30.5  Case Manager, Private Child-Placing Agency and Foster Care Case Management Contractor Responsibilities

1. 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:
   1. 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 and service worker, if applicable, shall cooperate by providing information necessary to complete the adoption or legal guardianship subsidy application and Agreement.
   2. In cases when the basic subsidy package is being requested, the family signs the Agreement and the Agreement is sent directly to Contract Management for the Director’s approval and entry into the contracting system.
   3. 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 consideration by the Director.  The only signature necessary on the subsidy Agreement are the signature(s) of the adoptive parent(s) or guardian(s) and the Division Director.
   4. 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.
2. Foster Care Case Management Contractors, Negotiation/Completion of the First Adoption or Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement
   1. 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 and service worker, if applicable, shall cooperate by providing information necessary to complete the adoption or legal guardianship subsidy application and Agreement.
   2. In cases where the basic subsidy package is being requested, the family signs the Agreement and the Agreement is sent directly to Contract Management for the Director’s approval and entry into the contracting system. 
   3. When in the negotiation stage, services above the basic package of standard maintenance, MO HealthNet and childcare are requested by the family, the foster care case management contract staff must discuss this request with the Children’s Division representative 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. 
   4. Once the family’s signature(s) are obtained, the Agreement should be sent back to the Children’s Division.  The Circuit Manager and Regional Office to which the family's case manager county 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 consideration by the Director.  The only signatures necessary on the subsidy Agreement are the signature(s) of the adoptive parent(s) or guardian(s) and the Division Director.
   5. 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 worker.

Ongoing Maintenance of an Adoption or Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement:

1. 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. 
2. Case management responsibility also includes any case activity needed to support the terms of the Agreement.

Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 1/31/07)

CS03-33, CD04-17, CD04-77, CD06-79,

Memoranda History:

CD08-17