DCFS makes a monthly board payment to foster parents. This monthly board payment includes payment for room and board, clothing, ongoing school and personal supplies, and a small allowance for the child. The amount listed below is included in the monthly board payment and must be used for the child. If a child in foster care is eligible for Medicaid, foster parents are required to use a Medicaid provider for meeting the medical needs of the child. Medicaid should be the primary payment source for medical and dental services, including hospitalization. If Medicaid cannot cover such expenses, state funds may be a secondary payment option.

Generally, foster parents receive the board payment in the fourth week of each month. The monthly board payment is for the period starting on the 27^th of the month and ending the 26^th of the following month. For example, October's board payment is for the 30 days that begin September 27^th and end on October 26^th.

Other services or supplies needed by the child must be authorized and approved per DCFS policy. (See section on additional expenses.)

DCFS shall pay foster parents a monthly board rate according to the following chart; these rates are effective for board payments of November 2009 and after:

Board rates are established as part of policy, and any exception must receive prior approval. (For more information, see section on Special Board Rates)

If a child is absent from the foster home for hospitalization or a trial placement for 10 days or less and is to return to that home, no change of status is necessary. However, the child's Family Service Worker must always be advised of an absence from the home.

The agency pays according to the number of nights a child is in the foster home. Payment for stays of less than 24 hours will be based upon a daily rate determined by the Division. If a child is in the home for part of a month, a partial board payment will be made.

When a child first enters foster care, the Division may issue an initial clothing order for the purchase of new clothing. Initial clothing orders will be issued on case-by-case basis. Not all children will need to purchase new clothing as they may come into care with ample clothing. The FSW will assess what clothing items are needed and issue the authorized amount of clothing allowance. Purchases will be made using the DHS-1914 process, which requires submission to and approval by the Financial Support Unit. Upon approval, a typical scenario might involve the foster parent selecting clothing and leaving it with appropriate customer service staff of the store, where the FSW may present and pay for the merchandise.

Foster parents should use the following guidelines:

The foster parent will give an allowance to the child from the board payment. The amount of the child's allowance is decided by the foster parent, based on the child's age.

There are occasions when the regular board rate is inadequate when caring for a child with special needs. Foster parents may identify and document those needs so that the Family Service Worker can request authorization from the Area Director for a special board rate.

From time to time, foster parents may be overpaid on a board payment. If this happens, during the next month, the computer system may automatically generate a correction. The amount of the overpayment will become an accounts receivable due from the foster parent if restitution is not made prior to the next payment cycle. Per funding source, each subsequent board payment will be offset until the amount of the overpayment is recovered. The funding source of the board payment (federal or state funds) will determine whether the overpayment is deducted from the next board payment. If funds are from the same funding source, it will be deducted from the next board payment. If it is not deducted, the Office of Finance and Administrative Services will send a notice of overpayment. Account reviews are processed monthly and overpayment statements are normally sent monthly.

A foster parent may contact the Foster Care Technical Assistance Unit at 501-682-8345 for help with any overpayment statement. The unit will research the overpayment and provide an explanation.

A child's board rate may sometimes need to be reduced rather than increased. This applies to those children who are residents of a state institution; e.g., School for the Deaf or Blind/Rehabilitation Training Facility, Human Development Center, or who are attending college and for whom the case plan includes visits in the foster home on weekends, holidays, or summer vacation. Board Payments will only be made for a child visiting in a foster home for the actual time the child is there.

Board payments, made by DCFS for the care of children in homes of public assistance recipients, are not considered as a resource in determining eligibility for assistance or the amount of the grant. This payment is designated for certain purposes and is not available to the foster parents. For any foster parent applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; formerly food stamps), a re-evaluation of stable income will take place. This may impact the approval status of the foster home.

Children in foster care are eligible for free meals in all schools which participate in the National School Lunch/Breakfast Programs and in the Commodity-only schools.

The Women, Infants and Children Food Program, WIC, is administered by the Health Department. The program provides, on a monthly basis, nutritious foods for pregnant and nursing women and infants and children up to age five years. Eligibility is determined by a medical assessment of nutrition risks such as iron-poor blood and improper growth, etc. Foods provided by WIC are supplemental and are not intended to fulfill all nutritional needs for a month. Children in foster care may be eligible for WIC.

