Effective: 5-1-19
The Children of Youth in Alternative Care, CYAC, Program allows for the provision of maintenance, special expenses including clothing and infant allowance, and Medicaid for a child who is in the physical and legal custody of his/her CYAC parent, who is in the Division’s custody. The parent and child must be in the same eligible placement.
It should be noted that the Division should also strive to work closely with the father of the CYAC child. It is important that the father be involved in the child’s support system. No child of a youth in Alternative care should be removed from the parent unless there are abuse and/or neglect issues that jeopardize the child’s safety.
4.7.1 CYAC Procedures
When a CYAC parent gives birth while in alternative care or enters alternative care with a child, the Children’s Service Worker shall immediately:
- Complete the Title IV-E/FFP Information in FACES, one for a parent and one for a child entering care. Explain to the Eligibility Specialist (ES) that these are CYAC parent and child.
The system will notify the FSD worker when a child receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
- Open an AC function through case intake for the CYAC child. Entry instructions can be found in the Step by Step guide under FACES information. The system will automatically enter fund code 12 or 01 (if child’s placement type is ILA) on the AC Client Information screen. Select no maintenance on the child’s Placement Information screen. The child’s eligibility and reimbursability for Title IV-E is based on the CYAC parent’s eligibility. The ES shall update the fund code to Alternative Care IV-E (02). If the CYAC parent is not eligible for Title IV-E, the ES will explore Title XIX (FFP) (12) eligibility and if needed, HDN (01) for the child.
- Update the Placement Information screen of the CYAC parent. Select a maintenance amount of above standard rate (if the placement is an ILA) and enter the amount (the amount will be the rate for the parent plus the standard rate for the child). The maintenance amount reported on the Placement Information screen of the CYAC parent must take the CYAC child’s income into consideration. Therefore, any income received for the CYAC child must be deducted from the maintenance amount to be paid from the SS-61. One check will be generated to the resource provider or to the CYAC parent when the placement type is ILA.
- If the older youth and child are placed in a foster home, or a transitional living placement, the resource provider only receives maintenance for the older youth. For foster home placements, the worker should select standard rate as the maintenance amount. For TLS and TLG placements, the worker should select no maintenance. For TLA placements, the worker should select above standard rate as the maintenance amount. Payment for the CYAC child is paid directly to the older youth via a monthly payment request. The worker will select the direct payment to client box on the payment request screen using the service code of MAIN and utilizing the parent’s DCN. In the comment box, the worker should input the CYAC child’s DCN.
In transitional living placements, the contractor is responsible for providing oversight to the youth based on the youth’s specific maternity/parenting needs and ensuring the safety of the youth and child through the living arrangement. The contractor must provide the service needs of the youth in terms of parenting such as education in nutrition, growth and development, and effective discipline.
If the CYAC parent is case managed by a private agency, a payment request should be submitted to pay the CYAC maintenance and infant allowance, if applicable. The steps listed above would be followed utilizing the appropriate service code for the service being paid.
- Outside Income for the CYAC child – Any outside income received by the CYAC child shall not become part of the Children’s Income Disbursement System, KIDS,account. The Division Director shall not become payee for this income. Rather, the Children’s Service Worker should assist the CYAC parent in becoming payee for same. The CYAC parent is expected to use the CYAC child’s income toward the CYAC child’s cost of care. Therefore, the maintenance amount for the CYAC child will need to be adjusted accordingly on the CYAC parent’s Placement Information screen based on the amount of outside income the CYAC child receives. Monthly maintenance received by the youth is not considered income and should not be counted as outside income.
- Special expenses – Special Expenses for the CYAC child must be invoiced under the CYAC parent’s name and DCN using current procedures, with the exception of child care, which should be authorized using the CYAC child’s DCN. The CYAC child has his or her own clothing allowance that is paid in addition to the child in CD Custody. This will cause a payment error that can be overridden in the system.
- Eligible placements – The Alternative Care Client Information instructions identify eligible placement types that can be used for the CYAC child as well as other special instructions which must be used on CYAC child’s AC function.
- Division custody of CYAC child – If a CYAC child is placed in the Division’s custody, the system automatically considers the child Title XIX-FFP (12) eligible in the child’s own right. At the time the Division is given custody, the worker should update the child’s legal status to LS-1 and maintenance and special expenses would be paid, using the child’s DCN. The Title IV-E/FFP Information screen in FACES would need to be completed for the child and sent to the Eligibility Specialist for a IV-E/FFP eligibility determination. The maintenance amount on the CYAC parent’s Placement Information screen must be updated to reflect the appropriate rate.
If the LS-1 child returns home on a trial home visit with their parent who is in CD custody, the parent would receive maintenance for the child. The worker would need to complete a payment request and pay maintenance directly to the client (parent). Once jurisdiction of the child is terminated, the legal status can be changed to LS-7, CYAC as long as the parent is still in care.