I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy Guide is to issue revised procedures for private agencies to follow when requesting reimbursement for Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children (COA) accreditation costs. This Policy Guide replaces Policy Guide 2000.10. 

II. PRIMARY USERS

The primary users of this Policy Guide are Quality Assurance, Contract Administration, Agency Performance, Purchase of Service (POS) Monitoring, Business Office and Administrative Service staff of the Department and purchase of service agencies with foster care contracts (traditional, relative, specialized and treatment). 

III. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Due to the Department’s standard that all child welfare agencies providing foster care must be accredited DCFS agreed to reimburse COA accreditation costs to child welfare agencies providing foster care that became accredited or were reaccredited on or after July 1, 1999.  The Department has since expanded the reimbursement process to child welfare agencies providing foster care services and/or Intact Family Services (IFS) on or after July 1, 2016.  

If a private agency has another program(s) accredited by either the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) or the Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), the private agency can pursue accreditation of their foster care and/or IFS programs(s) through that same accrediting agency without DCFS reimbursement.  However, DCFS will ONLY reimburse COA accreditation/reaccreditation costs.  

IV. ACCREDITATION/REACCREDITATION REIMBURSEMENT PROTOCOL

DCFS reimburses the cost of accreditation surveys conducted by the Council on Accreditation (COA) up to the limits in the schedule of accreditation costs provided by COA.

• DCFS will reimburse a private agency for the costs of accreditation AFTER the private agency has received accreditation certification from the COA.  The effective month/year of the accreditation must be on or after July 2016 for agencies providing foster care services only, IFS services only or a combination of foster care and IFS.  Accreditation costs refer to the application fee, accreditation fee (financial agreement with COA) and the site visit charge. 
• After the agency has become accredited, the agency may submit a request for reimbursement of accreditation costs.  The request should be in the form of a written letter to DCFS with a copy of the accreditation certification letter from COA and a copy of the billing from COA.  DCFS will review the request to ensure the appropriate documentation is attached and that the costs fall within the COA schedule of accreditation costs. 

• Requests for reimbursement should be submitted to: 

  Manager  
  DCFS Office of Contract Administration  
  406 East Monroe, Station #455  
  Springfield, Illinois 62701 

• Reimbursement for the accreditation survey costs will be paid under Type Service Code (TSC) 0134 - Accreditation Survey Costs Reimbursement.  
• DCFS will also reimburse the private agency for the COA application fee, accreditation fee (financial agreement with COA) and the site visit charge if the private agency is a provisional or full member of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) and CWLA reimburses the private agency or pays these costs on behalf of the private agency.  The private agency must submit to DCFS the COA invoice paid by CWLA on behalf of the agency along with the COA accreditation certification letter. 

V. REIMBURSEMENT FOR SITE PREPARATORY AND CORRECTIVE ACTION COSTS

DCFS will provide reimbursement for preparatory costs and the costs of correcting deficient standards identified in a COA accreditation survey, up to a maximum amount equal to the total of the application fee, accreditation fee and site visit costs.  For example: 

If the application fee is $600, the accreditation fee is $9,400 and the site visit costs are $4,800, DCFS will reimburse the private agency $14,800 under TSC 0134.  The ceiling for matching preparatory and corrective action costs would then be $14,800.  

To receive reimbursement for corrective action costs, the private agency must submit: 

• the original accreditation survey findings;  
• the private agency’s corrective action plan;  
• documentation (i.e., invoices, etc.) to support the costs incurred; and  
• a copy of the COA accreditation certification letter.  

For site preparatory costs, appropriate documentation to support the costs incurred plus proof of accreditation are required.  

• Providers need to clearly distinguish between reimbursements for survey costs versus reimbursement for corrective action or site preparatory costs.

NOTE: Reimbursement for preparatory and corrective action costs will only be made AFTER the agency has been accredited by COA.  

• Requests for reimbursement must be submitted in writing to:  

  Manager  
  DCFS Office of Contract Administration  
  406 East Monroe, Station #455  
  Springfield, Illinois 62701  

• Reimbursement for site preparatory and corrective action costs will be paid under TSC 0135 – Accreditation Corrective Action Costs Reimbursement. 
• Corrective action and site preparatory costs are defined as one-time nonrecurring costs. On-going salary costs will not be considered.

DCFS will NOT reimburse a private agency for any penalties imposed by COA or for any of the costs associated with remedial visits.  Remedial visits are follow up site visits required because of significant agency deficiencies.  

DCFS will not reimburse the cost of any penalties imposed on the private agency as a result of the accreditation process.  DCFS will not reimburse the annual maintenance fee for accreditation. 

VI. QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this Policy Guide may be directed to the Office of Child and Family Policy at 217-524-1983 or via Outlook at OCFP – Mailbox. Non Outlook users may e-mail questions to cfpolicy@idcfs.state.il.us. 

VII. FILING INSTRUCTIONS 

Remove Policy Guide 2000.10 found immediately following Rule 356, Rate Setting, and replace with the attached Policy Guide.