A monthly allowance for clothing replacement is included in the board payment. During the months when there are no replacements, the clothing allowance must be saved for the months when more than usual amounts of clothing are needed. All receipts from the purchase of clothes must be retained and turned in to the Resource Worker at the quarterly visit.

With the approval of the County Office Supervisor and Area Director, it is permissible to obtain another clothing order. This should happen only in an exceptional circumstance. The foster parent may request a “Replacement/Supplemental Clothing Order.” These requests may not exceed $400.00 in one quarter. The foster parent should contact the Family Service Worker in the event that this need should arise.

Medicaid is the primary source of medical payment for children in foster care. If a child in the home does not receive a Medicaid card, contact the Family Service Worker. (A card should be received within a week for a new child and by the third of the month thereafter.) Although the FSW may provide a copy of the Medicaid Card for the foster parent to keep in the Medical Passport, and so that they may obtain medical services for the child, the actual Medicaid Card will be kept in the child's case record in the county office. When there are no Medicaid providers available in cases of emergency, the Family Services Worker (with the approval of the County Supervisor) will authorize and bill medical services via DHS-1914 or contract. In the event medical services are denied by Medicaid, the child's medical needs will be met with Foster Care funds. A child shall not be denied medical services because the child is not Medicaid eligible.

In addition to the items already listed, the following items are allowable with the approval of the County Office Supervisor:

Any other expenses must receive prior approval from the Area Director. This can be requested by the Family Service Worker.

When a child in foster care has income from child support or Social Security benefits, DCFS will apply to become payee. The child's funds will be deposited into a trust account for the child if payee status is awarded to the Division. Separate accounts are maintained for each individual child in foster care, including those from the same sibling group. The funds in the account should be utilized solely for the individual child for whom the account was established, and no funds should be spent for any other child.

Foster care trust accounts are delineated into two distinct types: Dedicated and Regular. Each account type has different rules for how the funds may be spent.

A Dedicated Account is usually funded from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSA deposits funds in this type of account if the child is owed six or more months of retroactive payments. DCFS must obtain permission from the SSA to spend money from a Dedicated Account. With prior approval from the SSA, income in a Dedicated Account may be used for the following:

Money in a Regular Account is usually income from child support or Social Security Survivor's (Title II) benefits. Although these funds have fewer restrictions than a Dedicated Account, spending must be appropriately prioritized according to the child's needs:

After basic needs are met, purchases may be made for items or services that will enrich the child's life. Examples of this include, but are not limited to items such as tutoring, music lessons, and dance lessons.

Purchases utilizing the funds of trust accounts must be approved by the child's FSW. In some instances approvals must also be approved by the FSW's Supervisor, Area Director, and/or DCFS Executive Staff. Only DCFS staff is permitted to make purchases from the accounts. To maintain a child's eligibility for some Medicaid Programs, the balances in Regular Accounts must remain within limits set by the State and Federal Governments. For example, if a child is receiving SSI then the countable value of the Regular Trust Account must be under $2,000 at the end of each month. A report is available to DCFS staff that lists children in foster care with Regular Account balances of $1,000 or more.

Foster parents are encouraged to assist DCFS in identifying children's needs that can be met using foster care trust funds. Recommendations for purchases that meet the criteria discussed in this document should be made to the FSW so DCFS may decide if money is available for the purchase from a trust account and so that DCFS may secure the necessary approvals to make the purchase.

An Incidental Expense Fund is established for the purpose of providing items and activities which serve to normalize a child's life experience while in care. For example, camp fees, music lessons, field trips, school uniforms and other items not specifically covered by other means can be met by this fund. The Incidental Expense Fund is intended for items or activities which cost $25.00 or more and use of the funds does not require prior approval. Items covered by the board payment are not eligible for reimbursement from this fund. In addition, these funds shall not be used for Holiday gifts. The Family Service Worker will assist the foster parent in accessing these funds when the money is needed for a situation that meets the policy guidelines.