Social Services Random Moment Time Study (RMTS) The Department of Children and Families (DCF) designed the Social Services Random Moment Time Study (RMTS) sampling process to facilitate allocation of employee time and costs eligible for federal reimbursement related to performing foster care/placement and foster care/placement prevention activities eligible for federal reimbursement under Title XIX and Title IV-E. The RMTS is a federally approved alternative to traditional 100 percent time reporting for child welfare staff. Instead of logging every minute of every day, this system uses a statistical sampling method to determine how much work is dedicated to specific programs, such as Title IV-E and Title XIX. For more information about the RMTS see sections below. Purpose of the RMTS The RMTS is a sampling tool used to generate statistically valid statewide averages of various activities performed by child welfare staff. The system calculates the proportion of employee time devoted to various programs, specifically Title IV-E and Title XIX. The time study captures activities eligible for federal foster care and foster care prevention reimbursement. Methodology/How it Works The RMTS uses a computer algorithm to generate monthly observations for county, Division of Milwaukee Child Welfare, and child placing agency staff who are asked to report their current activity. These ‘snapshots,’ or random moments, are summarized on a statewide basis to create a statistically accurate picture of activities staff perform every quarter. Cost Allocation The RMTS is part of the Department of Children and Families’ cost allocation plan that is submitted to and approved by the Federal Division of Cost Allocation. The completion of the RMTS staff roster and their associated costs must be consistent with the processes described in the approved cost allocation plan. Reimbursement The RMTS statistics are summarized to obtain the statewide average of time spent by child welfare staff throughout a quarter. These statistics are then used as component in the quarterly Federal Title IV-E and Title XIX claim. This revenue is then reallocated to the county or agency level. Activities eligible for IV-E reimbursement include: Assisting in Title IV-E eligibility determinations or redeterminations Recruiting, licensing, and rate setting of foster homes Placing children into foster care, group home, shelter care and residential care Preparing for and participating in judicial determinations Case management and supervision, including scheduling and communicating with service providers Developing and reviewing case plans Referrals for services Transporting for foster care administration, including transportation to and from out-of-home placement, intake assessments, supervised visits and court hearings or studies The IV-E foster care administrative revenue is one of the primary funding sources for the Children and Families Allocation (CFA). Maximizing the IV-E administrative claim is important to sustaining the state funding that counties receive for child welfare services. Refer to the Subrecipient Payment and Report on Contracts (SPARC) cost pool instructions for reporting shared cost and Agency Management, Support, and Overhead (AMSO) for cost allocation IV-E reporting codes.
