Definitions 623-05-05
(Revised 5/1/21 ML #3617)
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Applicant - A parent(s), person or agency having the custody of a dependent child making application for aid for such child under the provisions of Chapter 447-10. A foster child that reaches the age of 18 years may make an application in his or her own behalf.
Auto-Recoupment - The process by which the NDDHS payment system will automatically reduce a future reimbursement if the foster care provider, with an overpayment entered in the system, has a current placement or a payment due.
Correction Facility – An institution where juvenile offenders can be temporarily held and are usually under the supervision of a juvenile court. Examples include a Detention Center, Youth Correction Center, etc. A child is not considered to be in foster care and no foster care payments can be expended for a youth in a correctional placement.
Custodian or Custodial Agency - The agency to which the court has given responsibility for care, custody and control, or placement and care of the child. This may be a Human Service Zone, the Division of Juvenile Services, or Tribal Social Services.
Direct Recoupment - The process by which the custodial agency and CFS Eligibility Unit work collectively to directly contact the foster care provider to request reimbursement for a foster care payment made in error.
Foster Care - Hereafter in this chapter, the general term foster care may include care and placement in foster family homes, qualified residential treatment program (QRTP) facilities or supervised independent living (SIL).
Foster Care Maintenance Payment - Payment to cover the cost of (and the cost of providing) food, clothing, shelter, daily supervision, school supplies, a child’s personal incidentals, liability insurance with respect to a child, and reasonable travel to the child’s home for visitation and reasonable travel for the child to remain in the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement. In residential care, reasonable costs of administration are included. In addition to maintenance payments, certain administrative and service payments are allowable. Hereafter in this chapter when the shorter terms "foster care payment" or "maintenance payments" are used, it means the foster care maintenance payment.
Family Foster Home - An occupied private residence in which foster care for children is regularly provided by the owner or lessee thereof to no more than six children. Exception: unless all the children in foster care are related to each other by blood or marriage, or unless the department approves otherwise for the placement of siblings, in which case the limitation shall not apply.
Irregular Payment - Reimbursement with foster care fund for fees/expenses that meet the irregular category definition and criteria incurred by a foster care provider on behalf of a foster care child. The irregular categories reimburse for expenses over and above the standard maintenance payment which covers the basic care and needs of the foster care child.
Licensed Relative Homes - A relative may request to have his or her home licensed or approved in order to receive a foster care maintenance payment. If the home meets the standards for licensure or approval and if the child(ren) in question otherwise meets all requirements of foster care, the appropriate foster care daily rate must be paid. When a relative is granted a license, the date of licensure will initiate the start of foster care reimbursement. If needed, there is a relative waiver option that can be considered for relatives only specific to non-safety related licensing compliance.
Relative Caregiver – An identified relative authorized by the child’s custodial agency to care for the foster child while he/she is in public custody. If the home is not a licensed or approved (tribal affidavit) foster home, the relative caregiver is not eligible for reimbursement for the care of the child.
Psychiatric Residential Treatment (PRTF) - Accredited residential treatment facilities that provide inpatient psychiatric services for eligible individuals under age 21. Foster children placed in PRTF's will have placement costs authorized under regular Medicaid rules. In order for Medicaid to pay for the individual's care, a certificate of need is required.
Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) - A licensed or approved residence providing an out-of-home treatment placement for children in a facility that has a trauma informed treatment model designed to address the needs of children with serious emotional or behavioral disorders or disturbances and a program able to implement the treatment identified for the child after receiving an approved assessment.
Standard Checkwrite - The Department of Human Services payment schedule will issue reimbursement to foster care providers with authorized expenditures for the current month and irregular payments authorized since the last supplemental check write. Standard check write is scheduled to run the second to last working day of the month.
Supervised Independent Living (SIL) – is a licensed or approved setting providing supervision and service delivery to a child that has attained age 18 years of age and participating in the 18+ Continued Care program transitioning into adulthood.
Supplemental Checkwrite - The Department of Human Services payment schedule will issue reimbursement to foster care providers with authorized expenditures from prior months and irregular payments authorized since the last supplemental check write. Supplemental check write is scheduled to run weekly on Wednesday night, unless there is a standard check write scheduled.
Tribal Title IV-E Care Payments - ND Tribal Social Service Agencies have access to Title IV-E funding through an agreement with NDDHS to receive payment on eligible Title IV-E foster care cases. Foster care payment to providers licensed or approved by the Tribe can only be made if the provider meets the Department of Human Services standards or equivalent and such standards have prior approval of the Department of Human Services.
