Recently, the Children’s Bureau posted a
report on waivers of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act.
Waivers are
legislatively-authorized and administratively-approved interruptions of
federal regulation to allow states more flexible use of a particular
funding stream. The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation
Act
(P.L. 112-34) recently
reauthorized the IV-E waiver program, which was first passed in the mid
90’s. The application process and guidelines for the new waivers are
expected to be announced soon.
The
Children’s Bureau report reviews the 24 states that have implemented
waivers since their inception. It provides detailed information about
each state’s use of the waiver for demonstration projects, including
background, intervention, target population, jurisdiction, evaluation
design, outcome findings, and cost analysis.
Demonstration
projects across the states include expedited reunification services,
intensive service options, flexible funding, managed care payment
systems, services for caregivers with substance use disorders, and
enhanced training for child welfare staff. Several states also
implemented subsidized guardianship demonstration projects, the success
of which led to the provision in the 2008 Fostering Connections to
Success and Increasing Adoptions Act
(Fostering Connections, P.L. 110-351)
that added kinship guardianship assistance payments at state option to
Title IV-E. In addition, New Mexico used a IV-E waiver for a tribal
administration of IV-E program. Fostering Connections also included a
provision for tribal IV-E administration, recently
implemented for
the first time. Just as waiver demonstrations led to these federal
reforms, it is anticipated that the 2011 reauthorization of waiver
authority will inform
refinancing of the child welfare system, a
CWLA legislative priority.
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