Action 2.
Special Board of Supervisors Meeting
Board of Supervisors
- Meeting Date:
- 03/26/2020
- Title:
- Title IV-E Agreement
- Submitted By:
- Sharon Gilman, Board of Supervisors
- Department:
- Board of Supervisors
Presentation:
No A/V Presentation
Recommendation:
Approve
Document Signatures:
BOS Signature NOT Required
# of ORIGINALS
Submitted for Signature:
Submitted for Signature:
3
NAME
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
Ed Gilligan
TITLE
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
County Administrator
Mandated Function?:
Not Mandated
Source of Mandate
or Basis for Support?:
or Basis for Support?:
Docket Number (If applicable):
Information
Agenda Item Text:
Approve Title IV-E Interagency Agreement with the Arizona Department of Child Safety, the Arizona Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of the Courts, and authorize the County Administrator to sign on behalf of Cochise County.
Background:
For the first time, states can now claim federal matching funds through Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to help pay the costs of attorneys representing certain children and their parents in child welfare legal proceedings. These expenditures include costs associated with independent legal representation by an attorney, including an attorney Guardian Ad Litem, for a child who is in foster care or in foster care to prepare for and participate in Dependency and/or Severance proceedings, including appeals. The County shall utilize 75% of the reimbursed monies to supplement existing funding for parent and/or child representation. Allowable costs include expenses incurred in calendar year 2019. Future costs will be invoiced on a quarterly basis.The Agreement to access the reimbursement is a three-party agreement between the Department of Child Safety, the Administrative Office of the Courts and Cochise County.
Department's Next Steps (if approved):
The Indigent Defense office will invoice for allowable costs in 2019 and submit quarterly invoices thereafter. Once a reimbursement is received, the monies will be placed in a special revenue fund for use as determined by county, in compliance with the agreement.
Impact of NOT Approving/Alternatives:
Future attorney and staff expenses by the County related to Dependency and Severance cases will not be reimbursed.
To BOS Staff: Document Disposition/Follow-Up:
Please mail the signed agreement and completed 2019 invoice via Fed Ex to Caroline Lautt-Owens at the Arizona Supreme Court, as directed in the agreement. Deadline for receipt is March 31, 2020.
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact & Funding Sources (if known):
The funding source is Title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Under the terms of the agreement, the County shall assume all responsibility and liability for erroneous reporting of costs allowable or disallowable. The County shall utilize at least 75% of the monies acquired through Title IV-E reimbursement to supplement and not supplant existing funding for parent and/or child representation through expanding, enhancing or developing initiatives related to Dependency cases.