When a Permanency Care Assistance payment has been overpaid, the adoption assistance eligibility specialist for the region discusses the case with the eligibility supervisor.

If the eligibility specialist and supervisor are not sure whether recoupment is needed, the specialist consults by email with a Federal/State support program specialist.

In the email to the program specialist, the eligibility specialist includes the following:

• Child’s name.
• Child’s personal identification number.
• A brief overview of the circumstances that led to the overpayment.

Required Consultation

The eligibility specialist and supervisor must consult with the program specialist before processing a recoupment in any of the following circumstances:

• The overpayment exceeds six months.
• The overpayment exceeds $50,000.
• Fraud is suspected.

Standard Recoupment Process

1. The Federal and State Support program specialist for the AA and PCA programs  in  DFPS State Office sends Form 8102-PCA Request for Payment to DFPSPDF Document to the regional eligibility specialist. The form provides the permanent managing conservator with details about the recoupment, such as the invoice number, date of service, original warrant date, original warrant amount, and total amount of the overpayment.
2. The regional eligibility specialist sends the form to the regional operation support administrator (ROSA), who then completes and signs Form 8103a-PCA Overpayment LetterWord Document. The letter explains the following to the permanent managing conservator:
   • When and how the overpayment occurred.
   • When the payment is due to DFPS (30 days from the date on the letter).
   • Where to send the payment.
3. The ROSA mails the following to the permanent managing conservator:
   • Form 8103a-PCA Overpayment Letter, explaining that the overpayments must be repaid.
   • Form 8102-PCA Request for Payment to DFPS, providing the details of the overpayment and recoupment.
4. The permanent managing conservator does the following:
   • Completes Form 8102-PCA.
   • Sends a copy of the form with each payment to the DFPS address provided in the letter.
5. The ROSA sends a copy of Form 8103a-PCA Overpayment Letter and Form 8102-PCA Request for Payment to DFPS to these two places:
   • The DFPS Accounting Form 8102 [sic, email link] email box.
   • The Federal and State Support program specialist for the AA and PCA programs.

Handling Late Payments

On the 30th day after the date listed on Form 8103a-PCA Overpayment Letter, the DFPS Accounting Office does the following:

• Sends a second letter to the permanent managing conservator, this time by certified mail.
• Notifies the ROSA by email.

If the permanent managing conservator contacts the ROSA on or after the 30th day from the date on Form 8103a-PCA Overpayment Letter, the ROSA does either of the following:

• Refers the permanent managing conservator to the DFPS Accounting Office to discuss a repayment plan.
• Notifies the DFPS Accounting Office, if a repayment plan has been proposed by the permanent managing conservator.

If the permanent managing conservator fails to respond to the second letter within 30 days, the DFPS Accounting Office refers the case to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.