Category 20 - Clothing for Foster Children 623-05-30-10

(Revised 1/1/24 ML #3785)

Children in foster care placed in a licensed or approved (Tribal Affidavit) family foster home or residential settings are eligible for a clothing allowance. The foster care case manager is responsible to identify the clothing needs of the child. Clothing purchased specifically for the child becomes the property of the child and must accompany the child upon leaving the placement. An inventory must be conducted of a child’s clothing and belongings prior to any placement or change in foster care placement. Foster care case managers will submit the receipts to the FCSA Eligibility Unit to authorize reimbursement to the licensed provider.

Payment for ongoing clothing needs for a child is built into the daily standard maintenance rate reimbursed to foster parents monthly.

Age Limits	Built into Standard
0-4	$60/month
5-12	$70/month
13+	$80/month

Children placed in a North Dakota QRTP facility have some clothing costs built into the daily rate established by the Department’s rate setting process. Out of state foster care facility placements may not have clothing embedded into their rate. Foster care case managers must verify if the facility daily rate includes clothing.

Codes under Category 20

21 Initial Clothing Allowance:

The initial clothing allowance is available to a child when he/she enters their first paid foster care placement.
The foster care case manager must work with the foster care provider to determine need and budget what clothing and how much clothing can be purchased.
During the first five months of a child’s first paid foster care placement, the child’s clothing needs can be met with an initial clothing allowance, if needed.
Clothing must be purchased within the first five months of initial placement.
Receipts must be submitted timely to the FCSA Eligibility Unit before reimbursement to the licensed provider can be authorized.
The FCSA Eligibility Unit will authorize eligible clothing reimbursements; the payment system will only allow reimbursement for the initial clothing allowance (Code 21) through the sixth month. Reimbursement requests received after the sixth month will be carefully reviewed for compliance and will require FCSA Eligibility Unit supervisor authority to authorize.
In order for a child to receive the initial clothing allowance again, the child must have been discharged from foster care for a 12 month period (this is a date specific period).

Age Limits	Expenditure Initial w/ in first 5 months
0 - 4	$400
5 - 12	$400
13 +	$400

22 Special Clothing Allowance:

A special clothing allowance may be authorized to replace clothing lost in a fire, flood, theft, other type of disaster, or for sudden growth spurts.
The special clothing allowance rate is for emergency and extraordinary extenuating circumstances and should never be used to meet the ongoing clothing needs of the foster child.
The special clothing allowance cannot be used to supplement the initial clothing purchases.
The special allowance is not an entitlement.

Age Limits	Expenditure Limit/Year
0 - 4	$300
5 - 12	$350
13 +	$400

Out of State Providers:

The clothing allowance for children placed out-of-state will be determined based on the rate of the receiving state. The rates are set by the receiving state and clothing may or may not be included in the out of state maintenance rate. If clothing is not included in the out of state rate, the ND irregular payment may be utilized.