Fiscal Methodology of the Project Extension
California’s Project has a two-cohort track:
- Cohort 1 consists of Alameda and Los Angeles Counties, and will retain its existing financial base, a three-year average of federal fiscal year (FFY) 2003-2005 expenditures.
- Cohort 2 consists of Butte, Lake, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Sonoma, with a base year period established as the five-year average of federal fiscal year (FFY) 2008-2012 expenditures.
Both cohorts have an assistance growth factor based on the annual California Necessities Index and an administrative growth factor based on a three year moving average in expenditures for each year.
If the state experiences a significant unanticipated increase in either payments to families or administrative costs that exceed the growth rate and are unrelated to the implementation of the Project (e.g., stemming from federal, state or county policy changes, court orders, or other external factors), the Administration of Children and Families may consider an adjustment to the base allocation.
Exclusion from the Project
Certain foster care costs incurred by participating counties are excluded from the Project, and will be paid outside of the Project’s capped federal allocation, including:
- Any allowable Title IV-E claims from counties not participating in the demonstration project;
- Any allowable Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) (CWS/CMS) development or operational costs;
- Any allowable Title IV-E foster care licensing activities and 50 percent training;
- Any allowable staff, provider, or professional partner training costs;
- All eligible youth who are at least age 18 but have yet attained the age of 21; and
- Any allowable adoption costs including Adoptions Assistance Payments.
The following presentation provides participating Title IV-E California Well-Being Project counties details regarding changes to the used to administer the Title XX funds for Foster Care Assistance, Child Welfare Services Basic and CWS Augmentation.