Children’s Division Staff and Private Child-Placing Agency Staff Who Have Had the Child’s Eligibility Approved for Negotiation of an Adoption or Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement:

• The adoptive or guardianship Children’s Services Worker (i.e., case manager) is responsible for negotiating and completing the subsidy forms with the family. The child’s case manager, if applicable, shall cooperate by providing information necessary to complete the adoption or legal guardianship subsidy application and Agreement.
• In cases when the basic subsidy package is being requested, the family signs the Agreement and the Agreement is sent for processing by Central Office and entry into the contracting system.
• When services above the basic package of standard maintenance, MO HealthNet and childcare are requested in the subsidy agreement, the Circuit Manager/Program Manager and Regional Office, to which case manager’s county/circuit is responsible, will have the responsibility for reviewing the adoption or legal guardianship subsidy application and Agreement. The local staff, Circuit Manager/Program Manager and Regional Office should indicate their agreement or disagreement with the application/agreement on the subsidy clearance form only, which will accompany the agreement to Central Office for approval and entry into the contracting system. The only signature necessary on the subsidy agreement are the signature(s) of the adoptive parent(s) or guardian(s) and the DFAS Director/DFAS Designee.
• The worker who completes all the payment authorizations for contracted/purchased service will always be located in the county/circuit of the child’s residence or the last residence county of the child if the child is out of state. The payment designee will always be the individual with that role in the authorizing county.

Foster Care Case Management Contractors, Negotiation/Completion of the Inital Adoption or Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement

• The adoptive or guardianship service worker (i.e., case manager) is responsible for negotiating with and completing the subsidy forms with the family. The child’s case manager shall cooperate by providing information necessary to complete the adoption or legal guardianship subsidy application and agreement.
• In cases where the basic subsidy package is being requested, the family signs the agreement and the agreement is sent for processing by Central Office and entry into the contracting system
• When in the negotiation stage, services above the basic package of standard maintenance, MO HealthNet, respite, legal, and childcare are requested by the family, the foster care case management contract staff must discuss this request with the assigned CD Oversight Supervisor and written approval must be given by the Children’s Division prior to the service being added to the subsidy and the family’s signatures obtained.
• Once the family’s signature(s) are obtained, the agreement should be sent back to the Children’s Division. The CD Oversight Supervisor, will have the responsibility for reviewing the adoption or legal guardianship subsidy application and agreement. The CD Oversight Supervisor should indicate their agreement or disagreement with the application/agreement on the subsidy clearance form only, which will accompany the agreement to Central Office for approval and entry into the contracting system. The only signatures necessary on the subsidy agreement are the signature(s) of the adoptive parent(s) or guardian(s) and the DFAS Director/DFAS Designee.
• After the subsidy is approved and the criteria for subsidy payments have been met, the contracted worker will complete all the payment authorizations for contracted/purchased services until such time that the record is transferred back to the Children’s Division.

Ongoing Maintenance of an Adoption or Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement

• Case management responsibility for the annual review and any needed renegotiation of the agreement is the responsibility of the county/circuit office where the family resides.
• Case management responsibility includes any case activity needed to support the terms of the agreement.
• Case management responsibility includes assisting youth, adoptive parents, and legal guardians with the referral process to the Older Youth Program (OYP), if the youth meets the qualifying criteria of exiting care to Adoption or Legal Guardianship after the age of 16 and the youth, adoptive parents and legal guardians’ desire services through the OYP. Participation in the OYP is not mandatory.

Case managers will be responsible for ensuring that youth, prospective adoptive parents, and prospective legal guardians are made aware of the Older Youth Program (OYP) and the youth’s ability to receive services through the OYP and Chafee Services.

• Case managers will be responsible for assisting the youth, adoptive parents, legal guardians with the completion of the necessary tools and assessments needed for an Older Youth Program Referral.
• Case managers will have the responsibility to ensure that youth enrolled in the Older Youth Program prior to adoption or legal guardianship continue to receive services through the OYP if desired, or if a new referral has been completed that the youth receives services through the OYP.
• Case managers will have the responsibility to receive the Individual Life Skills Progress Form, CD-95 and notify the Older Youth Transition Specialist and Chafee Provider if the desire for services changes.

Related Practice Alerts and Memos:

7-1-19 – CD19-52 – FY20 Rate Increases

12-4-19 – PA19-AD-06 – Transitional Living Placements and Subsidy Agreements

1-10-20 – PA20-AD-01 – Legal Fees for AD and LG Subsidies

10-29-2020 – PA20-AD-06 – Child Summary

01-13-21 –CD-21-01 -Contractors Negotiation/Completion Of The Initial Adoption Or Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement