Next: September 10, 2014. Funding of Adoption Assistance
FCASPL 262 (Monthly Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum)
June 26,
2014
TO:
Family, Children and Adult Services Manual Holders
FROM:
Cynthia C. Dungey, Director
SUBJECT:
Title IV-E Monthly Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum and the Waiver request
to exceed the Title IV-E Monthly Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum
Pursuant
to Ohio Administrative Code rule 5101:2-49-05 this procedure letter transmits
the Title IV-E Monthly Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum (MAASM) for all
new Adoption Assistance agreements that are entered into after the effective
date of July 1, 2014. The first adoption assistance statewide maximum was
calculated using the state fiscal year 2013 data from the statewide automated
child welfare information system (SACWIS). To calculate the MAASM, ODJFS used
the total cost of all placements for children in a public and private agency
foster home, including any ancillary costs (clothing, graduation expenses,
child care, etc.) divided by the total number of paid placement days for
children placed in these settings to arrive at a per diem. The per diem was
multiplied by 365 days to arrive at an annual cost, and then divided by 12
months to arrive at the statewide maximum monthly MAASM. If the ceiling varies
from state fiscal year (SFY) to SFY by more than ten per cent, the MAASM will
be amended and communicated in a Family, Children and Adult Services procedure
letter.
Effective July
1, 2014, the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum is $1,045.00.
Any
existing monthly AA payment amount in excess of the statewide maximum, prior to
July 1, 2014, shall remain in effect and shall continue to receive federal
financial participation (FFP) up to the current FCM payment for a child in the
same level of care.
If the
Title IV-E agency that enters into the adoption assistance agreement and the
adoptive parent(s) agree to an amount that exceeds the Title IV-E Adoption
Assistance Statewide Maximum, the Title IV-E agency can request a waiver of the
Title IV-E statewide maximum by sending the JFS
01471 "Waiver to exceed the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance
Statewide Maximum" (rev.1/2014) to the email address MAASM@jfs.ohio.gov.
Notification of approval or denial of the waiver request will be made within
ten business days of receipt of the JFS 01471.
For any
initial monthly AA agreements effective July 1, 2014, that has an approved JFS
01471, the subsidy begin date will be effective pursuant to 5101:2-49-08 of the
Ohio Administrative Code. For any amended monthly AA agreements effective July
1, 2014, that has an approved JFS 01471, the effective date will be the month
following the waiver approval date.
Although
the MAASM is set at $1,045, no adoption assistance (AA) subsidy should exceed
the foster care maintenance (FCM) amount the child would currently be receiving
if he/she were in a public or private agency foster home. If the FCM amount is
less than the MAASM, the monthly AA subsidy shall not exceed the FCM amount. If
the FCM amount is in excess of the MAASM, and both parties agree to an AA
subsidy amount higher than the MAASM and a waiver of the MAASM is submitted and
approved, Federal funding is available up to the FCM amount the child would
receive if he/she were currently in foster care. Any amount paid for an AA
subsidy that exceeds the FCM amount the child would receive if he/she were
currently in a public or private agency foster home or the MAASM where a waiver
was not submitted and/or approved, shall be paid by the county using local
funds.