Section 20. Administration of the uniform rate assessment tool

A. A department approved uniform rate assessment tool shall be used to determine the additional daily supervision component of the foster care maintenance payment or the adoption assistance payment. Use of the rate assessment tool shall be applied consistently regardless of the child's maintenance funding source.

1. The LDSS having care and responsibility for the child is responsible to ensure the tool is completed with input from a child-specific team of individuals who are knowledgeable about the child's characteristics.

2. The team shall include the caseworker, foster or adoptive parents, and an individual trained to administer the rate assessment tool. Other individuals with knowledge of the child shall be invited to participate in the meeting or provide input about the child's needs. This shall include family members and the child as appropriate, other significant individuals in the child's social support network, the private child-placing agency staff involved in the care of the child, and other providers.

3. LDSS staff or other public child-serving agency individuals may be trained in accordance with the department's Child and Family Services Manual, Chapter E Foster Care, Section 14, July 2011 to administer the tool.

4. The child's assigned caseworker, foster or adoptive parents, or private agency staff shall not administer the tool.

5. The rate assessment tool shall be administered according to the following criteria and in accordance with the department's Child and Family Services Manual, Chapter E Foster Care, Section 14, July 2011:

a. If the child is to be placed in a TFC home;

b. If the LDSS chooses to make enhanced maintenance payments for children in non-TFC homes;

c. At the time an adoption assistance agreement is negotiated when the child's needs prior to negotiating and signing the agreement indicate a need for ADS. A re-administration of the tool is not required if the adoption assistance agreement is signed within three months of a prior ADS assessment.

6. The rate assessment tool shall be re-administered:

a. When requested and there is evidence of significant behavioral, emotional, or medical changes and four or more weeks of additional support have become necessary to maintain the child in the home.

(1) Once requested, the rate assessment tool must be administered within 14 calendar days.

(2) If the rate assessment tool indicates a need for an increase or decrease in ADS, the increase or decrease takes effect on the first day of the subsequent month.

b. No more often than quarterly for any child unless the previously stated criteria apply.

c. A minimum of once per year.

B. The individual administering the rate assessment tool shall:

1. Consider all input from all sources regarding the characteristics of the child and will rate each item on the tool;

2. Make the final decision as to how to rate a child's characteristics based on the evidence as presented;

3. Issue a final score on the tool within five business days of the meeting; and

4. Share a copy of the scored tool with the foster or adoptive parents and, if requested, review the tool with them.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 30, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2014.

Statutory Authority

§ 63.2-217 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 673.