February 11, 2013
RFP Advances Continuum of Care Strategy
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is making great strides in enhancing placement options for children and youth in need of out-of-home care as it continues to implement the new Continuum of Care Strategy announced during Budget 2012, People and Prosperity.
Today, (Monday, February 11), marks the next step in the advancement of the Continuum of Care Strategy through a Request For Proposals (RFP) for staffed residential placement resources. These include individualized, group and emergency placement homes, which will provide high-level care for children and youth with complex needs. This new continuum of care consists of four levels: kinship care, foster care, specialized foster care, and staffed residential care.
“Our government remains committed to ensuring that our children and youth who cannot be supported in a family-based setting, such as a kinship or foster home, are provided with a caring and supportive environment that addresses their specific needs,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. “This RFP process will also provide an open and transparent process for quality services.”
The RFP outlines the deliverables, requirements and expectations for staffed residential placement resources, as well as standards around staff qualifications, training and programming. For those interested in responding to the RFP, the deadline for submissions is noon Friday, March 22. A copy of the RFP is available on the Government Purchasing Agency website at www.gpa.gov.nl.ca.
Other components of the Continuum of Care Strategy implemented to date
include the launch of a new province-wide foster parent recruitment
campaign, Foster A Future. Since the campaign began in November 2012, the
department has received significant interest and support. For more
information on becoming a foster parent, visit
www.fosterafuture.ca
or call toll-free 1-855-683-8111.
In January 2013, the department also implemented a new rate structure for kinship homes (formally known as Child Welfare Allowance homes) and foster homes. In addition, block funding was introduced, which is an upfront monthly payment per child or youth to foster parents to cover all social recreational costs, local transportation costs and the equivalent of one respite weekend. Block funding provides foster parents with the ability to be more child focused; therefore, having greater flexibility to make decisions.
“First and foremost, we need to ensure the overall safety and well-being of our most vulnerable children and youth,” said Minister Johnson. “Through the implementation of the Continuum of Care Strategy, our government is able to improve supports for out-of-home placements with an overall goal of eliminating the need for current staffed emergency homes, more commonly known as Alternate Living Arrangements.”
The remaining level of the new Continuum of Care Strategy for specialized foster homes will be implemented in spring 2013. Details regarding the overall strategy and the level system are included in the backgrounder below.
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Media contact:
Michelle Hunt
Director of Communications
Department of Child, Youth and Family Services
709-729-5148, 725-1593
michellehunt@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Continuum of Care Strategy
Highlights
As outlined on June 1 during the 2012 Canadian Foster Family Association Conference in St. John’s, the existing continuum of out-of-home placement options has been replaced by a new level system consisting of:
- Level 1: Kinship Homes, Relative/Significant Other Foster Homes and Interim Approved Non-relative Foster Homes
- Level 2: Foster Homes
- Level 3: Specialized Foster Homes
- Level 4: Staffed Residential Placement Resources
The new level system is scheduled to be fully implemented over the next two years.
Level System
Level 1: Kinship Homes, Relative/Significant Other Foster Homes and Interim Approved Non-Relative Foster Homes
- Families approved through the Child Welfare Allowance Program will now be called Kinship Homes. These homes will provide care to a child or youth who they are related to or have a significant relationship with as part of a plan with a parent(s) to prevent the child from coming into the care or custody of a Manager of Child, Youth and Family Services.
- The Child Welfare Allowance rate, including any special needs assessment rate, will be replaced by the current basic foster care rate.
- Kinship homes will be reimbursed at the current basic foster care rate plus some other individualized child specific costs related to transportation, counselling, health, medical, child care, and education. These homes will receive the child tax credit directly.
- Relative/significant other foster homes and interim approved non-relative foster homes will be reimbursed at the current basic foster care rate plus some other individualized child specific costs; receive a portion of the child tax credit in the amount of $85, as well as block funding which will be based on average costs.
Level 2: Foster Homes
- Level 2 will include foster homes (relative/significant other and non-relative) that have completed Parents’ Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) and provide care and support to children and youth requiring a foster home.
- For each child and youth, foster homes will receive the current basic foster care rate per month plus some other individualized child specific costs; receive a portion of the child tax credit in the amount of $85; block funding which will be based on average costs; and a level fee of $600 that will replace the existing special needs assessment rate.
- For those foster homes currently eligible for respite, the existing weekend respite rate of $135 for a two-day weekend and $180 for a three-day weekend will be increased by $40 per weekend.
Level 3: Specialized Foster Homes
- Level 3 will be specialized foster homes that must meet all the requirements of Level 2 homes, plus will be assessed as having the skills and willingness to meet Level 3 expectations; participate in specialized training; have a stay-at-home foster parent, and will be matched with children and youth that have very complex needs.
- For each child and youth, these specialized foster homes will receive the current basic foster care rate per month plus some other individualized child specific costs; receive a portion of the child tax credit in the amount of $85; block funding which will be based on average costs; a level fee of $1,600; an additional respite weekend bringing the total to two per month, and wrap around supports (e.g. support worker).
- For those foster homes currently eligible for respite, the existing weekend respite rate of $135 for a two-day weekend and $180 for a three-day weekend will be increased by $65 per weekend.
Level 4: Staffed Residential Placement Resources
- Level 4 will include all types of staffed living arrangements that will provide care to children and youth with the most complex emotional and/or behavioural needs.
- The Department of Child, Youth and Family Services has consulted with current residential care providers and has issued a Request for Proposals for the provision of staffed residential placement resources.
2013 02 11 11:40 a.m.