Face to Face Rate Billing

Face-to-Face Rate Billing

The Foster Family Support Services standards state that bi-weekly phone contact is required, yet it is not billable. Why not?

Yes, phone calls can be billable when they are providing a service that is consistent with the “Service Description” from the relevant Service Standard. 

Would monthly calls to foster families be considered goal directed intervention and be billable under face-to-face contact?

Yes

If the FFSC is responsible for completing the checks, how will the cost be billed and how will the service be billed since this would be time consuming collateral work?

Criminal background/CPS checks are required for anyone providing child care (which is to be done at the request of the foster family). Costs should be built into the proposed face-to-face rate; if that proposed rate is above the maximum, a budget and written justification must be included in the proposal.

Since the FFSC is required to have a support group, it requires 10 newsletters per year to inform of group topics, etc., how is this billed since it is for a group and not individual foster parents?

Since providing refreshments for the support group meetings is required, how are they to be purchased and how is this service to be billed since it would be for the group and not an individual?

Costs should be built into the proposed face-to-face rate; if that proposed rate is above the maximum, a budget and written justification must be included in the proposal.

Since monthly reports are required to be provided to the licensing case manager, how are they to be billed since they are for a group and not specific foster families?

As part of coordination.

Since necessary activities such as report writing, travel, etc. are not to be billed separately, should the time spent on these activities be included with the face-to- face time billed?

Yes

One of the services provided by the FFSC is to provide childcare at bi-monthly support meetings. How is this to be billed?

It is to be built into the rate.

Is the mileage rate considered to be part of the face-to-face rate?

Yes

Does billing allow for sites large enough to facilitate a group this size including approximately as many children for childcare and if not, could this be a line item?

No. It can not be a line item but you can estimate the cost in your billable rate

Does interaction with prospective foster families require a referral from DCS to bill for services to that family?

All billable time spent with clients must be authorized by a DCS referral; see the “Service Access” Section of the Service Standards for further explanation.

Currently, the FFSC has initial contact with many prospective foster families to inform them of meetings, trainings, provide information, answer questions, etc.  Does this require a DCS referral to provide this service and bill under that family’s name?

Prospective foster families are not part of the "Target Population".

Bi-monthly FAKT Coordinator meetings are listed. These meetings are held monthly. 

May we attend and bill time for all state-conducted meetings?

Your “Coordination for training per hour” unit rate should include bi-monthly FAKT Coordinator meetings, along with other required training meetings (not to exceed 3 per contract year).

 Will the claim forms for the FAKT Program have the same line items as they currently do (Coordination, Training, TOT, Newsletter, Interpreter, Site, etc.)?

No; See “Rates” (Section VI.) of the Service Standards for a description of the billable units.

Newsletter Costs – This states it includes the developing of the newsletter. This amount was previously billed under coordination time while the actual costs of the newsletter (printing and mailing) was billed under newsletter costs.

Is the developing/writing of the newsletter to be figured into and billed under newsletter cost as opposed to coordination time?

It is the intention that the cost of development and writing of the newsletter be built into the Coordination unit, and the dollar-for-dollar reimbursement for the Newsletter unit is to include the printing and dissemination of the document.

Foster Home Studies and Step-Parent/Custody Studies:  it is stated that routine report writing is not included in the face to face, does this also include writing the actual custody study?

Yes

Was it actually intended to leave the 10 hour limit for 2 cancelled training sessions clause in this RFP?

No

Billing for “crossed-county foster parents” is misleading and could be confusing. Should this section actually read “cross-county and other agency foster parents”?

yes