16.4 Specialty Program Designation, Children in DJJ & DFCS Joint Custody, and Capacity Waiver

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Child Welfare Policy Manual

Chapter:

(16) Room Board and Watchful Oversight (RBWO)

Policy Title:

Specialty Program Designation, Children in DJJ & DFCS Joint Custody, and Capacity Waiver

Policy Number:

16.4

Previous Policy Number(s):

N/A

Effective Date:

March 2023

Manual Transmittal:

2023-01

Codes/References

N/A

Requirements

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will:

  1. Make a specialty RBWO waiver request for a child in the joint custody of DFCS and the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) after obtaining a written authorization letter from the local DJJ Expeditor confirming that DJJ has agreed to pay 50 percent of the child’s placement costs.

  2. Submit a waiver request for consideration to the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit for a child in foster care who has significant levels of mental, emotional and physical needs that require care and services that cannot be adequately provided at the following Room Board and Watchful Oversight (RBWO) program designation levels:

    1. Traditional [Child Placing Agency (CPA)];

    2. Base-BWO [Child Caring Institution (CCI)];

    3. Base-BWO (CPA); or

    4. Additional Watchful Oversight (CCI).

    The county department can assign a program designation level of traditional, base, and/or additional watchful oversight (AWO) without the approval of the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit.

  3. Place no more than one child in a CPA family foster home or in a home for the purpose of respite when that child has been assigned a program designation level of specialty base (SBWO), specialty maximum (SMWO) or specialty medically fragile (SMFWO).

    Any exceptions to this standard (whether for respite or placement) must be approved in advance of the placement by the Office of Provider Management (OPM).

Procedures

Requests for Program Designation Higher than Traditional, Base and/or Additional Watchful Oversight (AWO)

The Social Services Case Manager (SSCM) or RBWO provider will:

  1. For a child in the joint custody of DJJ and DFCS, obtain an authorization letter from the local DJJ Expeditor stating that DJJ has agreed to pay for 50 percent of the child’s placement costs.

  2. Complete the Universal Application in Georgia SHINES.

  3. Gather the required documentation to support the application.

  4. Submit the following to the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit via GA Score website:

    1. Universal Application;

    2. Psychological / Psychiatric Evaluation or Trauma Assessment;

    3. Other supporting documentation;

    4. A statement, email or other documentation indicating that the Social Services Case Manager concurs with the application, if a provider initiated the application.

    5. Proof that a supplemental security income (SSI) application has been submitted to the Social Security Administration, if this is a subsequent application; and

    6. The authorization letter indicating that DJJ will pay for 50 percent of the child’s placement costs, if the child is in the joint custody of DJJ and DFCS.

    Failure to submit a complete packet will result in an automatic denial. A complete packet should not exceed 25 pages.

  5. Upload the program designation approval decision received from the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit to Georgia SHINES External Documentation.

  6. Provide a copy of the program designation approval notice received from the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit to the following, if approved:

    1. Regional Accounting Office; and

    2. RBWO provider.

The DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit will:

  1. Make a decision on the application within:

    1. The same business day for an emergency request; or

    2. Four business days for a routine request; or

    3. Seven to 14 business days if the application involves a pending adoption.

  2. Notify the SSCM via memorandum of the approval decision.

    Notification of decisions concerning emergency requests may be initially conveyed verbally and/or via email by the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit Director/designee until such time as the formal written waiver can be prepared and issued.

  3. If approved, provide a memorandum that includes the:

    1. Date the rate will begin; and

    2. Date the rate will end.

  4. If denied, provide a denial letter indicating the reason(s) for denial.

Specialty Program Designation Capacity Waiver Request

The SSCM or RBWO provider will:

  1. Complete the RBWO Capacity Waiver; or

  2. In the circumstance of respite, complete the RBWO Respite Waiver Request for Specialty Placements; and

  3. Submit the following documents to the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit via the GA Score website:

    1. An explanation of the supporting circumstances; and

    2. A letter of concurrence from the child’s SSCM(s).

Practice Guidance

The county department can assign a program designation level of base, traditional and/or additional watchful oversight (AWO) without the approval of the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit; all other program designation levels shall be approved by OPM. OPM program designation level approvals are effective for one year and must be re-applied for annually. At the point it becomes apparent that a child requires this higher level of care on a continuous basis, the SSCM should apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on behalf of the child. Proof of the application for SSI will be included with any subsequent program designation level application/request submitted to the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit.

When submitting an emergency request for a MWO program designation, the SSCM will submit as much information as is available to determine the child’s level of need and a statement indicating why an emergency determination is needed. An emergency request that does not contain all the required information may be approved for a period of no greater than 30 days to allow the SSCM to obtain and submit a program designation waiver request with all the required supporting documentation. Therefore, an emergency MWO program designation based on limited information will be subject to change once all the required information is provided to the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit.

Children in the Joint Custody of DJJ and DFCS

The county department should engage the local DJJ Expeditor as soon as possible upon realizing a child has been placed in the joint custody of DJJ and DFCS. Immediately acquiring all court orders referencing the child’s continued joint custody and related conditions is very important and should be immediately uploaded into SHINES. Lastly, although the child may continue to be in joint custody, the child’s placement must meet the child’s individual needs, including being consistent with the child’s case plan, permanency plan and Written Transitional Living Plan (WTLP), as appropriate.

Universal Application

The Universal Application serves as the singular document for RBWO Program Designations requests, Specialized Foster Care requests and placement referrals. It replaces the RBWO Match Screening Summary (MSS), RBWO Program Designation and Waiver Application, and Specialized Foster Care Per Diem Application. For DFCS staff, the Universal Application is located in Georgia SHINES in the FCC stage under the Placement Tab. Many of the fields on the Universal Application pre-populate. To take full advantage of this feature, prior to launching the Universal Application in Georgia SHINES complete the Person Detail, Health Detail, and Education Detail pages. Following completion save the Universal Application in PDF format and submit to the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit on the Georgia Score’s website at www.gascore.com/proteam/step1.cfm. For RBWO providers, the Universal Application can be located on Georgia Score’s website at www.gascore.com. Click on the DFCS Care Coordination Treatment Unit Link for further instructions and guidelines.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Supplemental Security Income is a monthly benefit for persons who are disabled or who have functional limitations as determined by the Social Security Administration.

Forms and Tools

RBWO Capacity Waiver
RBWO Respite Waiver Request for Specialty Placements