The Adoption Program’s Process
For Establishing and Generating Reimbursement to Providers

 

PURPOSE:

To provide a structure for establishing consistent, accurate and prompt reimbursement to providers for services rendered and goods purchased.

1. The adoption social worker, when assigned as the case manager for a child’s case, is responsible for generating checks to the provider in WiSACWIS. These can be recurring or one time only reimbursements.
2. For one time reimbursements, the regional adoption supervisor will access the Reimbursement Request window through Create>CaseWork>Payment in WiSACWIS. One time reimbursement requests are automatically processed by the WiSACWIS system on a weekly basis.
3. Prior to the date in which the court grants the TPR, the Adoption Program is not responsible for generating foster/adoptive home checks to the child’s provider. If the child’s case is from a county not currently using WiSACWIS, the adoption social worker should not document the child’s placement in WiSACWIS until the date of the TPR as the documentation of a otherwise WiSACWIS will generate a check. If the child’s case is from a county currently using WiSACWIS, the adoption social worker should not change the child’s out of home placement documented in WiSACWIS by the ongoing county worker prior to the TPR as it will impact that county’s ability to correctly reimburse their provider.
4. For recurring monthly foster care checks the adoption social worker must create an out of home placement of the child using the appropriate service category and service type that reflects that the child is now in the guardianship of the State of Wisconsin. This out of home placement should not be documented in WiSACWIS until the TPR has been granted by the court as the TPR date will be the start date for this placement. The adoption social worker must properly document the appropriate supplemental points and exceptional reimbursement for the child, if necessary, on the Out of Home Placement window in WiSACWIS. Both the adoption social worker and the adoption social worker’s supervisor must approve the placement in order for WiSACWIS to generate a check to the provider.

NOTE: If the child’s case is from a county online with WiSACWIS, the county social worker will need to close the child’s out of home placement prior to the adoption social worker creating a new out of home placement with the appropriate State service category and service type. The closing date for the county out of home placement should be the date prior to the date the TPR was granted by the court. The closing of the county out of home placement will need to be approved by both the county social worker and the county social worker’s supervisor prior to the adoption social worker creating a new out of home placement for the child in WiSACWIS.

5. Recurring checks continue to be generated automatically each month until the placement is changed or ended by the adoption social worker in WiSACWIS.
6. When a child’s placement changes, the adoption social worker will end the previous out of home placement and create a new out of home placement in WiSACWIS.
7. An out of home placement must be used to document the placement of a child until the time in which the adoption of the child by the prospective adoptive family is finalized by the courts or until adoption assistance reimbursement is started.
8. If the adoptive family is approved for adoption assistance the child’s out of home placement is ended on the day prior to when the adoption assistance reimbursement begins. An in home reimbursement is then created to reflect that the adoptive family will continue to receive the service of the adoption assistance even after the adoption social worker has closed the adoption case.
9. The adoption social worker will end the out of home placement in WiSACWIS within 24 hours of a placement ending or adoption assistance reimbursement beginning. Exceptions include if the ending of the placement occurs on the last day of the month, in which case the adoption social worker will end the placement in WiSACWIS on that same day.

1. Within 30 days of placement and every 6 months while the child remains in placement, the adoption social worker will use the Uniform Foster Care Rate Setting Form to request or update the reimbursement rate the adoptive or foster family receives. In conjunction with the reimbursement rate the adoptive or foster parent/provider receives, the adoption social worker will determine the level of behavioral, emotional and physical care needs of the child.
2. The adoption social worker and the adoptive or foster parent/provider will sign the Uniform Foster Care Rate Setting Form as indicated.
3. The adoption social worker’s supervisor will review and sign the completed form and forward the form to the Adoption Supervisor who will review the rate in the capacity of adoption rate reviewer

1. An initial clothing allowance may be paid upon a child’s initial placement in foster care. The placement of a child in foster care 120 days or more after the child has been removed from foster care shall be considered an initial placement. Also, a clothing allowance can be provided to replace a child’s basic wardrobe that has been lost or destroyed through other than normal wear and tear. A replacement of the wardrobe is considered an exceptional payment and must be approved by the supervisor.
2. The maximum clothing allowance is $150.00 to $200.00 depending on the child’s age. The adoption social worker shall inform the foster parent that they must provide the adoption social worker with copies of receipts for the clothing they purchase.
3. The clothing allowance is to be paid to the provider through a one-time reimbursement request in WiSACWIS.

FORMS REFERENCED:

DCS-834 "Uniform Foster Care Rate Setting Form" (currently available in hardcopy)

Foster Home and Clothing Allowance Rate document (currently available in hardcopy)

Return to WiSACWIS Policies and Procedures Index Page

Return to Adoption in Wisconsin Index Page

Last Revised: June 16, 2008