children meeting eligibility criteria for the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children program (except for up to a 12-month period for those children placed with a parent residing in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse treatment) whose removal and placement in foster care are in accordance with a voluntary placement agreement or judicial 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. See section 472 of the Social Security Act and the Code of Federal Regulations at 45 CFR Part 1356.71 for additional details on program eligibility requirements.
Credentials/Documentation
Formula Grants:The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopted the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance in 2 CFR part 200, and has codified the text, with HHS-specific amendments in 45 CFR Part 75. ACF recipients must follow the requirements in 45 CFR Part 75. Except for SS75.202 and SSSS75.351 through 75.353 of subpart D of this part, the requirements in subpart C of this part, subpart D of this part, and subpart E of this part do not apply to Foster Care and Adoption Assistance (title IV-E of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 670-679c). Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Non-profit agencies must submit proof of non-profit status.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is required. Formula Grants: Consultation is available to States and Tribes from Regional Administration for Children and Families (ACF) offices. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Formula Grants: Applications are made in the form of a title IV-E Plan, prepared in the format provided by the ACF Children's Bureau. Title IV-E plans and amendments must be submitted to the ACF Regional Child Welfare Program Manager for approval. 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 claimed expenditures. Next quarter estimates are due on July 30, October 30, January 30, and April 30 each year. Final decisions and awards are made by the headquarters office. 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 of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision 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
Subject to the limitations of the Appendix A to 45 CFR Part 16, appeals may take place in accordance with 45 CFR Part 16.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
Not applicable.
How may assistance be used?
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 Federal Financial Participation (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 problems, behaviors, or home conditions for a child, the child's family, or the child's foster family. Public Law 115-123 amended the program beginning in FY 2020, unless a state or tribe has elected a delayed effective date of up to two years, to place limitations on title IV-E foster care maintenance payments for placements that are not foster family homes. A state or tribe may receive FFP only if its title IV-E plan has been approved by the HHS Secretary. The HHS Secretary has also approved waivers under section 1130 of the Social Security Act to allow implementation of demonstration projects in a number of states and a tribe which involve cost neutral use of title IV-E foster care program funds for additional purposes as specified in approved terms and conditions for each project. These waiver demonstration projects are scheduled to end by September 30, 2019. Public Law 113-183 amended the program to require that, within one year of enactment (by September 29, 2015), title IV-E agencies develop policies and procedures to identify, document, and determine appropriate services for any child or youth in the placement, care or supervision of the title IV-E agency who is at-risk of becoming a sex trafficking victim or who is a sex trafficking victim. 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.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Performance Reports: Performance monitoring of state agencies is conducted through the Child and Family Services Review process in accordance with 45 CFR ยงยง 1355.31 - 1355.37.
Auditing
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopted the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance in 2 CFR part 200, and has codified the text, with HHS-specific amendments in 45 CFR Part 75. ACF recipients must follow the requirements in 45 CFR Part 75. Audits are conducted in accordance with the requirements of 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart F.
Records
Retention requirements for records are covered by the provision of 45 CFR SSSS75.361-365 and generally must be retained for three years from the submission date of the final expenditure report. Formula Grants: States and tribes must maintain all financial and programmatic records necessary for the proper and efficient operation of the program, including records of applications, determinations of eligibility, utilization of awarded grants and other funds for the provision of financial assistance and allocated indirect and direct administrative and training costs in accordance with written guidance from the Administration for Children and Families.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory Formula: Title Social Security Act Part Title IV-E

Matching is mandatory. The non-Federal share of program costs (difference between total cost and FFP) in each funding category constitutes the required match to be met by the title IV-E agency. Matching funds from State agencies must be appropriated monies raised from non-Federal revenue sources. Matching funds from Tribal agencies must also be appropriated monies, but may at the option of the tribe include Federal funds specifically authorized by Federal statutes to be used as match for other Federal programs. Additionally, in accordance with 45 CFR 1356.68 for administration and training costs only, tribal matching funds may include in-kind expenditures (or contributions) from allowable third party sources. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: There is no matching requirement.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Formula Grants: Federal financial participation is available to a state or tribe operating under an approved title IV-E plan. Plan Development/Implementation Grants: Provided on a one-time basis generally for a 24 month project period. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Quarterly.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Assistance Locations. Consult the Children's Bureau Regional Child Welfare Program Manager.
Headquarters Office
Jennifer Butler-Hembree
330 C Street SW, Room 3512
Washington, DC 20201 US
jennifer.butler-hembree@acf.hhs.gov
Phone: 225-654-2527
Website Address
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb.
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-1545-0-1-609
Obligations
(Formula Grants) FY 18$5,022,757,197.00; FY 19 est $5,083,060,096.00; FY 20 est $5,231,904,151.00; FY 17$5,363,945,064.00; FY 16$4,797,115,524.00; - (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 18$2,631,700.00; FY 19 est $2,666,398.00; FY 20 est $2,370,699.00; FY 17$2,424,630.00; FY 16$2,438,381.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
FY 2018 Formula Grants: $4,882,988 to $1,503,165,065 with an average of $102,829,286. FY 2018 Plan Development/Implementation Grants: $561,000 to $1,831,700 with an average of $1,051,233.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
The regulations at 45 CFR SSSS 1355-1356 apply to this program.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.