SUBPART C: DEPARTMENT CHILD WELFARE SERVICES
I. Purpose
The following outlines the necessary procedures to follow in providing services to unaccompanied minors.
II. Definition
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, "A refugee unaccompanied minor or a Cuban/Haitian Entrant unaccompanied minor is defined as a person who: 1) has not yet reached eighteen years of age or such higher age as may be established by the State of placement according to its child welfare plan under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act for the availability of such services for any other children in the State; 2) entered the Country unaccompanied by a parent or an immediate adult relative, ie., grandparent, aunt, uncle, or adult sibling who is willing and able as determined by a Court to care for the child, or any adult who arrived having documentable evidence of legal custody of the minor; 3) has no parent(s) in the United States." The vast majority of unaccompanied minors are from Indo-China. However, a small number of children can also be anticipated to arrive from other regions; i.e., Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa and Central America.
III. Means of Entry Into Country
Most unaccompanied minors arrive in the United States through the efforts of national voluntary agencies which operate resettlement reception and placement services under contract with the Department of State. Others arrive as non-relative members of a family group from the same camp. These children do not arrive on a planned basis and the adults with whom they live do not have guardianship. Some also arrive after having falsified their birthdates.
IV. Responsibility for Service
Department of Health and Human Services policy states that "the State public child welfare agency should assume legal responsibility for unaccompanied minors within its geographic jurisdiction." Federal policy further states that "the purpose of establishing legal responsibility is to ensure that unaccompanied minors receive the full range of assistance, care and services to which a child in the State is entitled and to designate a legal authority to act in place of the child's unavailable parent(s)."
V. Procedures to Follow in Providing Service
When unaccompanied minors are identified by the voluntary agencies in Illinois which serve refugees and Cuban/Haitian entrants, the agencies will contact Ralph Hanebutt (217) 785-2687 in Central Office. Mr. Hanebutt will refer the case to the appropriate Region for follow-up. The first step will usually require the Field Office caseworker and the voluntary agency representative who is knowledgeable about the child to contact the State's Attorney's Office in the County where the child resides. The voluntary agency representative will provide the Court with the necessary information to substantiate a dependency petition. Simultaneous with planning the Court process, the Department caseworker and the voluntary agency representative should arrive at a decision regarding the ongoing case handling. Some of the voluntary resettlement agencies also operate foster care divisions. In serving referrals from such agencies, the Department must decide whether to refer the child for purchase of care, or to provide the service directly. If the voluntary resettlement agency does not have a foster care division, the Department caseworker will decide whether to refer the child to a voluntary agency which has a foster care contract with the Department, or to plan for the child directly. The majority of unaccompanied minors have been residing with refugee families. In those instances an assessment must be made of the child's adjustment in the home and the family's willingness and ability to be licensed as a foster home.
VI. Payment for Services
All of the Department's expenses involved in providing the necessary room and board, medical care, social services and administrative cost are 100% reimbursable by the Federal Government. When the Department has been awarded guardianship of an unaccompanied minor, the caseworker shall complete the following steps in order to assure that the cost of care will be charged to the appropriate account:
A. Open a service case, but do not make an entry in the payment section of the Module.
B. Call Pete Pirrera in the Office of Financial Management (217/785-3091) to secure a child's I.D. number. Unaccompanied Minors I.D. numbers carry a V prefix.
C. Submit all vouchers for services provided to Pete Pirrera who will arrange for their payment from the Refugee Assistance Fund.
If it is decided that service will be provided by a private agency with whom the Department has an approved contract for regular foster care, that contract will need to be amended to provide for service to either Refugee Unaccompanied Minor or Cuban/Haitian Entrant Unaccompanied Minors.
VII. Payment for Administrative Costs
Federal Regulations and the Inter-Agency Agreement provide for the reimbursement of all administrative expenditures incurred in the process of serving Unaccompanied Minors. The following procedures shall be followed in the recovery of expenditures for specific line items:
A. Personal Services
1. An employee whose job description reflects full-time service to Unaccompanied Minors shall be paid from Fund 684.
2. An employee whose job description reflects some service to Unaccompanied Minors shall keep a daily log of time to the nearest one-half hour that is devoted to this client population. The log shall be turned in to the office timekeeper at the end of each month. At the end of each quarter, timekeepers shall forward the logs and a statement of the number of hours the employee worked during the quarter to Ralph Hanebutt in the Division of Program Operations. Employees will be transferred to the Fund 684 payroll for the equivalent number of full pay periods earned during the previous quarter. Any time not compensated in one quarter shall be carried over and added to the hours worked in the next quarter.
B. Retirement and Social Security
Employees who are compensated from Fund 684 shall also have their Retirement and Social Security charged to that fund during the same pay period.
C. Group Insurance
Group insurance for employees paid from Fund 684 shall also be charged to that fund during the same period.
D. Travel
Any travel expenses incurred in conjunction with services to Unaccompanied Minors shall be charged to Fund 684. The Appropriation Account Code number is 684-41817-1900-00-99.
E. Telecommunications
Employees who frequently need to place long distance calls in conjunction with services to Unaccompanied Minors shall be provided with telephone credit cards. Payment for credit card calls shall be vouchered separately and charged to Fund 684.
F. Contractual - Commodities - Printing
Any verifiable expenditure which has a direct relationship to serving Unaccompanied Minors shall be charged to Fund 684.
G. Staff Development
Department staff who work directly or indirectly with Unaccompanied Minors may attend conferences, meetings, or courses which serve to enhance their understanding of the needs of this client population. Expenses for travel, meals, lodging and miscellaneous expenses shall be paid in accordance with State Travel Regulations. Registration fees may be paid upon submission of a paid receipt. Out-of-State Travel Regulations shall apply to any Out-of-State travel.
VIII. Payment Approval and Payment Processing
The Regional Administrator or his designee shall sign as Receiving Officer for the expenditure of all funds for direct service, purchase of service, and Regional administrative expenses consistent with Department Procedures. All required vouchers shall be typed in the Region and submitted to the Office of Financial Management for scheduling and payment processing.
IX. Program and Budgetary Planning and Monitoring
The Division of Program Operations shall be responsible for program and Procedures development and compliance monitoring. Likewise, this Division shall be responsible for budgetary planning and liaison activities with the Department of Public Aid and the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement. Any questions regarding these procedures shall be directed to Ralph Hanebutt.