ICPC State Pages

Florida Financial Plans, Medicaid, IV-E, Daycare, Payments

Financial Plans

Florida permits a child in the legal custody of a Sending State to apply for and receive the following state administered assistance/benefits in Florida as the Receiving State:

• Medicaid
• TANF Child Only
• TANF–Family

As the Sending state, the following are considered as a viable financial/medical plan when making interstate placements:

• Applying for TANF - (Family Income Based)
• Applying for TANF - Child Only
• Title IV-E Foster Care
• Title IV-E Adoption Assistance
• Sending State Adoption Assistance
• Medicaid

As the Receiving state, the following are considered a viable financial/medical plan when receiving interstate placements:

• Applying for TANF - (Family Income Based)
• Applying for TANF - Child Only
• Title IV-E Foster Care
• Title IV-E Adoption Assistance
• Sending State Adoption Assistance
• Medicaid
• Sending State’s Coverage for Medical Assistance

Medicaid/Medical Assistance Coverage, Benefits and Services

Florida will ensure medical coverage benefits and services can be received through benefits, programs and providers in the Receiving State before placing a child across state lines:

• Other: This is strongly encouraged before placement is made.

Medicaid

The receiving state is responsible for the Medicaid benefits of children eligible under Title IV-E. Otherwise, the responsibility is with the sending state (see Foster Care Payments):

• Yes

Waiting Period for Medicaid Benefits

Waiting period to apply for benefit assistance:

• No waiting period

Waiting period to receive benefits for a child who is under the legal custody/legal jurisdiction of the sending state:

• 30 days

State Medical Insurance/Coverage

As the Sending State, Florida will provide medical coverage if the child is NOT IV-E eligible:

• Other: Either our private contracted sending agency or the placement resource must accept responsibility for the cost of medical care.

As the Sending State, Florida will permit Placement Resources to apply for medical benefits in the Receiving State or use their personal insurance:

• Yes

Payments Made

TANF Payments:

• No information

Adoption assistance payments begin:

• At the time the child is placed.

Foster Care Payments:

• Age 0-5: $429
  Age 6-12: $440
  Age 12+: $515

Special Education Payments:

• Other: Can be negotiated.

Daycare Payments:

• Other

Daycare costs remain the responsibility of the sending agency. There are subsidized child care programs available, but assistance is subject to eligibility requirements.

Kinship Program

  

Florida cannot provide relative caregiver/kinship funding to an out of state relative.

 39.5085 (2) Relative caregiver program.—

(2)(a) The Department of Children and Family Services shall establish and operate the relative caregiver program pursuant to eligibility guidelines established in this section as further implemented by rule of the department. The relative caregiver program shall, within the limits of available funding, provide financial assistance to:

1. Relatives who are within the fifth degree by blood or marriage to the parent or stepparent of a child and who are caring full-time for that dependent child in the role of substitute parent as a result of a court’s determination of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment and subsequent placement with the relative under this chapter.

2. Relatives who are within the fifth degree by blood or marriage to the parent or stepparent of a child and who are caring full-time for that dependent child, and a dependent half-brother or half-sister of that dependent child, in the role of substitute parent as a result of a court’s determination of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment and subsequent placement with the relative under this chapter.

The placement may be court-ordered temporary legal custody to the relative under protective supervision of the department pursuant to s. 39.521(1)(b)3., or court-ordered placement in the home of a relative as a permanency option under s. 39.6221 or s. 39.6231 or under former s. 39.622 if the placement was made before July 1, 2006. The relative caregiver program shall offer financial assistance to caregivers who are relatives and who would be unable to serve in that capacity without the relative caregiver payment because of financial burden, thus exposing the child to the trauma of placement in a shelter or in foster care.

(b) Caregivers who are relatives and who receive assistance under this section must be capable, as determined by a home study, of providing a physically safe environment and a stable, supportive home for the children under their care, and must assure that the children’s well-being is met, including, but not limited to, the provision of immunizations, education, and mental health services as needed.

(c) Relatives who qualify for and participate in the relative caregiver program are not required to meet foster care licensing requirements under s. 409.175.

(d) Relatives who are caring for children placed with them by the court pursuant to this chapter shall receive a special monthly relative caregiver benefit established by rule of the department. The amount of the special benefit payment shall be based on the child’s age within a payment schedule established by rule of the department and subject to availability of funding. The statewide average monthly rate for children judicially placed with relatives who are not licensed as foster homes may not exceed 82 percent of the statewide average foster care rate, nor may the cost of providing the assistance described in this section to any relative caregiver exceed the cost of providing out-of-home care in emergency shelter or foster care.

(e) Children receiving cash benefits under this section are not eligible to simultaneously receive WAGES cash benefits under chapter 414.

(f) Within available funding, the relative caregiver program shall provide relative caregivers with family support and preservation services, flexible funds in accordance with s. 409.165, school readiness, and other available services in order to support the child’s safety, growth, and healthy development. Children living with relative caregivers who are receiving assistance under this section shall be eligible for Medicaid coverage.

(g) The department may use appropriate available state, federal, and private funds to operate the relative caregiver program. The department may develop liaison functions to be available to relatives who care for children pursuant to this chapter to ensure placement stability in extended family settings.

Title IV-E

MEDICAID - The receiving state is responsible for the Medicaid benefits of children eligible under Title IV-E. Otherwise, the responsibility is with the sending state (see Foster Care Payments):

• Yes

Title IV-E documentation/verification required:

• Yes: