6000    INTERSTATE COMPACT CASES

 

6100    The Interstate Compact on (ICPC)

 

6200    The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA)

6210    Children Eligible for ICAMA

 

6300    SRS Responsibilities

6310    Transferring Benefits for Eligible Children Who Are Leaving Kansas

6311    Adoption Subsidy Payments

6400    CW/CBS Provider Responsibilities

 

6500    Requirements of Resource Parents

6510    Notify Local Worker in Sending State

6511    Contact Appropriate Staff in Receiving State

6512    Cancel Medicaid Card

 

6600    Purchase Limitations and Guidelines

6610    Eligibility for Medicaid Services Through ICAMA

6611    Adoption Subsidy Services Not Covered by Medicaid

 

6700    Payment Procedures for Services Not Covered

6710    Required Forms and Documentation

 

6800    Procedures for Out-of-state Children to Be Placed in Kansas

 

6900    Closing an Interstate Compact Case

 

 

6000    INTERSTATE COMPACT CASES

 

Resource parents are not required to live in the state through which their foster or adopted child came to live with them. Foster and adopted children from Kansas may move with their families to another state. Children from other states may come to live in Kansas. This section explains how to manage services for Kansas children who have moved out of state and children who have been placed in Kansas by another state.

 

Kansas, as the sending state, remains financially and ultimately responsible for children our department places out-of-state. Any state placing a child in Kansas remains responsible for a child in their legal custody.

 

6100    The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)

 

The ICPC is a contractual agreement among all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. It is a legal and binding contract. The intent of ICPC is to provide an interstate placement and supervision mechanism for children placed across state lines. ICPC is based on the belief that each child requiring placement out of state will receive the maximum opportunity to be in a safe, suitable environment with persons or institutions having appropriate qualifications, facilities, and commitment to care.

 

ICPC applies to any child being referred out-of-state under court jurisdiction. These placements must receive prior approval of the receiving state. Social work details regarding ICPC are contained in section 9000 of the CFS Policy and Procedure manual.

 

Practice Note: The Interstate Compact does not apply when a child is visiting in another state.  If an ICPC request has been initiated on that resource , then overnight visits may not occur.  A visit has a beginning date and an ending date. The child knows where he or she is returning to upon completion of the visit. A visit is intended to be for no longer than thirty days. A longer stay may be considered if it begins within the period of a child’s vacation from school. 

 

 

6200    The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA)

 

ICAMA is an agreement between specific states that allows for the transfer of Medicaid coverage for Title IV-E eligible children receiving foster care or adoption subsidy, if they move to a state included in this agreement. The roster of states included in the Compact will vary from time to time. It is important to contact the ICAMA administrator in CFS central office to ascertain which states are currently members of the compact.

 

6210    Children Eligible for ICAMA

 

In order to be eligible for Medicaid through ICAMA, a child must meet the following criteria:

1.      Have a Foster or Adoption Subsidy Agreement through a state participating in ICAMA.

2.      Be currently living in or intending to move to a state participating in ICAMA.

 

6300    SRS Responsibilities

 

Upon notification that a Kansas child living in foster care, or with a Kansas adoption subsidy agreement is moving to another state, the SRS worker must, as appropriate:

 

6310    Transferring Benefits for Eligible Children Who Are Leaving Kansas 

 

 

SRS maintains a policy of retaining benefits received on behalf of foster children to recover the SRS foster care expenditures. Children who are placed out-of-state with a relative, the relative is encouraged to become the payee for the child’s benefits.

 

A.     SSI and SSA are interstate programs transferrable from one state to another. SSI and SSA recipients who move with either their foster or adoptive parent to another state, continue to be eligible for these benefits. CFS staff shall notify the local Social Security office of the planned move. The family needs to contact the Social Security office in their new location to become the payee.

B.     Veterans, Railroad or other benefits received on behalf of the child are also transferrable to the out of state placements with a relative.

 

6311    Adoption Subsidy Payments

 

Kansas as the sending state, is financially responsible for youth placed out of state by the SRS social worker and the CFS CW/CBS Provider. This means that monthly adoption subsidy payments to adoptive parents continue to be generated from KAECSES in accordance with the Adoption Subsidy Agreement for the case.

 

6400    CW/CBS Provider Responsibilities

 

Children placed out of state by SRS and a CFS CW/CBS Provider are still the CW/CBS Provider’s responsibility. Foster care maintenance payments shall be directed by the CW/CBS Provider to the Foster Parent’s home, Group Home, or other residential provider in the receiving state.

 

For children placed with a relative out-of-state, the CFS CW/CBS Provider shall ensure that maintenance is provided for the child through CW/CBS Provider payments, social security benefits, TAF from the receiving state, or an appropriate support option.

 

6500    Requirements of Foster or Adoptive Parents

 

In order for the ICAMA process to work smoothly, the parents should take an active role making sure that the appropriate parties in the sending and receiving state are aware of their plans.

 

6510    Notify Local Worker in Sending State

 

The parents must, as soon as they are able, notify the local worker in the sending state of their new address and departure date from the sending state.

 

6511    Contact Appropriate Staff in Receiving State

 

The parents should contact the Social Service office in the new state in order to assure the state is aware of their need for a medical card.

 

6512    Cancel Medicaid Card

 

The parents may not use the old Medical card after issuance of a new card by the receiving state. The old card should be surrendered to the receiving state at the time the new card is issued and forwarded to the Medicaid office in that state for cancellation.

 

6600    Purchase Limitations and Guidelines

 

6610    Eligibility for Medicaid Services Through ICAMA

 

Medicaid Services delivered by providers in the receiving state through ICAMA, are dictated by the prevailing Medicaid regulations in that state, with one important exception discussed in section 6611 directly below.

 

6611    Adoption Subsidy Services Not Covered by Medicaid in the Receiving State must Be Paid by the Sending State.

 

If a child has a valid adoption subsidy agreement in the sending state specifying services not covered under Medicaid in the receiving state, the sending state remains responsible for payment of these services.

 

6700    Payment Procedures for Services Not Covered by Medicaid in the Receiving State

 

When a bill is received for services not covered by the receiving state’s Medicaid program and these services are indicated on the adoption subsidy agreement, CFS staff shall pay the bill.

 

6710    Required Forms and Documentation

 

A GS 3465 shall be completed with a copy of the adoption subsidy agreement and the bill attached. Use the applicable adoption subsidy PCA codes.

 

6800    Procedures for Out-of-state Children to Be Placed in Kansas

 

Upon receiving an ICAMA referral from another state indicating that a child is moving to Kansas, the ICAMA administrator will forward the referral to the SRS office where the adoptive family, foster family or relative resides.

 

Upon receipt of the ICAMA referral in the SRS office, the CFS worker will facilitate the issuance of a medical card based on the documentation provided. Notification of the effective date of Kansas Medicaid will be sent to the ICAMA administrator to be forwarded to the sending state.

 

Practice Note:  Close coordination should be made between the two different states to ensure continued Medicaid coverage.  The Kansas ICAMA administrator can assist in identifying which office will process Medicaid in the new state.  This varies from state to state.

 

6900    Closing an Interstate Compact Case

 

SRS maintains custody of the child until both states agree to close the case because permanency has been established or the child ages out of the foster care system. When placement is with a relative, SRS must maintain jurisdiction for a minimum of six (6) months. Closure is usually recommended by the state where the child is residing. Both states must concur. SRS should not ask for release of custody without approval from the other state.

 

Post-placement supervision, by an appropriate agency or person in the receiving state, is provided until both states agree to close the case.

 

CFS eligibility staff shall wait for the SRS social worker to provide documentation authorizing closure of an interstate case.